"Mapping of the known universe" - African Cosmology of the Bantu-Kongo, p27 - Bunseki Fukiau Ph.D.
What is Cosmology?
Cosmology is the study of the origin and development of the known universe. There are two basic types of cosmology: Religious Cosmology and Physical or Scientific Cosmology.
African Scientific Cosmology is a broad term used to describe the various explanations of the origin and development of the universe produced by African people and cultures over thousands of years. Africa is a diverse continent with various cultures presenting an array of perspectives on the origin and nature of the universe however we will be focusing primarily on the Bantu Congo, Yoruba, and Kemetic/Egyptian cosmogonical models.
We can gain an insight into African cosmogonical thinking by studying the artifacts of African cultures including tablets,, texts, tools, and practices and examining how they relate to scientific inquiry. The way peoples use artifacts, tools, and concepts can give us insight into their values and ways of viewing the world.
Balance & Order in Nature
Although there are many cosmogonical expressions from various cultures on the continent there remains a common theme present among them:
A common perception of duality, reciprocity, balance and symmetry remain present within most African cosmological expression. We will use comparative analysis to compare the way these cultures address the inherent order observed in nature and apply their observations to our understanding of the Standard Model.