Maat and Order in African Cosmology: A Conceptual Tool for Understanding Indigenous Knowledge Author(s): Denise Martin Source:

Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 38, No. 6 (Jul., 2008), pp. 951-967 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40035033 . Accessed: 05/12/2013 19:59
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Maat and Order in African Cosmology

DeniseMartin

ofBlack Studies Journal Volume 6 38 Number My 2008 951-967 2008 Sage Publications 10.1177/0021934706291387 http://jbs.sagepub.com hosted at http://onhne.sagepub.com

A Conceptual ToolforUnderstanding Knowledge Indigenous

University ofLouisville
Maat is a comprehensive construct that existed ancient throughout Egyptian maat is the of order that informs civilization. the Cosmologically, principle of theuniverse. maatis a goddess or neter creation Religiously, representing or balance.Last,philosophically, maatis a moral andethical order principle in their wereexpected to embody thatall Egyptians dailyactionstoward and god. This workextends maat nation, environment, family, community, theboundaries of ancient culture and testsits conceptual beyond Egyptian itinto an analytical toolfor classical African elasticity bydeveloping studying andhowitrelates tocultural Itfocuses on cosmological knowledge expression. ofmaatas thefoundation oftheuniverse andthen uses theconceptualization in which in ancient maatappears culture as a basisfor themanner Egyptian withinclassical African This pattern distinguishing patterns knowledge. ordimensions: contains 10 characteristics sacred, visual, functional, symbolic, andholistic. moral, oral, communal, multidimensional, rhythmic,
holistic; cosmology; epistemology; Keywords: African; indigenous; knowledge; maat

is a comprehensive construct thatexistedthroughout ancient In itscosmological civilization. maat is theprinciple of sense, Egyptian In itsreligious informs thecreation oftheuniverse. order that maat is a sense, initsphilosophical orneter order orbalance. Last, sense, representing goddess thatall Egyptians maatis a moraland ethical wereexpected to principle intheir toward actions nation, environment, daily family, embody community, andgod. extends maat the boundaries ofancient culture Thiswork beyond Egyptian itintoan analytical itsconceptual toolfor andtests elasticity bydeveloping andhowitrelates classical African to culcosmological knowledge studying Itfocuses ontheconceptualization ofmaat as thefoundation tural expression.
951

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952

Journal ofBlack Studies

of theuniverse in ancient andthen uses themanner in which maatappears African culture as a basis for within classical Egyptian distinguishing patterns This contains 10 characteristics or dimensions: sacred, knowledge. pattern multidimenvisual, functional, moral, oral, communal, symbolic, rhythmic, andholistic. sional, studies ofmaat canbe classified into twocategories: Generally speaking, those that discuss maat within the context ofancient civilization and Egyptian those that extend theconcept civilization. of maatbeyond ancient Egyptian The first thevarcontains themajority oftheliterature andreflects category ioustextures ofmaatas itexisted in ancient civilization. Here,we Egyptian finddiscussions of maatas thecosmicor divineorder 1946; (Frankfort, in ancient literature Tobin, 1989),as itappears 1992), (Lichtheim, Egyptian as a goddess on monuments (Teeter, 1990),andas an idea ofperdepicted sonalmorality andsocialjustice(Karenga, themajority of 2004).Although in thiscategory studies a few discussmaatin a socialor religious context, havefocused on theepistemological ofmaat. specifically aspect in thesecondcategory The literature contains that extend maat works ancient Someleantoward theapplication ofmaatas a social beyond Egypt. and/or moral construct relevant to thestudy ofAfrican culture particularly both inantiquity andmodern distimes 2000;Kunjufu, 1993).Others (Hotep, cussmaatinrelation to Greek andculture & Teeter, 2004; (Faraone thought theliterature that maatrepresents a fundaTobin, 1987).Essentially, agrees mental order totheuniverse that andheavenly exists on both human planes, butthediverse nature andscopeofmaat fuels much ofthediscussion. Likethestudies ofthesecond this work toestablish a usesmaat category, of knowledge in various classicalAfrican societies. Whatare the pattern ofthispattern? How do these dimensions influence shapesanddimensions the conceptualization and expression of knowledge in variouscultures? allowstheconceptualization and expression of Usinga maatian approach to be discussed in a newcontext. KwasiWiredu at (2004) hints knowledge thisprocess whenhe speaksof theconceptual ofAfrican decolonialization which callsfor ofanysuchthought inthelight of thereviewing knowledge, as a first them on and as a second, indigenous categories, step, evaluating independent grounds.

