Colonialism of Mind: Deterrent of Social Transformation

Abstract

An educational system and its curricula are shaped by the culture and epistemology in which it is embedded. It is influenced by the societal knowledge, but it also instrumental in shaping the knowledge of the society. Culture influences learning style. Based on cultural diversities and social needs, different societies have distinct curricula. As such, Oromo students ought to be taught now to interrogate the colonial epistemology and ideology as well schooled in the ways of dismantling the hegemony. However, in many cases, they are simply taught to reproduce the knowledge, culture, power structure, thinking and the worldview of colonizers. This means that education, which is supposed to be about critical inquiry and social transformation has been used to indoctrinate or brainwash some students. Such colonial educational curricula have invalidated the knowledge of indigenous Oromo people and compromised their needs. This type of education system, instead of empowering the students and their society, has incapacitated them. For the Oromo people, such curricula have distorted their history, image, identity, and damaged their social fabric. In this paper I argue that, colonial knowledge and education system is not in a position to bring about social transformation among Oromo people; on the contrary it disrupts their peace (nagaa), health (fayya) and (tasgabii) social order

Free Media as the Social Determinants of Health: The Case of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia

“…They are denied developing their own literature and media. After a century, in 1992 the Oromo people achieved a partial victory and started to use their own language in school, court and public health educations [12]. However, despite this success, the Oromo people are still being denied the right to develop their own independent media, and the Ethiopian Federal Government's working or official language remains Amharic.…”

Knowledge Construction: Untapped Perspective in Pursuit for Health Equity

“…Although the Oromo concept of blackness and whiteness is different from that of Europeans, however, the concept of red and redness is the same or similar. Red represents love and aurora (Dugassa, 2011).…”

“…Racist ideas are part of science, law, art, and business. As such, education, which is supposed to be about choice and critical inquiry, has been used as an insidious device to indoctrinate people into accepting and supporting the attitudes and outlooks of the dominant group (Ozmon, 1999;Dugassa, 2011). Winanat (2000: p. 179) writing on the objectives of conventional education said: If the inequality among racially defined group was to be overcome, then this would require not only interracial solidarity, but also race-conscious programs designed to remedy the effects of discrimination.…”

“…Knowledge and power are intertwined (Foucault, 1995). The process of colonization requires both physical subjugation and complete control of the mind and soul (Dugassa, 2011). European empire builders established and maintained their privileges and powers by using their social, physical and biological sciences knowledge.…”

“…Education can either used to empower and prepare students to solve the social problems of society, facilitate social changes and avert health disparity, or to dis-empower, control, manipulate, legitimize social hierarchy and hinder social transformation, (Dugassa, 2011) as well as to widen health disparity. The questions we need to ask and make effort to answer them are: What we need to do, to make our teaching and learning institutions produce critical minds (Freire, 2001) and liberated voices (Hooks, 1989)?…”