Learning, Wisdom and the African World Experience: An Mbongi

Dr. Carr was our speaker for last week's seminar class. For a little less than fifty minutes, our topic of discussion had to do with more in depth things related with mbongi. I took very few notes, because I was initially trying to take the intent listening approach (I now know I need to take more notes.) The notes I do have, though, are very simple. They are all either quotes or definitions. All of which are easy to understand, but beyond complex at the same time. Anything I wrote down, made me think in a way I never thought to think before.
First, Dr. Carr gave the definition of the word "kioto," well after he made us repeat several times. Kioto means to inhale, more specifically to intake a healing property. He gave the example of feeling a certain way, but feelings changing after you get around a group of your people. That stuck with me because the night before seminar, I was feeling super down. I didn't feel much better the next morning either. Then at nine o'clock, I stepped into the auditorium, and Dr. Carr came in playing those old school jams and the vibe of everything just changed. It was insane.
A quote Dr. Carr mentioned was "To be beautiful is to speak with your life." He gave a very modern day example of a super pretty girl with a bad attitude. You know, "She's pretty, but her attitude is ugly." kind of thing. I felt like that quote made it sound so profound.
Another quoe that was said was "If you start your history with slavery, everything since then looks like progress." I never thought about that until I got to Howard. I also hear that in my Africana Studies class. Our history as a people always starts at the boat, and that's ridiculous with all of the things we accomplished way before then. To think I found out about the majority of this when I got here, and I've only been here two weeks!
Next week's lecture? "Omoluabi": Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility. See you then. And remember, "Speak the truth. Do the truth."