Let me begin by posing some questions.
1. How many of our students, when they study the ancient cultures of
Mesopotamia, Egypt or Greece, are aware that at the same time as these
civilizations existed another major civilization thrived in the interior
of Africa? That at the time of the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures of Greece,
the pre-Aryan cities of India, and the Sumerian cities of Mesopotamia
there was a major civilization in the interior of Africa.
2. How many students would be aware that the 25th Dynasty in Egypt was
a Dynasty of Kings from an African culture south of Egypt?
3. How many students would be aware that a Roman army at the time of
the Emperor Augustus was challenged and defeated by an African army led
by a strong and powerful queen?
4. And let me ask you this last question. How many girls in our classes,
when learning about the mighty Roman Emperors, the great pharaohs of
Egypt, and the male leaders and decision makers of Greece, are also aware
of the female leadership of an African civilization? That through all
of these periods a civilization existed that was ruled, for some of the
time, by powerful queens.
If the answer to these questions is, "not many, if any at all," then
it is time to bring the ancient civilization of Kush into the middle
grade curriculum.
The presentation
is divided into three parts.
1. Brief Overview
A brief overview of the civilization we call Kush. The last page of this
presentation will provide you with a bibliography of references for a
more in-depth study.
2. All students
should study Kush
Suggest some reasons why it is important that all students are exposed
to this culture.
3. Pointers in Teaching
Kush
A. Initial introduction
to Kush (Aida).
B. Hairbraiding
- Linking past and present.
C. Relevance of storytelling
1. Brief Overview
Let me first deal with two questions:
Where was Kush located? and
Where was Kush in terms of time?
Location
The area we know as Kush was located in the southern part of
modern Egypt and the northern part of Sudan (north of Khartoum). The
size of the kingdom changed throughout its history. At one time it occupied
a small area south of the fourth cataract of the Nile. At another time,
it extended from just north of modern day Khartoum to the Mediterranean
Sea, making it the largest empire ever known along the Nile. . 
Throughout
history Kush has been known by different names.
Nubia
Ancient Nubia lay south of Egypt. Its northern boundary was
near the town of Aswan and it southern border near Khartoum.
It encompassed the River Nile both in its eastern "bulge" and its western "bulge".
Part of Ancient Nubia lay in modern day Egypt and part in Sudan.
Kush
Nubia, like Egypt, is referred to as Upper Nubia and Lower
Nubia; Upper Nubia being nearer the source of the River
Nile, and Lower Nubia sharing a border with Egypt. In 1900
B.C.E., an inscription mentioned the name Kush and after
1550 B.C.E. the Egyptians began to use the name Kush to
refer to Upper Nubia.
Ethiopia
When the name Ethiopia is used in ancient texts this does not
refer to present day Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a Greek word and comes
from the Greek word aethiops. Translated, the name Ethiopia means "land of the burnt
faces." The Greeks and Romans used this name for the land south
of Egypt. Examples of African monarchs from Nubia/Kush/Ethiopia
Taharqa
Taharqa came to the throne of Kush at a very early age. At
sixteen he led his armies against the invading Assyrians and
this action is recorded in the Bible. Later, he rules the largest
empire in ancient Africa. It extended north to the Mediterranean
Sea and included Egypt and the whole of the Sudan.
Nefertari
She was one of many great Nubian queens. Her marriage to Rameses
II, who was one of the last great Egyptian pharaohs, brought
the fighting between Egypt and Kush to an end. The marriage was
a political arrangement between the two rulers but it later grew
into one of the greatest royal love affairs in history.
Tiye - Kushite Queen of Egypt
Tiye was a Kushite living at the time when Kush was a colonial
dominion of Egypt. The Kushites, a proud black people, maintained
a strong cultural and political identity during this time of
Egyptian occupation. Amenhotep III, captivated by Tiye's beauty
and intellect, defied the priests and married her although she
was a commoner. Their son was one of the most famous pharaohs,
Tutankhamen.
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(The presentation is divided into three parts)
Time
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(The presentation is divided into three parts)
2. All students
should study Kush
Six Reasons why it is important that all
students learn about Kush.
1. An Erroneous
Message
2. The Female Role in Kush
3. Ruled by Queens
4. Queens of Kush
5. Understanding Concepts: Acculturation
6.
A Challenge for the Future
1.
An Erroneous Message
Many
people are concerned with the
fact that many African-American
students first encounter people
from their ethnic historical
background when studying the
era of slavery. I would suggest
that as well as studying this
era it is very important to
introduce all students to ancient
societies from the interior of Africa.
If we neglect to do this
then we indicate to our students
that nothing of importance
happened historically in the
interior of Africa B.C.E. and
that Africa had no early civilization
as did the rest of the world.
Some teachers recognize this
and introduce civilizations
from the interior of Africa
during a study of the Middle
Ages. They study the civilizations
of Ghana and Mali. However,
a curriculum that neglects
to include Kush as one of the
major ancient civilizations
suggests to students that Africa had no ancient civilizations
as did the rest of the world.
