The need to Africanise maths
THULASIZWE MNGOMEZULU
March 15, 2000
Patterns and shapes in traditional Zulu basket designs are highly
mathematical.
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IT is always assumed as an axiom that blacks do not make it in
mathematics. I often wonder whether African intellectuals are doing
enough to challenge this notion. There seems to be a false belief
among intellectuals, including mathematicians themselves, that this
subject is not only difficult but can never be culturally adapted to
suit the African mindset. True, mathematics as we know it is
scandalously Eurocentric in language as well as in the cultural
context in which it is taught and applied. Small wonder that so many
black matriculants fail this subject.
However, a closer scrutiny into the inner workings of the human mind
reveals that no unit of knowledge is difficult for human beings to
understand as long as it is explained, taught and applied properly. Dr
Chonat Getz from the Department of Mathematics at Wits University has
recently pioneered very interesting research into the geometric
patterns of wire baskets made by Zulu people. Her observations of
mathematical patterns and geometric shapes of Zulu traditional designs
may quite likely result in computer software that will generate these
designs.
Getz's efforts will undoubtedly contribute to the public understanding
of science and consequently to the cultural relevance of mathematics
for black students in general and African students in particular. We
now have proof that mathematics is not universal as it has always been
claimed; rather, it is culture-specific.
In spite of linguistic and cultural barriers, Africans have
contributed immensely to the field of mathematics. Even before Jesus
Christ was born, the Dogon people of Mali had started calculating
distances between Mars and other planets. The accuracy of some of
their ancient calculations has recently been confirmed through the use
of the Hubble Telescope. It will make a big difference if all students
of mathematics become exposed to the contributions made by blacks in
this field.
Some of these black role models include Adebisi Agboola (Ghana),
Katherine Okikiolu (Nigeria), Jonathan Farley (U.S.), Arley Peters
(U.S.) and Thamsanqa Khabule here at home. These are not just ordinary
mathematicians who shun conferences. They are mathematicians of
international repute, having supplied input in such fields as
singularity theory, general relativity, infinitesimal calculus and
theoretical astrophysics. Too often we are told about white
mathematicians like Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell.
The eighties saw the emergence of such prominent black mathematicians
as Idriss Assani (Benin), Nathaniel Dean (U.S.) whose main field is
applied algebra, Carl Graham (France) and William Massey (U.S.).
However, it must be made clear that excellent black mathematicians
have not been limited to the U.S. alone.
Prominent African mathematicians such as George Okikiolu (father of
Katherine Okikiolu, another mathematician of international repute)
have made contact with the likes of Stephen Hawking. James Ezeilo,
another Nigerian, has received numerous honorary doctorates in
mathematics for his contributions in the field of differential
equations. Ezeilo left the mathematics community startled by his
solutions of some age-old mathematical problems. It is even said that
his colleagues at Cambridge University refer to him as "the black
Einstein".
But most importantly, there are prominent black mathematicians who
made their mark during the height of racism in the world. Ethelbert
Ochukwu, a Nigerian, dealt with differential equations while Olusola
Akinyele and Augustin Banyaga dealt with differential topology.
Ekhaguere and Aderemi Kuku dealt with algebra. All these black
mathematicians are universally recognised as having made notable
contributions in the field of mathematics. So, who says that black
people are mentally ill-equipped to understand mathematics?
Be that as it may, the manner in which mathematics is taught,
researched and structured in terms of language and semantics is such
that most African students do not make immediate sense of it. This is
not because they are not competent but because the first time
mathematics is projected, it is deprived of its existential relevance.
In short, its starting point is the unknown. The known, if it is ever
taught, is taught once a student registers for a Ph.D. But how many go
that far?
Moreover, political and economic factors also play their role in the
demathematification of black students. Law faculties during the
apartheid era registered high volumes of black students while science
faculties struggled to attract very many. The reasons are fairly
obvious.
Finally, it is important that mathematics should be restructured in
such a manner that students become acquainted with black role models
in this field. During this period that has been dubbed the information
age one of the greatest living mathematicians is an African by the
name of Phillip Emeagwali. Emeagwali developed the world's fastest
computation of 3,1 billion calculations per second. He discovered the
hyperball computer whose speed is one million times faster than a
personal computer. Emeagwali, whose personal website is the oldest and
largest on the Internet, broke the world record for solving the
largest partial differential equations with almost superhuman
precision.
Surely the achievements of such great mathematicians like Emeagwali
will definitely encourage black scholars to look into African
solutions even within such fields as mathematics. Knowledge, wrote
Francis Bacon, is power. Power is about control which is the ultimate
objective of knowledge. This control manifests itself in the manner in
which thoughts, facts, ideas and concepts are structured to form a
body of knowledge.
From the African Renaissance perspective a great deal of work has to
be done by African intellectuals in ensuring that mathematics and
science in general become truly African, but first we need to change
the Eurocentrism that still exists in all science subjects, and
mathematics in particular. And the starting point for this lies in our
indigenous knowledge systems.
* Thulasizwe Mngomezulu is public relations officer for the KZN
Ministry of Transport (South Africa). He writes in his personal
capacity.
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