Kush: An Afrocentric perspective

In Western historiography, scholars instinctively disconnect the great civilizations of Africa from African people. There are numerous examples of this from the building of the pyramids of Egypt to the great walls of Zimbabwe. Western scholars usually attribute the achievements of these prodigious civilizations to people outside of Africa. Doing so, they continue to obey Hegelian dogma, that says, that Africa is on the periphery of world history. This is the reason why Kemet, ancient Egypt, is connected to the Near East or the Orient and disconnected from the African continent. In the case of Nubia or Kush, located south of Kemet, in the present day Sudan; one would assume that Western scholars would attribute this culture to African people. However, this is not the case. Yet, ancient Greek historians, contemporaries of the Nubians, considered Nubia a land inhabited by black people. They called it Ethiopia. For these scholars, Nubia preceded Kemet in the course of civilization. Moreover, they acknowledged that Nubia or Ethiopia gave to Kemet its intellectual and material infrastructure. Thus, it is important to look at this problem more closely because of the cloud that lays over it due to historical thought. An Afrocentric approach is needed in order to shine light on this subject. This is the purpose for which this study was undertaken. To deal properly with this problem, an Afrocentric approach seems obvious. By this it is meant, a methodology which will allow us to look at the Nubian past from an African centered point of view. Technically, this study is composed of three parts, which will be as follows: (1) overview and critique of literature dealing with Nubia, and in particular Kush (2) an analysis of various arguments concerning cultural practices identified by Cheikh Anta Diop (3) the operationalization and application of factors which demonstrate cultural commonalties between Kush and the rest of Africa, in particular Kemet. Since Cheikh Anta Diop's work, no African researcher has, in fact, written a comprehensive analysis connecting Nubia with the African cultural universe. Consequently, this study is a historiographical and cultural contribution, the importance of which will be contributory to African scholarship.