Without this inclusion
students are left with the impression
that the first civilizations of B.C.E. were all located around
the Mediterranean, or in India and China. They are unaware that
a civilization, equal to those, thrived in the African continent
and that features we look for in a civilization were all present
in Kush. They were present in the Kerma society of c.2500 B.C.E.;
the Napatan Period, c.1070 B.C.E. and the Meroitic period, c.300
B.C.E. 2. The Female Role in Kush
It is particularly important that girls study Kush in their
middle grades history curriculum. For the most part, when
they study other ancient civilizations they come into contact
with societies where leadership roles and decision making
were in the hands of the men of the society. Only on very
few occasions are they able to identify with those in society
or those who have played an influential role.
The study
of Kush enables girls to study a society where women took
on roles of leadership, a society where women were highly
respected and help positions of power alongside men. For
example, a queen in Kush was portrayed in art as of equal
size to the king. Compare this to Egypt where the queen
was portrayed in art as much smaller than the king indicating
comparative importance . 
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All students should study Kush) 3. Ruled by Queens
Furthermore, Kush during part of its history, was ruled by strong
and powerful queens, and it was a queen that led the Kushite
revolt against the injustice of Roman rule and the imposition
of Roman taxation on the Kushite economy.
Some time back I was
at the British Museum in London I stood before the beautifully
sculpted head of Augustus, the very one that Candace Amanirenas,
Queen of Kush removed from a life size statue when her army plundered
the city of Aswan. The very same sculpture she took back to Meroe
and buried in the sand at the palace entrance so that it would
lie beneath the sole of her foot each time she entered or left
the palace. (Similar symbolic gestures were found on the soles
of Tutankhamen's sandals. Figures depicting his enemies were
embossed in the leather of the soles.)
Admiring the features
of Augustus we wondered how many African-American students would
be aware of the link between this famous artifact and a queen
from their ethnic historical background. We do not have a likeness
of Candace Amanirenas but we do know that she would be similar
in appearance to this Kushite queen whose likeness was found
carved on the walls of a temple in Kush.
4. Queens of
Kush
Queens of Kush were full figured African women. Kushites
saw their beauty, wealth and power reflected in the large
size of their queens. These rulers were very elegant,
using make up in a similar manner to their neighbors,
the Egyptians, paying special attention to their eye
make up. This elegance also showed itself in their long
manicured nails. The Kushites believed that long and
beautiful nails were an indication that the person was
rich and powerful enough never to do any manual work.
5. Understanding Concepts: Acculturation
There are also other reasons why it is important to study Kush.
The study of Kush gives teachers the ideal opportunity to teach
a number of concepts; concepts and themes that are important
goals in our social studies curriculum. Let us look at one example.
Students need to understand the historical concepts of cultural
diffusion and acculturation. The relationship between Egypt and
Kush gives the ideal opportunity to learn about these concepts.
However, in order to use these two cultures as examples or illustrative
material students need to have a sound knowledge of both societies.
The period 1550-1070 B.C.E. is ideal
material for this. Egypt had conquered the Kerma society of Kush
and the New Kingdom pharaohs used a policy of Egyptianizing Kush
in order to keep control of the Kushite people. We can give students
an experience of this period if we guide them to stand in the
shoes of a Kushite boy, leaving his home to live and receive
an education at the court of the Egyptian pharaoh. He then returns
as as adult to take up a position of power in Kush, brining back
to Kush the Egyptian customs, manners, fashion, etc., that he
learned at the Egyptian court. Students are thus well prepared
for understanding, at first hand, the idea of acculturation.
Furthermore in studying this period
of both Egyptian and Kushite history, students have an opportunity
of understanding cultural diffusion and acculturation used as
a planned policy of how one society can control another. The
Egyptianization of Kush is, therefore, a clear example of acculturation.
This example of acculturation can be compared with the experience
of different cultures settling in America today. The process
of the Egyptianization of Kush went on for 500 years. 
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6. A Challenge for the Future
During my visit to the British Museum I also admired the many
examples of Meroitic script and were able to examine closely
this intriguing script that was left behind on temple walls in
Kush. A unique script for a long forgotten language. There is
a wealth of written material available but as yet the meaning
remains a mystery to us, for no one has cracked the code.
Not
so long ago historians faced a similar challenge with Egyptian
hieroglyphs. Champollion, whom we credit for deciphering Egyptian
hieroglyphs, first took up the challenge when still a boy. Learning
that the picture writing on temple walls and on ancient papyrus
in Egypt was a complete mystery to the modern world, he vowed
that one day he would crack the code. As teachers we know only
too well the importance of sowing rich seeds of knowledge and
inquiry at receptive times in a student's life.
Today, a similar
situation exists in the archaeological discoveries of Ancient
Kush. Are there students in our classrooms today who will be
inspired by an exciting presentation of Kushite history to
the point where they will vow that one day
they will take up the challenge and make a lasting contribution in
this field?
