Video: Foundations of Kmtyw Thought Lecture #8: Earth and Land in Kmtyw Thought and Practice-gctid181180

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

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https://youtu.be/dUTdKP3o6as

The settings on my camera were changed from autofocus without my knowledge at Thursday morning's seminar so it's blurry. The main point would be to hear the lecture.

[Kwadwo Tòkunbọ̀]

Don't worry...flava vision ain't blurry....

Abibifahodie

[Kwadwo Tòkunbọ̀]

I am outside cutting my yard and listening. Had to take a break to get this thought of my mind.  You posed a question who thinks controlling nature is a good thing, or who thinks controlling nature is a bad thing.  Right away my mind recalled a premise of these lectures about complimentary when it comes to Kmtyw thought and the notion of either/or from a eureurasian thought.  So it seems to me that if we are thinking Kmtyw the answer would have been both.   You have an example of a magnet having negative and positive, but when you break either the negative or positive side each contains now a negative and positive. For example we use materials of the earth to make homes, eat, clothe ourselves, even make a damn in Aswan. These actions it would seem to me to be controlling nature. But when you exploit the resources by enslaving them as in Gambia we see the bad side of controlling nature.  So I guess it comes down to respecting nature and not exploiting.  Hope my words are clear.  A brotha is tired from yard work.  

The next point you talked about the hand fighting the arm, or the hand not being concerned with the arm on the other hand because that's over there so to speak.  Immediately the proverb "when the axe come into the forest the trees said look, it's one of us". Meaning we do not see the real enemy sometimes can be us and not see the danger of the axe.

Abibifahodie

[Tenkamenin]

kevlew;181285 wrote: I am outside cutting my yard and listening. Had to take a break to get this thought of my mind.  You posed a question who thinks controlling nature is a good thing, or who thinks controlling nature is a bad thing.  Right away my mind recalled a premise of these lectures about complimentary when it comes to Kmtyw thought and the notion of either/or from a eureurasian thought.  So it seems to me that if we are thinking Kmtyw the answer would have been both.   You have an example of a magnet having negative and positive, but when you break either the negative or positive side each contains now a negative and positive. For example we use materials of the earth to make homes, eat, clothe ourselves, even make a damn in Aswan. These actions it would seem to me to be controlling nature. But when you exploit the resources by enslaving them as in Gambia we see the bad side of controlling nature.  So I guess it comes down to respecting nature and not exploiting.  Hope my words are clear.  A brotha is tired from yard work.  

The next point you talked about the hand fighting the arm, or the hand not being concerned with the arm on the other hand because that's over there so to speak.  Immediately the proverb "when the axe come into the forest the trees said look, it's one of us". Meaning we do not see the real enemy sometimes can be us and not see the danger of the axe.

Abibifahodie

Absolutely, biblically what is preached in the West is that God ordained man to subdue the earth. The notion that we must subdue the earth is abusive, moreover we've seen the effects of this disastrous belief internationally. According to my Co-Worker who attended a conference in China, the smog in certain parts of China is horrific.  In Ghana we've seen the effects of this unregulated free markets, especially with the pollution of rivers.

The earth sustains us, not revering it or treating it well is suicide.

[Tenkamenin]

Dr. O, in regards to the word Ɔbosom I've read several different explanations as to the etymology of the word. Online I encountered 2 Ghanaians give their own interpretations, one said the word comes from Ɔboɔ-som literally rock worship/service and the other countered with the word Bosome the moon.  

In his book "Becoming Ancestors" Nana Donkor says the word Ɔbosom comes from the word Kɔsom- to worship. In Dr. Warren's reappraisal of Eva Meyoritz work, his informant, an Ɔkɔmfoɔ, says the word comes from the word Ɛsom bo (valuable/precious).

What are your thoughts?

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

kevlew;181285 wrote: I am outside cutting my yard and listening. Had to take a break to get this thought of my mind.  You posed a question who thinks controlling nature is a good thing, or who thinks controlling nature is a bad thing.  Right away my mind recalled a premise of these lectures about complimentary when it comes to Kmtyw thought and the notion of either/or from a eureurasian thought.  So it seems to me that if we are thinking Kmtyw the answer would have been both.   You have an example of a magnet having negative and positive, but when you break either the negative or positive side each contains now a negative and positive. For example we use materials of the earth to make homes, eat, clothe ourselves, even make a damn in Aswan. These actions it would seem to me to be controlling nature. But when you exploit the resources by enslaving them as in Gambia we see the bad side of controlling nature.  So I guess it comes down to respecting nature and not exploiting.  Hope my words are clear.  A brotha is tired from yard work.  

