Decolonising Epistemologies: The Paradoxes of a Self-Colonised State

Abstract

This chapter looks at how and why Ethiopia needs decolonisation or, as our title suggests, to demarginalise the marginalised Indigenous Knowledge Systems. When one looks at the country, because it was never colonised, it was supposed to be among the most successful countries having never experienced epistemic violence like other African states that were under severe colonial administrations. How did such a country end up with colonialism is the question? Ndlovu-Gatsheni (2018) cites Woldeyes (2017) to argue how Ethiopia ended up in the unenviable position of other African states that were former colonies under European powers. Ndlovu-Gatsheni (2018:164-165) contends: Ethiopia could not successfully escape the impact of the Western Metaphysical empire. Consequently, Ethiopia is one of those countries that deliberately colonised itself with foreign Western institutions and Eurocentric ideas (see Woldeyes, 2017). This amounts to a paradoxical situation in the African struggles for decolonisation and deprovincialization, worthy detailed exploration before one turns to reflect on the rise of the modern Westernised education in Africa.

Integrating African Indigenous Education in the Curriculum: A Learning Curve for South Africa

“…With the advent of colonialism, indigenous education was discarded in preference for Western education (Ramadikela et al, 2020). Indigenous education was replaced by Western education and administered to Indigenous people to prepare them for a life within their indigenous communities.…”