PremiseforMaat as an Analytical Instrument

a framework fordiscussing classicalAfrican Forming knowledge using maathas twomainpremises. there to be an intimate and First, appeared

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Martin inAfrican /Maat andOrder Cosmology 953

between cultural and cosmomutually dependent relationship production beliefs various cultures on the continent. The similarities are among logical notnecessarily aesthetic butontological. framework Second,a theoretical thecomplexities andindeed oftherelationthat fully significance captured between cultural and was needed. production cosmological knowledge ship is a feast for the African cultural senses because of itsrichstoproduction textile weaving, carving, constructing, dancing, singing, body rytelling, traditions. Butthemetaphysical ideasthat andmusic-making adorning, give totheceremonies, andcontext anddailylife rituals, meaning performances, obvious cultural andenvicreated anintellectual discernable pattern through differences ethnicgroups. This production is ronmental amongAfrican mindthrough thefocused lens of one discipline, revealed to theWestern or anthropology, butthegenius ofclassical African suchas art, philosophy, ofcultural from all segments liesinhowall elements production knowledge This integration into an epistemological of life are integrated system. andelasticto discussit. an analytical toolequallycomprehensive requires cosof maatallowsthisbecausemaathas simultaneous Usingtheconcept andpersonal domains. Thecosmological domain social,cultural, mological, existence andrepresents in of ordered maatis "thetotality is where things willfocuson the andin place" (Karenga, 2004,p. 7). Thiswork harmony in classical African culture. ofknowledge as itmanifests existence ordered

thePattern Forming
from ancient a conspicuareno records To date,there Egypt providing of contextual of maat,onlytextsthatreflect ous definition applications in thePyramid texts maat. Thesearefound of (Budge,1959),Declarations The Book of KhunAnup,theBook of Contemplations Virtues, (Karenga, of the New Kingdomand Late period 1984), and the autobiographies mentioned texts detail howindividuals 1992).Thepreviously (Lichtheim, and livedmaat. and kings upheld, created, officials, practiced, peasants, in use as an analytical tool maatwas already itcan be said that Fromthis, ineverythat itwas operational civilization bythefact Egyptian throughout an individual's lifewasjuscriteria bywhich daylifeandthedetermining of tified 2004). Thatmaatwas actively practiced byall segments (Karenga, Nor does the its philosophical dimensions. in no way diminishes society betweenancientNile Valley and morerecentcultural contextual shift to forapplication. diminish its relevance in Africa According expression of maat, linguistiObenga(1995), elements Theophile Congolesescholar cultural me(truth, in numerous African canbe found groups: justice, cally,

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954

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to know ma (magicmedicine, (life,soul,mind, moyo [Coptic]), [Kongo]), thetruth a know and know mo [Yoruba]. (to (to my [Ngbaka]), [Mpongwe]), scholar AntaDiop (1974), whenarguCheikh Furthermore, Senegalese for an African of identifies totems, circumcision, civilization, ing origin social and as kingship, cosmogony, organization, matriarchy keyareasthat the idea that ancient of andsub-Saharan Africa arevariations support Egypt one cultural has also traced the and (1991) entity. Diop origin development of precolonial African are civilizations and societies to establish that they connected setofsocial,linguistic, andpolitical relahistorical, bya distinct that reach In reference backtoantiquity andspanthecontinent. to tionships andphilosophical S. Mbiti(1990) has acknowledged ideas,John religious thatalthough thereare variations in the beliefs, and customs practices, there is a distinguishable African among peopleon thecontinent, ontology cultural Thisontology is primarily a religious one andconamong groups. sists offive elements: andphenomena. The man, god,spirits, plants/animals, andinteraction these elements a foundaacknowledgment among provides tionon which to discussthebeliefs, reliand rituals ofAfrican practices, terms. that it is moral traditions gionsin general Magesa (1997) maintains that aremodeled after theorder a basis created maintaining bygod,as being fordiscussing African Kwame Ghanaian religious practices. philosopher that there is "underlying cultural oridentity (1995) also states Gyekye unity ofvarious individual thinkers that tovarieties ofthought references justifies as wholes, suchas Western, or Oriental" European (p. xxxvi).Thus,space hasbeencreated for this ofspeculative discourse about broader type patterns inAfrican culture. itmust be acknowledged that when a However, applying acrossspaceandtime, there is thehermeneutical "tension between concept intoand 'drawing' outof (Karenga, if 2004,p. 26). In response, 'reading' one consciously maintains thatit is a speculative and,more application avoidsthenotion of an ideal,thisapproach can be intellectually important, Maatis notpositioned as "an ideal"or"theideal"for enriching. discussing African sacredknowledge. deterit is nota standard, therefore Similarly, which African cultures havea concept do similar tomaatandwhich mining notis notthethrust ofthis which work. It is a paradigm, a framework with to consider howthis in cultural is reflected knowledge production.

