From: seove@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (ERIC OVERTON)
Subject: Po Tolo Journal on Arts, Math and Science
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Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
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Date: 28 Sep 1992 10:46 EDT  

PO TOLO JOURNAL OF PERFORMING ARTS, MATHEMATICS
AND SCIENCE



Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Karimi Mackey
McNair-Diop Astrophysical Institute,Inc.: 
Modern Africa Tama-Tama Section
1695 E. 81st
Cleveland, Ohio 44103



Aim and Scope

This Journal is devoted to providing a forum for African rooted opinions,
ideas and creative insights into the relationship between traditional cultural
values and modern technological culture. It is the belief of the editorial
staff of the Journal that modernization and economic development is not
incompatible with traditional African values. As such, The Journal shall
publish articles which demonstrate a synthesis of Ancient, Traditional and
Modern views with an emphasis upon economic development. The Journal believes
that Art, Science and Mathematics are the core conceptual categories of
culture and as such shall be the heart of this publication.

Acceptance of a submitted paper will depend on the results of technical
review, importance and potential economic impact of the paper to the readers
of the Journal. Papers should be submitted no later than one month prior to
Journal publication. It is a condition of publication that articles submitted
to this journal have not been published and will not be simultaneously sub-
mitted or published elsewhere. By submitting an article, the author agrees
that the copyright for their article is transferred to the publisher if and
when the article is accepted for publication, unless a written request of
exemption is submitted with the article. 
Upon acceptance, a publication fee of $25 is requested from the authors to
defray editorial and production expenses. Additional charges for untyped
articles may be assessed. Authors remuneration where appropriate shall be
negotiated.

The Po ToLo Journal is published Quarterly: September, December, January and
May. The December issue is a special Kwanzaa edition.

Subscription Rates: Annual subscription rate: $16. Address to PO TOLO JOURNAL
1695 E. 81st, Cleveland,Ohio 44103.

Copyright   1992 by Karimi Mackey. All rights reserved. Individual readers of
this publication and nonprofit organizations acting for them are freely
permitted to make fair use of the material in it, such as to copy an article
for use in teaching or research. For copying beyond these guidelines a copying
fee of $1.00 can be paid through the Copyright Clearance Center Inc, 21
Congress St, Salem, MA. 01970.


Excerpt from PO TOLO JOURNAL

MATHEMATICS


ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MATHEMATICS
AND DOGON "INFINITESIMALISM"
AS A FOUNDATION FOR AN 
AFRICENTRIC STUDY OF CALCULUS:

by Dr. Karimi Mackey

Why do such a study?

The intent of this paper is to sug-
gest vigorously the adoption of the
Kemet Pyramid Culture computational
techniques, particularly the use of
geometric and infinite series in
arithmetic operations, during the
"elementary education" period as a
means to reduce the excessive
failure rate among first time stud-
ents of calculus        (50%). In
addition, during the "secondary
education" period it will be argue
that the graphical-infinitesimal
analytic perspective of the Dogon
provides an Africentric alternative
to Platonic, Cartesian and Leib-
nizian orientation to the
"visualization" of calculus.

The current standard history of
mathematics is based upon primarily
the "world views" of the Ancients
Greeks and the corresponding Arabic
and European derivations. This is
due to the exclusion of African
rooted peoples from the main stream
of mathematical information since
the fall of Kemet (Ancient Egypt).
It is no wonder that the African
world is currently technologically
dependent. Mathematics, when viewed
historically, does not reflect the
African self image. The real dilemma
lies in the education of African
children who are methodologically
turned off mathematics, a subject
their ancestors helped to create.

Knowledge of African contributions
and an Africentric foundation in
mathematics can close the gap of
technological dependence. Even among
African educators an avoidance of
mathematical science is prevalent
since science mastery is perceived
as being genetic.



The Africentric contention of the
intrinsic importance of ancient and
contemporary African rooted culture,
rest upon claims of mathematical and
scientific achievements. These
amounts to statements such as the
Egyptians taught the Greek geometry,
iron smelting occurred in Egypt.,
etc. These testimonials indirectly,
accept mathematics as a sign of
intelligence.

The racist claim of mental in-
feriority of African people prompt a
search for "proof" of mathematical
ability, since math in the "Platonic
sense" is the standard of reason and
knowledge. In addition, the limited
contribution of Africans to modern
mathematics appears to contradicts
the "African origin of civilization"
premise. If mathematics is innate,
as is generally assumed, what happen
to Africa?

Social scientists pursue
explanations based upon the military
value of mathematics. Such value
required that the slaver of the
Arabic Middle Ages and European
Renaissance not share their
knowledge in order to sustain power.
However, both European and Arabic
nations exchanged mathematical
knowledge between each others, but
not with Black Africa. The only way
for an African to acquire
mathematical knowledge was through
religious or cultural assimilation,
consider Timbuctu.

In order to advance the development
of Africentric thought beyond its
current self confidence, self
centered mode to an active assertive
mode it is necessary to analyze
mathematics itself. Analysis of the
historical absences of African from
mathematics and lack of represen-
tations and achievement levels re-
quires an understanding of the
nature of mathematics itself.


What do people think Mathematics is?
PO TOLO JOURNAL OF PERFORMING ARTS,
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE


Vol. 1 No. 1                            CONTENTS         FALL/WINTER 1992  
$5.00




PERFORMING ARTS

Traditional Wolof Greetings Handout _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
The need for accreditation in American West African Dance _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _   
Jazz and African Dance: A call to dance companies _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
African Dance Tips _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
Review: Obarada Yo  "Dion Dong" _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Nguzo Saba from a Diopian perspective _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Ancient Egyptian Mathematics as a foundation for calculus in elementary
education _ _ _ _  
Afrocentric word problems _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
Model African Dwelling Construction _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   
A Diopian Manifesto for African Rooted Scientist_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   


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