THINKING

AUTHOR :

Dr. Miriam Ma'at-Ka-Re Monges is an Associate Professor of Sociology/Social Work, with major responsibility to African American Studies at California State University, Chico. She is the Coordinator of the African American Studies Program. She earned a doctorate in African American Studies at Temple University and has a Master's in Social Work and BA Cum Laude in Education. She is the author of KUSH: THE JEWEL OF NUBIA: Reconnecting The Root System of African Civilization, Africa World Press, (1997).

Dr. Monges has created a Rites of Passage program called Candaces (named after a series of ruling queens in the Ancient Sudan) for females and is currently writing a book about it. She specializes in using the cultural context as an empowerment tool. The workshops draw upon the power and symbolism of long honored African and African American traditions, customs, spiritual principles and life lessons from the study of African queens and goddesses. The backbone is the Maatian principles of Ancient Egypt.

Dr. Monges is an experienced lecturer and facilitator who has lectured and trained audiences on a national and international basis, including Egypt and Norway. Dr. Monges uses her extensive skills to assist people in becoming culturally, socially, mentally, and spiritually empowered.

Copyright http://www.csuchico.edu/mcgs/faculty/miriammaatkaremonges.html

Publications of Miriam Ma'at-Ka-Re MONGES

Book :

Kush - The Jewel of Nubia: Reconnecting the Root System of African Civilization by Miriam Ma'At-Ka-Re Monges, Miriam Maat-Ka-Re Monges

Book Review of The Jewel of Nubia: Reconnecting the Root System of African Civilization

Reviewed by San Kwadjovie

In Antiquity Africa was a symbol of might and glory. Her high civilizations and cultures earned her the respect of the world of that time. Unfortunately the majority of modern Africans do not know this. Like fish on dry land they are too busy attempting to survive in grafted paradigms, oblivious of the cultural treasures around them. Kemet or Ancient Egypt is one such treasure. This African high culture has received a great deal of attention since the deciphering of the hieroglyphs by Champollion. Countless of books have been written about her. Every year there are many television series about Ancient Egypt. She has lost a part of her veil of mystery. On the other hand, Kush, the ancient Nubian empire to the South of Kemet has not received the attention she deserves. In Kush, the Jewel of Nubia, Miriam Ma'at-Ka-Re Monges turns the spotlight on this important African civilization. In doing so she opted to follow the footsteps of Cheikh Anta Diop who committed his life for the emancipation of African historiography. The book is dedicated to him.

Ms. Monges has been a founding member of the Institute of Africana Social Work at Temple University. She is currently teaching sociology at California State University, Chico Campus. Ms. Monges' extensive research on Kush has resulted in a very important book on this subject. She invites the reader to first clear the African historiographical perspective. For years African historiography has been muddled by European scholars of the ilk of Hegel and Toynbee who spread myths and untruths about Africa out of sheer aversion. The importance of this book lies not only in the efforts of the author to extract African historiography from Hegelian principles, but also in the results of Ms. Monges' research on African cultural unity. This cultural unity is an important facet of African identity. The author also sheds light on the principle of divine kingship, matriarchy, totemism, and cosmogony. She expands on the sed festival, this momentous ritual for the ancient Africans in which the pharaoh revitalized his or her potency. Her work on the subject of matriarchy is a very valuable extension of Cheick Anta Diop's research on that subject. African culture in the main is based on the exalted position of women. Totemism and cosmogony are part and parcel of African spirituality which sees animals and natural objects as spiritualized phenomena of the divine order. To reach her full potentiality in the future Africa must recover the totality of her past. To unlock the key to her future she must recover her identity. Ms. Monges' book is an important contribution to that effect. For the seeker of truth, Kush, the Jewel of Nubia is a genuine gem.

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