Issues Epistemological
As mentioned a premise ofthiswork addresses theissueof previously, theoretical framework. This means morethanan intellectual argument aboutwhatdefines butalso includes between therelationship knowledge

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/Maat andOrder inAfrican Martin Cosmology 955

culture andthecreation ofknowledge, that determines what is,howculture is known, and understood as experienced, knowledge. Gyekye(1996) that culture can notbe filtered us with that out,leaving argues knowledge The in does notbearanycultural lies to footprint. difficulty trying identify of thecurrent base or modern thecultural sciences knowledge footprint - becausethey and social the human, natural, developed during periodof of global trade, Western ascensionand domination and culture. politics, andaccepted what is understood as sciencebearstheimprint of Therefore, intellectual andcultural Ani the Western which 1997), experience (Harding, contains an episteme ofuniversality butis inreality a cultur(1994) argues one. This between themes of if tension and orhow universality allyspecific in in African cultures has been an manifest issue African particular they in itsinfancy as a discipline wrestled with 1984) and (Wright, philosophy continues and sources, (Gratton, 2003). Dialogueson theperception, today inlight ofAfrican ofWestern ideasgives structure knowledge philosophical within African us threemajorlines of thinking traditional philosophy: African and Africana African contemporary philosophy, philosophy, phibut boundaries, 2004). Each schoolhas its conceptual losophy(Wiredu, validpoints for ourdiscussion ofclassicalknowledge. Most eachprovides are the conceptual decolonialization by Wiredu(2004) previimportant and LusciousOutlaw'scall forrealizing thepotential of ouslymentioned and conceptual afforded Africana thegeographical flexibility philosophy is realization that there provided
suffer ofourculturally as a consequence anephilosophers many professional and Eurocentric The mic,race-tainted logocentric, training. yetrace-denying, ourtraining on canonical "Western" nearexclusive focus, throughout figures of"philosophy" andthe near total exclusion ofinsights as the andtext paragons theolsuchdisciplines as history, from ethnology, anthropology, psychology, and science, art, music, political demography epidemiology, ogy,sociology, for outappropriate danceleaveus all ill-equipped working conceptualizations thepromise ofAfricana toguideus inrealizing philosophy, (p. 92)

canbe useful becauseitallowsfor thefull manifestaThisis where maat to be while intellectual African tion ofsacred knowledge recognized providing newrelationships. Itallows thesynergy ofcosmological, toexplore flexibility in classical much like how exist and social ideas, artistic, they philosophical, in a manner. to be African communities, interpreted systematic Analyzing andrestoration ofsacred tothecreation, as itrelates maintenance, knowledge for classical African an alternative orderreflects reality epistemological

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that Work is being donebyscholars inboth Africa andtheDiaspora thought. illuminates theserelationships in knowledge 2001; Finch,1995, (Arthur, 1998a,1998b, 1999;Livingston, 2004).

