Posted by RUNOKO RASHIDI on July 12, 1998 at 23:38:08:
"DR. CHEIKH ANTA DIOP AND THE CULTURAL ROOTS OF THE DALITS: INDIA'S BLACK UNTOUCHABLES
By V.T. RAJSHEKAR*
Posted by RUNOKO RASHIDI**
It is not generally appreciated that Blacks live all over the world, comprising the world's largest oppressed group. That Asia has a large Black population is also not well known. Indian Blacks themselves are not aware of this fact. Lately, a strong Black identity has emerged and the slogan, "Black is beautiful" is catching up fast, at least among militant Blacks. Such a feeling is putting pride back into the broken hearts of Black natives, also uniting them with the struggle of their Black comrades in Africa and elsewhere. The Black liberation struggle against white racism, inequality and male domination is an international struggle.
A distinguished Black physicist, historian and linguist, Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop was among the first to establish that Egypt was the world's first civilization and that it was Black. He showed that humanity originated in Africa, and that the first human being, the first person, was Black. The Blacks migrated from Africa to other parts of the world. The Blacks are also the ancestors of Indian Untouchables (Dalits). That is why the Blacks wherever they are, belong to one single family. Hence, the relevance of Diop's work, for India's Black Indus Valley Civilization is now widely accepted.
Diop's discoveries, therefore, establish that India's Black Untouchables (with their African origin) are the ancestors of all humankind. Hence, they have to be proud of their Black Untouchable origin and their glorious cultural past. The whole world owes its origin to Black people--our people. African history laid the foundation of world history.
Collective historical consciousness is a means of survival. If India's Black Untouchables are today hiding their identity, ashamed to own their origin and admit that they are Untouchables, it is because they are not aware of their glorious past. Diop says that the Blacks can regain their personality, can become proud of their past if they are told "who they are," and "what they are." That means we have to discover our roots, our goddesses, our religion, our ancestors, our history.
Cheikh Anta Diop has proven that the core of our problem is cultural rootlessness. The most important task facing us, therefore, is to reconstruct the links that tie us as communities. Humanity was born and developed in Africa. The first human was Black, and Black is beautiful. The Blacks lost their historical memory because we were fed by false history books. The rule of oppression will soon end with the reconstruction of world history, taking the aid of the tools provided to us by authorities like Diop, Runoko Rashidi, and Ivan Van Sertima--all world famous Black scholars.
*Dravidian author, activist and journalist V.T. Rajshekar is the editor of Dalit Voice: The Voice of the Persecuted Nationalities Denied Human Rights published bi-monthly from Bangalore, India. Annual subscription rates are $50.00. To subscribe, write to: Dalit Voice, 109/7th Cross, Palace Lower Orchards, Bangalore, India - 560 003.
**Runoko Rashidi is an author, research specialist and world traveler who has been described as the "world's leading authority on the African presence in Asia." For a list of Runoko's audio and video lecture tapes write: RRashidi@Swbell.net