Some background info on Henry Gates:
http://www.pbs.org/wonders/fr_bh.htm
N.
At 10:23 AM 11/2/99 -0600, Kumapayi, Ray wrote:
>I share your views Aggo; even though I did not watch all the parts.
>I do commend the efforts of Henry Louis Gates; he has opened the box and
>carved out a path to a re-birth of African history and culture.
>The parts I watched certainly left a lot to be desired. It made me wonder
>how such an acclaimed professor versed in the research of such discipline
>could non-the-less be so dis-engaging in certain critical areas and
>trivializing in others. There was so much lacking. Where are the rules of
>Occam's razor?
>I agree; too much Western and African-American sensibilities and emotions.
>I do not know if he could have done much better with a scholarly critical
>look either; he lacks the African cultural comprehension that equates to a
>successful undertaking of this magnitude. Misinterpretations between the
>professor and his escort and/or interviewee were too rife in the
>documentary; for, it is not what is said that is important but what is
>meant. I dare say, if such touring research was approached by an African
>lacking or not knowledgeable of Western values and culture, the result will
>be the same except shifted from the other side. I believe such researched
>revelations would be better accomplished by a true African who is also
>well-versed in the cultural ideology of the Western World.
>Nevertheless, this work is a "stepping stone" in the right direction; hats
>off to Louis Gates for the venture. The strive is to build on this by our
>critical reviews and thereby eventually pave the path. As Aggo has said, it
>is up to us Africans to do our own true research and tell our own true
>story.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: E. Aggo Akyea [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 6:17 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: A Preliminary Critique of "Wonders of the African World"
>
>
>I had the same problems with his program and certainly could not have
>articulated it all more eruditely than Ali Mazrui did. Of course it is
>easier to tell how something falls short of the ideal, but Louis Gates
>"Wonders of the African World" simply leaves too much to be desired. I
>congratulate him for the gallant effort to bring this about since we all
>learned a lot from the show. However, I think he approached the whole
>subject with too much of Western and African-American sensibilities and
>emotions, rather than the scholarly critical look we would expect from a
>Harvard professor. Better we Africans sit up, wake up, rouse ourselves, and
>tell our own story.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Emilie Ngo Nguidjol <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Monday, November 01, 1999 2:07 PM
>Subject: Fwd: Re: [BRC-NEWS] A Preliminary Critique of "Wonders of the
>African World"
>
>
>>If you didn't get to watch the series discussed in the piece below, I
>>suggest to find a copy and view it to get a better appreciation of the
>>discussion. Ali Mazrui's comments may be the tip of an iceberg. Stay tuned.
>>--Emilie
>>
>>>x-posted from [log in to unmask]
>>>Cross Posted from BRC-News
>>>
>>>From: Ali A Mazrui [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>>>
>>>October 28, 1999
>>>
>>>A PRELIMINARY CRITIQUE OF THE TV SERIES by HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR.
>>>
>>>By Ali A. Mazrui <[log in to unmask]>
>>>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit:
>
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html
>
>AAM Website: http://www.danenet.wicip.org/aam
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit:
>
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html
>
>AAM Website: http://www.danenet.wicip.org/aam
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html
AAM Website: http://www.danenet.wicip.org/aam
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