Definition ofTerms
At thispoint, it is critical to define several keyterms beingusedin this work. is usedinthecomposite sense(Asante, 1990),notas anextenAfrican sionofethnicities or endorsement ofbiological determinism butas cultural Classicalis preferred to indigenous ortraditional andis usedinthe identity. sensearticulated itrefers toboth the"chronology (2004) in that byKarenga andachievement" ofAfrican connotes a connection Indigenous knowledge. to place and ownership; like traditional, it is often as being perceived orpremodern orWestern. as a Classicalis understood to,lessthan, opposed levelofachievement historical a particular culture. ClassicalAfrican among is notless than, of Western knowledge knowledge. opposedto,or instead is used in that it permits more a broader Knowledge scope foraddressing ofinformation than that which would be considered the types typically using definitions for toqualify as philosophy 1984). rigid required thought (Wright, Maat is defined oftheunalterable laws nicely byBudge(1960) as "goddess ofheaven" is profound becauseit encapsulates the (p. 185).Thisdefinition coreofthis work. Maatas goddess means that theidea she epistemological is sacred in thecollective mind oftheEgyptians. Maat is identirepresents andworthy ofconscious andadoration. fied, deified, conceptualized, praise itbecomes a part ofthereligious culture oftheEgyptians. In addition, Thus, werematriarchical in beliefand goddessrecallsa timewhencivilizations invokes anaxiom ofThoth, practice (Diop,1991;Wood,1996).Last,goddess whichstates"gender is in everything, has its Masculineand everything Feminine also adhere tothis 1999,p. 97). TheYoruba (Chandler, principles" with eachofthe400+1 orisha a masculine orfeminine axiom, having designation. "unalterable laws"implies both the ofmaat andthe Next, permanence ofhumanity to acknowledge, anduphold these laws.This follow, obligation basisfor maat as thegoverning lawfor givesan ontological Egyptian society that focused on maintaining maat. Last,"ofheaven" givesa cosmicsenseto theconcept. Notonly do we havetheprinciple a goddess, being unchanging, anda mandate for maat includes inthecosmos. Unlike humanity, everything theJudeo-Christian tradition where thelaw is believed tohavebeengiven to manbyGod andapplied almost to human maatgovsituations, exclusively ernsall aspects of creation. In ancient theworld was created Egypt, using

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inAfrican Martin /Maat andOrder Cosmology 957

maat andman, as a consequence ofcreation, andexists within this law.Ifman maatwouldstill werenothere, apply.

Instrument Maat as an Analytical

ofmaatinEgyptian culture creates a specific dimenEach manifestation are distinct Thesedimensions sionofAfrican knowledge. yetinterrelated, inthemanner maatappears inEgyptian culture. Thefirst dimenmuch that or spiritual/religious, is found in TheBookofKnowing the sion,thesacred in whichmaatexistsbefore and informs theformation of the Creations, to "Ra's Description ofHis Creation," cosmos. According
whenI cameintobeing, cameintobeing. . . Heavenhadnotyet beingitself Nor had the earth come into Norhadtheground been comeinto being. being. in the orthethings which created creepandcrawluponit.I raised up beings I foundno place on whichto stand.I watersas inert things. primordial I laid thefoundation Maat. formed it from thedesirein myheart; through 1984, 5) p. (Karenga,

or thought of theSupreme, and everything flows Maat is theintention In speaking of Dogon thought, Griauleand Dieterlen from thisintention. makes oftheuniverse anorderly that "this where whole, (1986) state thought than that ofa pre-established incesthenotion oflawis lesspresent harmony, reordered" The hartroubled and 60). continuously (p. pre-established santly The whole in which classical African is maat. orderly knowledge mony andboundto theelements, and is contextual workings, processes, operates not to an abstract law. Mbiti of the sacred affirms this universe, (1990) cycles All reality Africans havea religious and phewhenhe saysthat ontology. areunderstood in thecontext of thissacred nomena, knowledge, including in varying Another is that knowlcosmos, degrees. wayto viewthis though It must sacred andsecular context. havereleedgecan havea simultaneous inboth realms. ThisechoesthePrinciple of andmeaning correlation, vance, intheteachings found ofThoth, also from ancient Egyptian Correspondence as belowso above(Chandler, as aboveso below, culture: 1999). ofknowledge is the that thesacred dimension Another example supports ofEgyptians ofmaat, which theconscious mind as deification placesitinto relevant to their lives.Stillanother ofreverence andtherefore a focalpoint In is seen in the languagein whichmaat is written. sacreddimension ntr translates as "theGod's words" or"sacred mdw Ancient writing" Egypt,

