Selected New Materials: January 2007
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Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt: From Early Dynastic Tmes To The death of Cleopatra. Joyce Tyldesley. Africana Library: DT 80 .T95 2006
This fascinating saga spans 3,000 years of Egyptian queen ship from Early Dynastic times until the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Starting with the unique role enjoyed by Egypt's women in the ancient world, the book goes on to present a biographical portrait of every queen, supplemented by a wealth of pictorial detail, data files, genealogical trees, timelines, and special features—from Childbirth to Wigs—highlighting different aspects of Egyptian culture. The queen of Egypt was, first and foremost, a supportive wife and mother, but in times of dynastic crisis she was expected to act as her husband's deputy. The queen might be required to marshal troops, or to rule on behalf of an infant son. She might even be called upon to rule in her own right in the absence of a suitable king. (Amazon.com)
Culture and Customs of Angola. Adebayo O. Oyebade. Africana Library: DT 1302 .O94 2007
Angola has been brutalized by the civil war, which only ended in 1992. The war's adverse effect on every facet of Angola's post-independence life is clearly evident in the range of topics covered in this volume. The human cost of the war can be counted in the enormous loss of life and large-scale population displacement and in the continued postwar deaths and serious injuries inflicted by mines. The war also severely stunted economic growth and the development of necessary social services. However, since the end of the war Angola is slowly progressing. Many people have returned to their homes to continue their life. The task of rebuilding has been greatly assisted by humanitarian aid. Readers will learn about the nearly 100 ethno linguistic groups and their various ways of life. (Amazon.com)
Mobutu’s Totalitarian Political System: An Afrocentric Analysis. Peter Ikambana. Africana Library: DT 658 .25 .I53 2007
This study shows that the failures and misdeeds of Mobutu's system were clear evidence that it lacked an African-centred vision and did not put the interests of the African people of Congo (formerly Zaire) at the centre of this political project. Mobutu's political system, inaugurated in 1965 and lasting more than three decades, met all the characteristics of totalitarianism. This study shows that the failures and misdeeds of Mobutu's system were clear evidence that it lacked an African-centred vision and did not put the interests of the African people of Congo (formerly Zaire) at the centre of this political project. In this study Mobutu's political actions in the 1990s - mostly as they related to the National Sovereign Conference - are critically analyzed and found to be adeliberate attempt to obstruct the momentum of democracy for the African people of Congo. (Bowker’s Books in Print)
Mummies and death in Egypt. Francoise Dunand and Roger Lichtenberg. Africana Library: DT 62.M7 D8513 2006
Dunand gives an overview of the history of mummification in Egypt up to the Roman period, describing preparation of the dead (tombs, furnishings, offerings, etc.) linked to religious belief, while Lichtenberg relates his forensic research on mummies, largely conducted with a portable X-ray machine on archaeological digs. (Bowker’s Book in Print)
Songs My Country Taught Me. John Eppel. Africana Library: PR9369.3 .E65 S655 2005
If the form of my poetry is thoroughly European, its content is thoroughly African.' Thus the author introduces this collection of some eighty of his poems written between the late 1950s and the present: from the settler period through the civil war, to independence and neo- colonialism. The poems explore the contradictions and creative possibilities of an identity that is at once native and white, European and African. The voice is varyingly satirical, confessional, outraged and affectionate. "These poems have nothing to do with white nostalgia for the colonial period. On the contrary, they circle round [the author's] attempt both to embrace a past and wean himself from it." ( msupress,msu.edu/)
Akeelah and the Bee. Santa Monica, CA: Lions Gate Home Entertainment, 2006. 1 videodisc (ca. 112 min.). Africana Library: Videodisc 249
Eleven year-old Akeelah Anderson’s life is not easy: her father is dead, her mom ignores her, her brother runs with the local gangbangers. She is a smart girl, but her environment threatens to strangle her aspirations. Responding to a threat by her school’s principal, Akeelah decides to participate in a spelling bee to avoid detention for her many absences. Much to her surprise and embarrassment, she wins. Her principal asks her to seek coaching from Dr. Larabee, an English professor, for the more prestigious regional bee. As the possibility of making it all the way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee looms, Akeelah could provide her community with someone to rally around and be proud of. First Akeelah have to overcome her insecurities, her distracting home life, and the knowledge that there is a field of more experienced and privileged fellow spellers.
Everything Must Come to Light. Brooklyn, NY: First Run/Icarus Films, 2002. 1 videodisc (25 min.). Africana Library: Videodisc 247
This documentary focuses on the lives of three dynamic lesbian women who are sangomas (traditional healers) living in Soweto, South Africa. They are articulate, sympathetic women who are willing to share their stories. After leaving their husbands, two of the women were able to explore their sexuality in relation to other women as a result of their dominant male ancestors instructing them to take wives. The relationship with their ancestors and the roles that they play in their healing powers as well as their sexuality, are focal points in this documentary.
Le Malentendu Colonial. San Francisco, CA: California Newsreel, 2004. 1 videodisc (73 min.). Africana Library: Videodisc 246
The filmmaker looks at European colonialism in Africa through the lens of Christian evangelism as the model for the relationship between Africa and western countries today. The history of German missionaries in Namibia in the 19th and 20th centuries is discussed by African and German historians and theologians, revealing how colonialism destroyed African beliefs and social systems and replaced them with European ones.
No!: The Rape Documentary. San Francisco, CA: California Newsreel, 2006. 1 videodisc (92 min.). Africana Library: Videodisc 245
No! Provides a comprehensive lens through which to examine the impact of sexual violence on Black women and girls -- calling to task in particular the behaviors and attitudes of Black men in reinforcing a cultural assault...No! Includes messages from violence prevention advocates as well as testimonials from survivors who defy victimization.
Slapstick Encyclopedia: A Celebration of American Silent Comedy / Kino International. New York: Kino on Video, 1998. 1 videocassette (126 min.). Africana Library: Video 669
Nine short classic films from the golden age of comedy.
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. New York, N.Y.: Home Box Office: HBO Video, 2006. 3 videodiscs (ca. 256 min.). Africana Library: Videodisc 248
Four acts document distinct perspectives on the pivotal events that preceded and followed Katrina’s passage through New Orleans, a catastrophe during which the divide between race and class lines has never been more pronounced.
Yellow Black: The First Twenty-One Years of a Poet’s Life, A Reading by Haki Madhubuti. Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University. 2006. 1 videodisc (118 min.). Africana Library: Videodisc 243
In discussing his most recent book, Yellow Black, Haki Madhubuti argues that, while several Blacks have their eyes focused on eradication of racism, and White supremacy, Black communities must not lose site of the progression and needed advancements within their own communities, in order to continue to define themselves as a united and accomplished people.