Selected Bibliography
Anne M. Jennings, The Nubians of West Aswan (Colorado:
Lynne Rienner, 1995)
Basil Davidson, African Kingdoms (New York: Time-Life
Books, 1966)
Calliope, Ancient Nubia (Nov/Dec)
Derek A. Welsby, The Kingdom of Kush: the Napatan and Meroitic Empires (Princeton,
N.J.: Markus Wiener, 1998)
John H. Taylor, Egypt and Nubia (London: Published for
the trustees of the British Museum by British Museum Press, 1991)
Joyce and David Mollet, Ancient Civilizations: Egypt (San
Diego: W. Education Resources, 1997)
Joyce and David Mollet, Ancient Civilizations: Kush (San
Diego: W. Education Resources, 1997)
P. L. Shinnie, Ancient Nubia (London: New York: Kegan
Paul International, 1996)
Special Publications Division, National Geographic Society, Splendors
of the Past (Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society,
1981)
Stanley Burstein (Ed.), Ancient African Civilizations: Kush and Axum (Princeton,
N.J.: Markus Wiener, 1998)
Strabo, The Geography of Strabo, Volume III , Translated
by Hamilton and Falconer (London: G. Bell & Sons, 18898)
Timothy Kendall, Kerma and the Kingdom of Kush, 2500-1500 B.C.: The
archaeological discovery of an ancient Nubian empire (Washington,
D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution,
1997)
William Yewdale Adams, Nubia: Corridor to Africa (Princeton,
N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1977)
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3. Pointers in
Teaching Kush
We have so far concentrated on the importance of teaching
the subject matter of Kush to all students but particularly
African-American students. I'll close this presentation by
saying something about the methodology that I would recommend
and through which this content should be taught. I'll cover:
A. Initial
introduction to Kush (Aida).
B. Hairbraiding
- Linking past and present.
C. Relevance of storytelling. A. Initial
introduction to Kush.
We are very fortunate that we have an excellent introduction
to Kush through the opera Aida. You will find below the story
of the opera. One way would be to read the story, spend a little
time discussing what happened, and then ask some questions
(see below). Some excerpts from the opera could then be played. 
The following questions will lead students into a study of
Kush.
1. Where did the slave girl come from?
2. Who was she and who was her father?
3. Which two countries were at war?
4. What do we know about the pharaohs in Egypt?
5. What do we know about the country referred to as Ancient
Ethiopia?
6. What might Aida have looked like? B.
Hairbraiding - Linking past and present.
Another way in which we can link past and present is
through hairbraiding.
The students can be shown the picture of the modern day Sudanese
girl and told that Aida would have probably looked similar. Her
hairstyle could then be discussed and compared with the hairstyle
found on the mummy of Queen Nedjmet (1070-946 B.C.E.) suggesting
that young girls in Ancient Nubia braided their hair in much
the same way as girls in modern day Sudan, and also in modern
day America.
C. Relevance
of storytelling.
Storytelling is something which is common to all cultures.
As a mode for transmitting knowledge it has been used from
the beginning of man's cultural development, and was a powerful
tool for understanding. Stories, more than any other mode,
allow students to view events from a perspective other than
their own. A story, by appealing to the imagination, transports
the listener back into the historical event.
It allows those
events to be seen through the eyes and experiences of people
from the past. In comparison, information on a printed page
is a poor second when attempting to transmit the richness and
vitality of the event. In doing all this the narrative approach
will awaken in students a fascination for the past. By appealing
to the imagination, students can be introduced to a wealth
of ideas, experiences, perceptions and thoughts. The next step
of nurturing skills in the methodology of history will then
become much easier, and hopefully a comparatively painless
task. Two Examples
The first page of a story Letter Intercepted .
This imaginary account is based on fact. Knowledge
of the intercepted letter comes from a stele found
in the temple of Karnak in 1954. It appears that
this was the second of two stelae that describe Kamose's
war against the Hyksos. The other stele is known
from a few broken fragments, and a hieratic copy
known as the Carnarvon Tablet.
The
following is one example showing how different student activities
can be created as assignments for students. If appropriate
and necessary such assignments can be used for assessment purposes. 
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(2. All students should study Kush)
This
story (see below for page 1 of the story) deals with two
main threads at the same time, the process of archaeology,
and the knowledge of Kushite life that can be gleaned from
this particular archaeological excavation. Students should
be encouraged to recognize these two main concepts. One main
activity for the students is to get them to generalize from
given story content. For example, students can be asked to
choose quotations from the story that best illustrate that:
a) Timothy Kendall is a dedicated, enthusiastic and skilled
archaeologist;
b) religion was an important part of King Taharqa's life;
c) the Kushites believed that the rock formation at Jebel
Barkal was far more than an accident of nature;
d) religion played an important role in the everyday life of the
Kushites.
Students can then work independently. The following is an example
of how a Guided Reading sheet can be used to monitor and assess
students' progress. 
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