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958

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a translation Words from itsbetter known namehieroglyphics. Greek using orlanguage aresacred inthesensethat thewords orthewords God created toGod,alongwith them. itself andwhat is saidwith Hence, belong writing there was an aspectofwriting that was maintained scribes bydevout priest for 4,000years(Gardiner, 1994). nearly theEgyptians to God, theneter Thothin attributed Although writing theDogon,knowledge veshas a moreabstract particular, among organic togodAmma: "ForAmma haddesigned theuniverse sel,butalso attributed before it. The material forthedesignwas waterwithwhichhe creating traced in space" (Griaule& Dieterlen, 1986,p. 83). This is reprefigures sented intofour eachcontaining master byan eggdivided quadrants, eight eachofwhich more. The 256 signsarethe"complete signs, produced eight andrepresent thedirect ofAmma'sthought. signsoftheworld" expression UnliketheEgyptians' hieroglyphs, Dogon signsare a seriesof curved, linesthat can be drawn withstones, on theearth hook,and sickle-shaped or etched ontoa door.Regardless ofthephysiseeds,or manure porridge, cal form, theimportant factor hereis that itself is sacred. writing The physical form of writing and Dogon is the amongtheEgyptians for thenext twodimensions ofclassicalAfrican the imperative knowledge: and visual.The symbolic is thefundamental element of knowlsymbolic their of whenrepresenting edge used by ancient Egyptians understanding theuniverse. to thedefinition de Lubicz According putforth by Schwaller an Image, a collection ofletters, a word orphrase, a gesture, (1978),"when a singlesound, a musical or melody havea significance harmony through evocation we aredealing with a symbol" (p. 45). J.A. West(1993),an avid student of Schwaller de Lubicz,explains "It is a meansof further: symbol theintellect andtalking to theintelligence of theheart, bypassing straight theunderstanding" that (p. 129). The glyphs composethewordmaatare ofmaterial items found inEgyptian culture: a pedestal orwedge, depictions a sickle, loafofbread, vertiedrollofpapyrus, andthree feather, forearm, ticallines.The linesindicate that theconcept three shouldbe understood or they indicate It is generally heldthat theglyphs are times, importance. to be interpreted fortheir value.However, phonetic Karenga(2004) sugthewedge(pedestal) denotes evenness. Maat is presented visugeststhat of a seatedwomanwitha feather ally as a silhouette atop herhead, a woman with a feather fora head,or simply denotes a feather. The woman thefeminine andgoddess characteristics mentioned The ofmaat previously. feather is a symbol of maatbecauseit evokestheconcept of thelightness of heart thatis theconsequence of practicing maat.Maat is experienced evoked thesymbol ofthefeather. through

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Martin /Maat andOrder inAfrican Cosmology 959

to Griaule andDieterlen ofDogon (1986),"thedevelopment According of and hence the elaboration andhas proceeds byanalogy thought, concepts to thesymbol" The is also the constant recourse 58). (p. symbol "conveyor It willhaveled manto collectmaterials and actions in his of knowledge. it familiarized him with of but will have abstraction" memory games (p. 59). the abstractions are found behind a like the common Egyptians, just Again of theeveryday itemto and it onlytakesa smallamount item, everyday a simple feather formaatand a single evokethefullpowerof a concept: in a plateofriceinfuse of sorghum thequalities ofthegrain. Among grain there is a similar use ofthesymbolic becausethey use theAkanofGhana, as visualmarkers to express cloth anditssymbols their world "theadinkra attitudes andthoughts" 2001,p. 12).Inthis view, beliefs, collection, (Arthur, and accompanying havea specific The name,meaning, proverb. symbols topart, orsaygoodbye, andimplies a "message a soul word means adinkra in theearth" takesalongwhenleaving (Willis,1998,p. 29). Interestingly, in thechambers andwords maatappear of ancient regarding Egypt, images notintended as messagesfortheliving. thedeceased,therefore Closely is the visual dimension of knowledge. Whereas to the symbolic related thevisualis theproduct. is theprocessor mode of production, symbol area type of canbe visualandwords a written technically language Though includes theart forms: dimension 2001),this (Arthur, images, sculpsymbol and so forth. textiles, movement, structures, tures, patterns, prints, shapes, ofknowledge intwowaysas an aesthetic thevisualaspect Maatcaninform structures matter. to Finch(1998b),existing or subject According Egyptian as totheir material a precise intention reveal location, orientation, composior etched onto and purpose. Furthermore, tion, every singleglyph painted wouldfirst be carefully and ceilings measured, sketched, walls,columns, in or carved. The linesand angleson structures areprecise; the filled then In speaking are symmetrical, perfectly spaced,andconsistent. hieroglyphs Finch(1998b)explains itthis to architecture, oftheapproach way:
never losttheir awe ofnature, and ofantiquity The civilizations andcultures thewill of manuponherwas beyond theidea of "imposing" conception. NileValley architects ofantiquity erected Thustheedifices bythesuperlative but emergefromit. The to blend withthe landscape, seem not merely in anyway;the thelandscape tookextraordinary builders painsnottodistort was subsumed form ofcivilization material bynature, (p. 101)

suchas thepyramid Furthermore, complexat Giza, the grandstructures at Abu becauseof the of Ramses and at Simbel, Temple Temple Karnak,