The next point you talked about the hand fighting the arm, or the hand not being concerned with the arm on the other hand because that's over there so to speak.  Immediately the proverb "when the axe come into the forest the trees said look, it's one of us". Meaning we do not see the real enemy sometimes can be us and not see the danger of the axe.

Abibifahodie

Very astute. Both is a possible answer. A nuanced version of that same answer would be that it really comes down to context--propriety--as Ma'at is even more fundamental to the Kmtyw worldview than complementarity which is, however, one of the many manifestation that Ma'at takes.

It comes down to respecting nature rather than exploiting and, in our context, it comes down to finding ways to defend oneself from those who don't respect nature and exploit it. Check the documentary mentioned entitled "Stealing a Nation" for a vivid example of what I mean.

This is a good analogy in the sense of not everything that seems like it could/should/would be working on your side ***cough, Obama, cough*** actually is working on your side.

Tenkamenin;181456 wrote: Absolutely, biblically what is preached in the West is that God ordained man to subdue the earth. The notion that we must subdue the earth is abusive, moreover we've seen the effects of this disastrous belief internationally. According to my Co-Worker who attended a conference in China, the smog in certain parts of China is horrific.  In Ghana we've seen the effects of this unregulated free markets, especially with the pollution of rivers.

The earth sustains us, not revering it or treating it well is suicide.

That sounds like typical cavebeast philosophy, if we can call it that. Suicide is a very apt word.

Tenkamenin;181458 wrote: Dr. O, in regards to the word Ɔbosom I've read several different explanations as to the etymology of the word. Online I encountered 2 Ghanaians give their own interpretations, one said the word comes from Ɔboɔ-som literally rock worship/service and the other countered with the word Bosome the moon.  

In his book "Becoming Ancestors" Nana Donkor says the word Ɔbosom comes from the word Kɔsom- to worship. In Dr. Warren's reappraisal of Eva Meyoritz work, his informant, an Ɔkɔmfoɔ, says the word comes from the word Ɛsom bo (valuable/precious).

What are your thoughts?

I've heard/read all three interpretations. Christaller's 1933 dictionary has it as being nea wɔsom no yɛ abo kɛkɛ - they were just worshipping rocks, but it seems very tainted by the christianized informants he had. Prof Kwasi Konadu is much more in favor of the deɛ ɛsom boɔ interpretation. If I recall, Eva Meyerowitz was of the moon view. From the tones, it seems like it should come from compounding of two nouns ɔboɔ ɔsom because the som is a downstepped high-tone influenced by the low tone of the preceeding ɔ-; thus, it is realized as ɔ̀bósom. The tones may have changed over time, but typically for it to come from som 'worship/propitiate' as a verb one would expect for it to be ɔ̀bòsóm. For ɔbosom to come from deɛ ɛsom boɔ, the more likely reading from this perspective would lead to value itself as an abstract noun.

[Kwadwo Tòkunbọ̀]

Checking out stealing a nation tonight.   Meda ase

Abibifahodie

[Kwadwo Tòkunbọ̀]

Just finished watching.   Sad is that a few generations some of the descendants will not identify with the island at all because they have been given that alien culture as dr Amos Wilson speaks of.  History gives us lessons.   One other point.  I saw the Tehknen they were laying the flowed on.  I wonder if they identify with Kmt at all and their ancestral home.

Abibifahodie

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

It reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxAUAxndovU

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

kevlew;181859 wrote: Just finished watching.   Sad is that a few generations some of the descendants will not identify with the island at all because they have been given that alien culture as dr Amos Wilson speaks of.  History gives us lessons.   One other point.  I saw the Tekhen they were laying the flowers on.  

I wonder if they identify with Kmt at all and their ancestral home.

Abibifahodie

You mean Tekhen? I missed that point you made here. Kindly clarify.

[Kwadwo Tòkunbọ̀]

Typos yes. They were laying flowers for their deceased on a Tekhen

Abibifahodie

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

kevlew;181865 wrote: Typos yes. They were laying flowers for their deceased on a Tekhen

Abibifahodie

Okay, I get you now. I can't speak to their degree of understanding of their connection to classical Kmt. The tekhen itself has long been co-opted by eureurasians so that alone would not indicate to me that they are cognizant of their connections to our collective ancestors.