Second anthropology and development studies conference day two

On the second and the last day of the second International Anthropology and development Studies, the captivating keynote address was delivered by Dr Lindsay Marcom from Queens University and her presentation entitled “Decolonizing Post Secondary Education – Thoughts on Steps forward locally and globally.”

 Dr. Marcom, an associate professor and associate Dean who is now also a Canada Research chair, emphasized that there is a need for people to go back to their roots, the language has also become a way of colonizing. The researchers also need to start drafting research in their own languages.” I was so excited, when I was in South Africa in March, it was very meaningful to hear African languages everywhere because when I walk through public spaces in Canada, I do not hear Indigenous languages, I barely hear anything but English. I sincerely hope that we can give Indigenous languages more room and better exchange Indigenous language knowledge.”

The keynote speaker impressed the audience that attended the conference both online and physically who listened attentively as she, through her address, created a conversation afterwards with positive feedback.

 The sole means of resisting colonialism, according to Swiss Muslim professor, philosopher, and author Tariq Ramadan, is via education. The conference’s theme was “Decolonizing Curriculum in the Context of African Thought.” Decolonizing curricula is currently a topic that has progressive academics in modern/colonial university institutions around the modern/colonial world preoccupied.

The second keynote speaker was Dr. Ralitsa Diana Debrah, a design educator from Ghana, mentioned that we believe in Africa with a K, “Throughout the African continent, all the Indigenous Afrikan languages write Africa with a “K.”   We see Africa with a “c “as an external world view of Afrika. Afrika with k is us as people of African continent taking ownership of our future and our destiny. It is an inward-looking outward perspective of our continent.”  stated that in the early days, there were specific subjects/occasionally you walk into the school where you are even punished for speaking your own language and it is broadly written on the school wall and everyone is forced to speak English and that is how language and education were and continue to be used to colonize. She asked the crowd a remarkable question: “Do we still continue to allow that to happen?”

In her conclusion she said, “let us work together in the spirit of ubuntu, let us  decolonize education in Afrika.”

• Nomvelo Xulu