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Journal ofBlackStudies

their of orientation to specific starsand synchronicity withmovements thesun,bear an aesthetic The of maat.Maat can also be subject matter. scenedepicted on thepapyrus ofAni shows Anubis weighing-of-the-heart theheart ofAni on one side of a balancing scale with a feather, balancing of maaton theother. If thedeceasedlivedin accordance with symbolic If not, thanthe feather. maat,his or herheartwouldbe a littlelighter shown as a composite ofvarious the satready to devour Amemit, animals, heart ofthedeceased. Other forms ofAfrican artcan also display thisdual approach to visual whenconsidered in itsindigenous context. Forexample, knowledge among theBamanaofMali,thedoorlocksserve toregulate thevital nyama, energy that resides in all creation, which canbe manipulated bysoubaya(sorcery). The locks, their andembellishment with tiwgraphic through publicdisplay orpictographs, also reflect "a Bamanaintent to use them to teach and signs remind theessential andvalandphilosophical beliefs peopleabout religious ues of BamanaycT 2001,p. 22). The Sowo masksof theSande (Imperato, theMendealso serve toreinforce a spiritual community among message:
Each element assembled to makeup Sowo has itsownreferences in Mende and conduct, and each augments and extends themeaning of the thought whole. Forus tounderstand all this willrequire no lessthan a study ofthenaturalandmetaphysical from which theforms forms which background emerge, we shallunveil, (Boone,1986,p. 153) part bypart, meaning bymeaning.

Boththedoorlocksandthemasks the havea specific aesthetic that govern creation ofitsphysical form. Yeteacharea physical materialization ofcosandeachplaysa specific andvital literal, mological knowledge, symbolic, function to thewell-being of thecommunity. tradiGenerally speaking, tionalAfrican artwas inspired and tales, by legends, myths, proverbs; served and included assorted itemssuchas figurines, functions; religious houseposts, and textiles 2002). The jewelry, bodyart, pottery, (Adejumo, between the and function of tradiintent, form, relationship inspiration, tional artcan be described as an application ofmaat:
andtexture inAfrican artareexpressions ofthepeoples'percepforms, tones, tionof theworld around them. In short, areportrayals of their they waysof and collective aesthetic As a the are often works result, knowing preferences. usedtoevokeorder, andcontinuity incommunity life.(p. 167) tranquility,

to theweighing-of-the-heart italso illustrates themoral scene, Returning dimension ofknowledge becauseitshows Anibeing before Ausar, presented

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Martin /Maat andOrder inAfrican Cosmology 961

for eternity because he practiced maat. Lord of Resurrection, justified of the soul after there this scene shows the are death, journey Although ample In theBookof as a standard for theliving. ofmaatbeingapplied examples to as theEloquent there is a petition ofa Peasant), (also referred Khun-Anup to follow theprinciples ofmaatin consideration farmer totheHighSteward is important becauseit showshowmaatpermeated of thecase. This story of the Jacob Carruthers (1986)illustrates Egyptian population. every segment inhisdescription ofhowmaatis applied to governmental and this sentiment The samemaatthat informed creation was thesame administrative policy. officials werebound. maat to which Kemetic government of maatthat themoraldimension of knowlAnother example presents in theDeclarations These statements ofInnocence. clearly edge is found individuals should avoidintheir lifetime so that their which actions identify there is a contextual shift from the Though waytothegodsnotbe blocked. theZulu Declaration realmof thecosmicto thecommunal, ofSelfalong of proverbs inexhaustible with a seemingly supply dealingwith good and in many affirm thevalueandplace of morality African socijustbehavior eties(Gyekye, 1995;Madu,1992;Mbiti,1992;Wanjohi, 1997). with Thereis an aspectof maatin which good speechis equated doing themodern Western axiom that boasts "actions maat 2004).Unlike (Karenga, andtheir actions willweigh than both a person's words words," speaklouder The oraldimension, likethevisual, has an aeson thescalesofjudgment. as found inthebeautiful oftheEloquent Peasant or thetic speech component thecontent was aboutmaat, thewords TheBook ofKhun Anup. Although anditwasrecorded for werealso spoken beautifully, generations subsequent A more oforalknowledge exists in thefact to appreciate. aspect speculative thehieroglyphs/mJw ntr that saturate thetombs andtemples and that despite information on astronomy and building fillnumerous scrollsof papyrus, for thesphinx andpyramids remain hidden from thewritten word. techniques ofanextensive oraltradition. information waspart this this Although Perhaps cultures havefashioned a complex oraltradition that a mystery, other remains ofstorytelling anduseofproverbs notonly thewidespread includes practices anddivination. butalso libation, songs, chanting, drumming, dimension of classic African Maat revealsthe functional knowledge with a mundane orsecular situation. Maatas thesacred becauseitintegrates in thought, idea actualized behavThe philosophical manifestation. speech, andliving, eacha broader andcontext. ior, giving meaning creating, building, wouldbe stamped onto Akanculture, theadinkra In traditional symbols If the clothwas commissioned, the a funeral. clothand wornduring on theuse ofappropriate to thepatron wouldcounsel symbols craftsperson

