African Studies Keyword: Okà

Abstract

AbstractIn the pursuit of modernization, professors of architecture have adopted methods of teaching and professional practices which colonize building epistemes as exclusively European intellectual property, derived from scientific techniques. Students of architecture in the African academy are aware of this colonial bias, which encourages them to unlearn and to forget their African built environment heritage, and they are calling for inclusive reformed curriculums. Using okà, an Èkpèyè multidimensional, organic, aesthetic, discursive approach to celebrations and to solving complex problems as an example, Elleh advocates for integrated curriculums that approach the discipline without the ordering/othering distinctions between indigenous and modern built environment knowledge.