African Elders’ Critical Teachings (ElderCrits)

George Dei

Being enstooled as the Gyaasehene of the town of Asokore in the New Juaben Traditional Area of Ghana has been an incredible honour and recognition. However, this experience has also taught me the importance of humility and acknowledging that true knowledge is not solely based on personal claims. Humility is not just a virtue but also the most valuable gift one can possess. I will forever be grateful to the land of the Huron-Wendat, Petun First Nations, Seneca, and the Mississauga of the Credit River of Turtle Island for grounding me in the wisdom of Earthly teachings.

Words cannot express the pride I feel for my African ancestral heritage. It has always been the foundation of my spirituality, emotions, culture, and political beliefs, especially as I move through my academic journey. This realization deepened when I arrived in Canada and witnessed how Indigenous Turtle Islanders proudly expressed their Indigeneity. In the words of the late Maya Angelou, I write and speak because my African ancestors and Elders have given me the gift of knowledge. This cultural, emotional, spiritual, and psychic rootedness has sustained me in my current home in Canada, and I strive to remain true to this reality. If some of us are critical and provocative, it is with purpose and good intentions. We aim to contribute to creating a better community than the one we have been blessed with.

As one born in the Motherland and belonging to the Asakyiri clan of the Akan people in Ghana, I always remember the teachings of my Elders. The vulture serves as the animal spirit of the Asakyiri clan, teaching us a profound lesson; the vulture always finds value in what has been discarded. This lesson serves as a reminder of the value of everything and the fact that the communities and lands we live on are blessings that sustain our lives. We celebrate the sanctity of life and work, as these qualities exemplify the admirable aspects of our African humanity.

As scholars, we strive to make contributions and political engagement that is genuinely beneficial and relevant to our communities. The knowledge we produce, question, validate, and disseminate nationally and internationally is instrumental in this pursuit. Thus, embarking on the journey of writing this book has been profoundly rewarding. Listening to our Elders and receiving their wisdom and guidance is a weighty responsibility we must carry. We cannot afford to disappoint our Elders, for they eventually become our ancestors. Our Elders offer us a vision of reality through an “ElderCrits” perspective, grounded in the intertwined concepts of “life after death”, “life before birth” and the “continuation of the world of the living and the world of the dead”. The departed do not abandon the living but instead closely observe, supervise, and intervene in their affairs. Sometimes, the departed return to the living as a newborn, embodying the belief in African reincarnation to fulfil unfinished tasks. The living acknowledge their interconnectedness with the deceased, and thus, ancestral and Elder reverence are embedded in Indigenous African traditions and contribute to overall well-being.

Grace Garlow

In academia, where knowledge serves as a cornerstone, the wisdom of Elders offers insights that transcend traditional education. Their stories and perspectives have profoundly shaped my understanding of Indigenous African traditions and knowledge systems, deepening my commitment to fostering spaces in mainstream education for communities to reconstruct histories and affirm diverse worldviews. I hold immense respect for the preservation and transmission of cultural traditions—an enduring gift for future generations and Elders alike. The shared political capacity of Black and African diasporic communities, reflecting a collective practice of recovering rich histories while envisioning new futures, has guided my path as an interdisciplinary educator and mother scholar devoted to cultivating dignified schooling.

This book’s journey began during my master’s studies in Dr George Sefa Dei’s Indigenous Knowledge course, leading to my role as a graduate researcher at The Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies (CIARS) and later as one of the co-authors. Grounded in knowledge sharing and community engagement, this research was enriched by collaborations with fellow researchers and community members. I am deeply grateful to Dr George Dei and Dr Paul Adjei for their mentorship and guidance throughout this multi-year study. Finally, I wish to express heartfelt gratitude to my family for their unwavering support throughout the unfolding of this project.

Ilar Haydarian

The seeds of my journey were sown during enrolment in Dr George Dei’s Critical Studies in Equity course during my undergraduate degree. This collaborative partnership with Dr Dei has resulted in a co-authorship that underscores the power of creating ethical spaces for research subjects to flourish. This journey was deeply enriched by fellow researchers whose contributions breathe life into the research process. I extend a deep gratitude to Dr Dei for his time and investment in nurturing this project. It provided me with a great opportunity to develop and learn while navigating the nuances of Black and African diasporic communities. As an Iranian woman and law student at the University of Western Ontario, I continue to attempt to embody resilience and renewal, armed with a nuanced understanding of African Indigenous epistemologies and a profound awareness of the enduring impacts of colonial education. This narrative is a testament to the strength of voices from the Black and African diaspora in the pursuit of equity and transformative change. This experience for me bridged academia, activism, and the intricate layers of identity. The work embodies the power of collaboration, resistance, and renewal, and to stand united in the pursuit of justice and equality. I also wish to extend a warm thank you to my mother and partner for their continued support.