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ofBlackStudies Journal

in categories use (Arthur, 2001,p. 27). These symbols represent concepts suchas gods,universe, self, love, government, beauty, family, community, and wisdom. The clothwouldthen a communicate ethics, simultaneously from the to the and the The wearer, message among departed, community. actofwearing inpublic becomes an expression orfunction simple clothing ofthecosmological of the culture. knowledge This leads to the nextdimension of knowledge, whichis communal. tomaat, the individual soul was for it maat, Returning though justified living was the community on earththatreceived direct benefit. This tangible between individual action andcommunal dynamic relationship consequence reverberates African cultures. TheZuluDeclaration throughout ofSelfelostates thefollowing: quently
I am sovereign ofmylife; is sovereign ofhislife; My neighbor is a collective Society sovereignty; Itexists toensure that andI realise the ofbeing human. myneighbour promise I haveno right to anything I deny myneighbour. I am all; all areme ... I cancommit nogreater crime than tofrustrate life's for purpose myneighbour. & Abarry, 1996,p. 373) (Asante

which AmongtheAkan,thereis an adinkrasymbol, funtummireku, a commonstomach. The accompanying depictstwo crocodilessharing states"thecrocodiles forfoodthatgoes intothe same proverb struggle stomach." thetwoheads as individual (1995) interprets Gyekye thought, andthecommon as thebasic interest stomach ofboth. action, expression, Thisstomach also represents thecommunity that is nourished byindividual actions. This nature of community is also expressed in theAkanproverb: "Theclanis likea cluster oftrees whenseenfrom hudwhich, afar, appear dledtogether, butwhich wouldbe seento stand whenclosely individually there is a distinct on thecommuapproached" (p. 158).Although emphasis in constant tension with thecause oftheindividual. nal,itexists dimension does not automatically Knowledgethathas a communal theindividual orhercapacity for nordoes itpresuppose negate knowledge, that thecommunity is a rigid totalitarian monolith. It instead that proclaims occursin a human context. The collective of these knowledge well-being humans is thepurpose of thecreation, and application of dissemination, Thisapproach is supported that an knowledge. byMbiti(1990),whostates African is anthropocentric, and in addition to thefiveelements, ontology there is a force that thewholeuniverse to whichsomehumans permeates

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Martin inAfrican /Maat andOrder Cosmology 963

haveaccess through thisforce, theelements arebalanced spirits. Through andmaintained. Thisis another ofmaat. With humans atthecenter ofthis sacred example befalls them tomaintain the thecharge balance within itbycontroluniverse, or disharmony. Thisconstant flowof harmony to disharmony to lingIsfet, indicates a subtle that the harmony again rhythm provides rhythmic aspect Maat translated of classicalAfrican as harmony has inherent knowledge. for because both relate tomusic. Theroleofmaat inrecrhythms implications thedelicate andever-elusive a tensions, order, onciling maintaining provides cosmiccadence to lifeto which Of course, there are everything keepstime. andlunar tracked communities that areoften disstellar, solar, cycles bymany ofmathematical but areinessence cussed as elements The time, they rhythms. thesiguiceremony 60 years, which Dogoncelebrate every equalsonedayin & Dieterlen, thecelestial 1998b;Griaule 1986).In precessional year(Finch, celestial there addition to these arethemore comrhythms, pre-established considered movements andrhythms ofAfrican danceand polycentric monly which areexpressed music and Asante, rituals, festivals, 1993), (Welshduring Theserhythms facilitate thecontinuation orreestablishment life celebrations. an individual, or nation. ofharmony within Rituals are clan,village, family, becauserituals theinstruments that andrecplaythese rhythms helpprevent theebo orsacrifice the thepowoncile Yoruba, disharmony. Among arranges in a person's of rhythm, favor. the ersof theuniverse Usingourmetaphor inessence "callsthetune" when shemakes thesacrifice with individual all of theDagara, thefuneral ritual serves as a creation as theinstruments. Among tonotonly mourn thedeadbuttorelease time for theentire community pent and guiltforanyof life'schallenges frustration, (Some, up grief, despair, theceremony takes a festive tone because"the human 1994).After grieving, needs toplay"(Some,1994, areresponsible for p. 71). Themusicians psyche emotions: therelease ofappropriate triggering
withthetense and This timethemusic had a morefestiverhythm, contrasting mournful music theyhad been playingforthe past two and a half days ... a of being both physicallydemandsong heavily cadenced thathad the effect ing yetrelaxing,(p. 72)

