Maat As Liberatory Praxis-gctid105696

[Heru Djet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5xvquk1wUU

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

I'm just getting a chance to listen to this. I love your introduction of the dikènga of the Bakôngo and the concept of unicity. I find that unicity makes Capoeira very simple because all these things that look like disparate things are actually just one thing. All these various movements are just manifestations and outgrowths of two principles that can be reduced to one principle which is, in and of itself, a key principle of Ma'at (which, in turn, is one thing expressed in various ways). I have 15 more minutes to go, but I'm sure I'll have more comments.

[Heru Djet]

Obadele Kambon;137007 wrote: I'm just getting a chance to listen to this. I love your introduction of the dikènga of the Bakôngo and the concept of unicity. I find that unicity makes Capoeira very simple because all these things that look like disparate things are actually just one thing. All these various movements are just manifestations and outgrowths of two principles that can be reduced to one principle which is, in and of itself, a key principle of Ma'at (which, in turn, is one thing expressed in various ways). I have 15 more minutes to go, but I'm sure I'll have more comments.

Asante sana. I think that if we start from the idea that Kmtyw cultures emanate from from a shared core, a shared asili, that we will find that there are many parallels. These parallels are not incidental or accidental, but emerge fromthe Kmtyw worldview.

Capoeira is a fine example of this. If we recognize it merely as a localized expression of a broader form of combative expressions, then we will have a greater sense of its affinity with other Kmtyw combat traditions. I'm reminded of this whenever I see another art that has a principle that is either explicitly or implicitly expressed within Capoeira.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

I did a presentation on the 4th of this month also dealing with parallels based on shared worldview using dikènga. I originally did it as a paper for Kmtyw Mythology class back in 2003, but I greatly expanded on it and I'm working it into a journal article from here: http://www.abibitumikasa.com/forums/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=1080&sti=Parallels-between-Akan-Ananse-Stories-and-Yoruba-Ijapa-Tales

The original paper is here: http://www.abibitumikasa.com/forums/showthread.php/33926-Cultural-Unity-of-Worldview

I agree on your take on Capoeira. I also think about this when I'm engaging with something that, outwardly, has nothing to do with Capoeira or combative arts at all, but I can see Capoeira inside it through similar principles in play. I think this is a higher level of understanding than simply seeing Capoeira as a collection of disparate and fragmented techniques. I also think understanding, when and where to do movements supersedes how many approach Capoeira with a desire to simply know how to do movements...for many they can do 1,000 movements in a solo, but ask them to use those movements in a fight, they would be at a loss - literally and figuratively.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

@Heru Djet One note: on several occasions, you said Kikôngo (language) when I think you were looking for Bakôngo (people).

[Heru Djet]

Obadele Kambon;137266 wrote: @Heru Djet One note: on several occasions, you said Kikôngo (language) when I think you were looking for Bakôngo (people).

Asante sana. I'll have to make sure that this is reflected in my paper.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Si kitu. Cool. Let me know when the paper drops. I had a graduate assistant transcribe my presentation and I'll likely develop it from there for Research in Kmtyw Literatures journal.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Just listening to this again. Brilliant presentation and articulation of ideas.