Alessia Cacciavillani

Throughout the journey of crafting this book, I have been fortunate to delve deep into the complexities of African contexts, traditions, peoples, and cultures. As a teacher candidate and recent graduate with a Master’s degree in Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, this exploration has widened my understanding and appreciation for the diverse and rich heritages that shape society and, in turn, education. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Elders who graciously shared their wisdom and insights with us. Their teachings have been invaluable in shaping our understanding of the pivotal role Elders play in both African and Canadian contexts. Their guidance has nurtured a profound appreciation for the wealth of wisdom, knowledge, and lived experiences that Elders possess. Moreover, I thank all of the community members who shared their insights with us. Additionally, I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation to the dedicated individuals who have worked alongside me as co-authors. It is through our collaboration that we aim to shed light on the significance of African Elders’ teachings and their transformative impact on educational landscapes. In conclusion, I invite you to embark on an enlightening and thought-provoking journey as we delve into the critical teachings of African Elders and their profound influence on shaping new educational futures. Together, let us strive to build an inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive education system that honours and integrates the invaluable wisdom of our Elders.

Paul Banahene Adjei

The search for educational futures of the present and next generations has taken us to almost every unimaginable place in the education system except where it matters most- our Traditional Elders. There are two African sayings that are relevant here. The first is, “the young may travel faster, but Elders know the way”. The second is, “ye so ma oba nyansani na yen so ma anamon tenten” [which translates as, “we send the wise child to an errand and not the child with longer strides”. These two proverbs speak to the importance of including Elders in any conversation that borders on serious matters. The future education of African learners is too important to leave out Elders from the conversation. The wisdom of Elders lies in the brevity of their thoughts. Elders will rather speak proverbs, riddles, idioms, parables, and legends than engage in verbose. Yet in the brevity of thoughts are wisdom, critical thinking, and reflection to shape perspectives and knowledge. For example, there is a saying among the Elders of Asante, Ghana that, “oba nyansani ena odi nkosua bo mu dompe” [which translates as, “only the wise child breaks bones when eating an egg”. The proverb suggests it is more prudent to wait for an egg to incubate to become a chicken, which has more benefits than eating just one egg. The importance of the proverb is about the prudence of sacrificing today for a better future. Elders often respond to today’s issue with their eyes towards the future. Sometimes, the urgency of today may cause one to act without paying particular attention to the future ramifications of today’s actions. When one’s house is on fire, the immediacy of thought is to put off the fire without caring so much about how to put out the fire. Yet on many occasions, the rush to act now has resulted in outcomes that take generations to repair. The proverb therefore teaches the distinction between those whose actions are dictated by the urgency of a situation, and those who act to address an urgent situation with particular attention to the future ramifications of today’s actions. I cite this example to show how Elders’ words can bring illumination beyond what is written in books. More reasons we could not afford to leave Elders out of any conversation about educational reforms.

I am particularly grateful to Nana Adusei Tweneboah (also known as Professor George Sefa Dei) and the rest of the team for the invitation to be part of this book project. I am happy to join hands with like-minded people to bring the voices of Nananom (Elders) into educational spaces. Elsewhere in Dei and Adjei (2024), we call into question the intellectual commitment of African scholars who have been seduced by Eurocentrism and its trappings to the point of abandoning the cultural knowledge and wisdom of Traditional Elders. We argue that an African scholar should not be afraid to honour and talk about the knowledge and wisdom of African Elders. The African scholar must be an intellectual warrior, a radical thinker, and politically savvy to incorporate the thoughts, wisdoms, and intellectual contributions of African Elders to knowledge production, validations, and disseminations. This is exactly what the book has done, and I am proud to be part of the team.

Danica Vidotto

Danica extends heartfelt gratitude to Dr George Dei and Dr Paul Banahene Adjei for graciously welcoming her into this project. She is deeply humbled by the ongoing trust Dr Dei places in her to work with provocative and exciting educational ideas, research, and, of course, the rich cultural histories they represent. Danica offers sincere thanks to her co-authors for initiating this important project and for entrusting her with their drafts so freely. Danica recognizes the profound responsibility of communicating these ideas and the participants’ insights with honesty, dignity, and integrity. She is committed to sharing their wisdom and contributions with justice. Danica expresses her deep appreciation to the community members and participants whose voices must be heard and respected in the ongoing pursuit of educational reform.