Dr. Iyelli Ichile of Temple University joined us for this edition of Inside the SGJC Studio* to discuss her approach to African identity formation and spirituality.
*Inside the SGJC Studio was a briefly run student-driven television project from the School of Global Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University.
Indeed! Almost seemed scripted! I didn’t expect anything ground breaking from Smokey but damn, an all out assault on connecting with Africa and African culture? To each is own, but not cool to me at all!
Brother McBride, no doubt. it was like a crazy wild attack from nowhere.
Dr. Jared Ball, I thought that I was the only cat that had an issue with Smokey Robinson’s position when he was on Def Poetry Jam. Again, I agree with you when you say he is entitled to define who he is but to make the statement regarding his connection or his lack thereof, was disappointing to me since I embrace my connection as an African, I could care less about Africans here in the States who do not relate to the connection, I do not acknowledge continental Africans that deem us as not being African (who are they to define who I am?) It is important that the world knows that I define who I am and that no one else has this right.
Bro. Kevin has been trying to get me to listen to this but ironically I have heard it a while ago but I’m glad that I listened to it again and glad I am not the only one who looks at the world via an African lens!
I think it’s disingenuous and a glossing of history to claim that indigenous African spiritual traditions where not ‘oppressive’ or maintained a particular status quo in which the masses where subjected to a particular class.
Your scholarship is on Yourba but you conflate this with a broader concept of African spiritual systems.
Relgions like Christianity and Islam are not necessary western both have a long history in Africa predating the Atlantic slave trade. What would be interesting is how Africans have practiced these relgions and how this has shaped their social identities.
I’ve heard Dr. Iyelli Ichile speak only a few times and I have to say that she is one of the better women philosophers coming from the ‘Afrocentric’ paradigm. Instead of capitulating and strongly focusing on male interest, she actually stands firm in her standing up for African women (at least from the little that I’ve heard so far). You don’t get that too much from even the most popular African centered female theoreticians (not naming any names). <_<
This was/is dope.
Great interview.
My apologies… I meant Aiyana JONES not Grant.