is polyrhythmic becauseitsimultaneously Traditional knowledge negotiates andcelestial communal, familial, human, rhythms. earthly, ofknowledge is echoedin itsmultidimensionThe polyrhythmic quality thatmanytraditional African acknowledged ality. Thoughit is generally thisdualistic, havetheseen and unseenas majorcategories, cosmologies

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964

ofBlack Studies Journal

five-sense-driven is limiting becauseit leavesus with of reality description two Theunseen There are other realms that must be considered. just options. realm is usually that of thespirits, butthere arereports of encounters with that in the are physically realphenomena butdo notoriginate phenomena orthespirit world. Instances suchas altered world, dreams, states, physical andlifeforms from other dimensions areacknowledged as sources visions, ofknowledge is inherently connects all,creation (Some,1994).Becausemaat multidimensional. That nothing is leftdisconnected in thissystem showsthatclassical African refis holistic. TheDeclarations contain knowledge ofInnocence erences tofamilial, relations. TheZulu andecological communal, spiritual, Declaration a complex network ofpsychological, ofSelfinvolves biologiinteractions. The modern worldhas tremendous cal, social,and spiritual aboutpsychology, and geologybutlittle knowledge sociology, religion, a about what connects these areasandthenature Is there oftheconnection. to or story that makesthem relevant? ritual, pattern, collectively Returning theebo,a person must a sacrifice that couldinvolve anycombinaprepare tionofplants, andobjects. most items are foods, alcohol, animals, Though foundin nature, withvarious theywill mostlikelyrequireinteraction members of thecommunity to obtain. Once theorishashavebeen "fed" with members of theitems at a ceremony, which often involves stillother thecommunity, thesacrifice is removed from thealtar andleft atthecrossroads:theintersection between human and divine, material and spiritual, and sacredand secular. All of nature in theebo,including the participates birdor animalthat of theoffering while mayenjoya nice meal courtesy the earth. Ebo is an the into thesky andwithin symbolically carrying message of an African to a phenomenon that elements example integrates approach from diverse areas. Maat allowsfor thisholistic ofknowledge becauseitallows expression material between sacredand secular, esoteric and exoteric, relationships and danced and spiritual, individual and communal, spokenand written, anddrummed to be explored.

Conclusion
intellecthecomplexity ofhuman Maat as an analytical tooladdresses existence. It opens and spiritual tual,artistic, social,personal, religious, in a comfor andexploring knowledge understanding up newpossibilities an absoluteor total context. Maat by no meansrepresents prehensive

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Martin /MaatandOrder inAfrican Cosmology 965

of African nordoes it have to addresssolely understanding cosmology, What maat does is provide a theoretical framework African phenomenon. between theacademic of and forwhich encounters disciplines philosophy and religion can occur, muchlikethesynergy that exists danceor botany traditional cultures. within many

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Martin /Maat andOrder inAfrican Cosmology 967 on thelanguageofAdinkra. DC: The Willis,W. B. (1998). A visualprimer Washington, Pyramid Complex. in ourtime. K. (2004). Introduction: African In K. Wiredu Wiredu, (Ed.), A comphilosophy Blackwell tophilosophy paniontoAfrican philosophy, companions (pp. 1-27).Maiden, MA: Blackwell. In S. Billington J.(1996). Theconcept ofthegoddess. & M. Green Wood, (Eds.), Theconcept ofthegoddess(pp. 8-25).NewYork:Routledge. R. A. (1984). Investigating African In R. A. Wright (Ed.), African Wright, philosophy. An introduction. NewYork:University PressofAmerica. philosophy: in the Departments of Pan African Denise Martin is an assistant Studiesand professor at theUniversity of Louisville.She teachescourseson Africana Humanities and religion Herresearch interests include thespirituality, andknowledge aesthetics. ofAfrican metaphysics, andAfrican-descended hermaster's anddoctorate inAfrican American peoples.She earned at Temple andherundergraduate in magazine studies at Florida University degree production A&M University.

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