Kemet and the Way of LIfe

The Way of Life

Ankh, symbol of Life Over the course of several million years, through many trials and tribulations, our ancestors (Africans) managed to resolve and refine a systematic approach towards addressing life's equation - food (resource) and comfort for 'optimal living'. Today we call it the 'Way of Life'

group1 The 'way of life' (an organized and systematic approach to creating, sustaining and improving the quality of life) in what we may call the 'First Order' was elements based resulting in hunter-gathering societies with varying levels of nomadism from rugged-nomadism to semi-nomadic groups. It is from semi-nomadic societies that the foundation of Kemet (Egypt) started. This type of society endured for hundreds-of-thousands of years in East and South Africa before its 'body of knowledge, rituals and beliefs' were distilled in the areas of Kemet and Nubia.

The First Ntcheru - Elements / Sustainers

Though the discovery and accumulation of environmental awareness the ancestors developed a society around celebrating the elements upon which they depended for survival and comfort; the names given for these life forces were Ra (sun), Shu (air), Nu (water), Nut (sky), and Geb (land and by extension, food). Hence, the first Ncheru were Element.

The first Ntcheru (Elements) provided sustanance for continued living. They were intially thought of as creators; later they were recognized to as sustainers of life.

The 'way of life' celebrated these life forces as the creator, and benefactors of life and humanity. The day to day life of the ancestors was organized as a ritual in sync with the cycles of the elements. Consequently a calendar of rituals was developed to recognize, remember and celebrate the comings and going of the life cycles.

From the beginning throughout time the focus and objective of the 'way of life' has been to create 'optimal living' for everyone and everything. Kemet became the society that best articulated and represented the 'way of life'. There, life was celebrated in every manner. Ankh (life) became the universal symbol of not only existence, but the very best of existence and of life to come. 'Knowledge, rituals and beliefs' were all used in the furtherance of seeking and improving the quality of life.

Distinguishing Life

What is important here is that 'life' was distinguished from 'existence' as being conscious of ones existence and capable of impacting ones existence in the present and in the future; whereas 'existence' is to be without such consciousness and guided by instincts and rudimentary learned behavior.

Additionally, Life became the yardstick by which everything was measured, even the Ntcheru (Gods) were measured based upon their impact and contribution to life and were ranked accordingly. Speech and actions were seen and used as powerful forces in the service of life. Anyone or anything using such forces to the contrary was condemned.

food2 With this understanding of life our ancestors developed their entire society around it. In effect the entire society became an altar established to pay deference to life and to its creator and sustainers; hence the way of African society was a 'way of life'.

The Seed, Ausar and the Principal Ntcheru

With the discovery of the seed a new societal order developed on the foundation of agriculture. This type of society introduced a new body of Ntcheru (Principals) beginning with Ausar and Auset who were both seeds and food, as Elemental Ntcheru; and were the 'living word' and seat of government as Principal Ntcheru in the new order. They were accompanied by other Principal Ntcheru Maat (peace, order, balance, rightness), Tehuti (knowledge, communication, enlightenment), and Heru (force, courage, fortitude).

These Ntcheru, via agriculture, upset the previous order by 'freeing' humanity from dependency solely on the elements. However, a balance was achieved between both resulting in an advanced society. This society we now know as Kemet (aka Egypt) achieved major advances in the 'way of life'. Sciences of agriculture, metallurgy, architecture, engineering, astronomy, medicine, government, and all other areas relative to food (resource) and comfort and the aspiration of 'optimal life' flourished.

Kemet Society and the World

Under this new order, governed by Ausar and Auset, greater individual responsibility and action in the celebration of life resulted in the reward of abundance and access to the Ntcheru; even to the point of becoming a Ntcher. Under the guidance of Ausar and Auset Kemet (Egypt) society flourished.

The society even took on the mission to spread abundance to others beyond their borders to throughout the then known world. Hence, agriculture and its benefits were taken under the banner of Ausar and Auset to other populations. As a consequence Kemet-Centered agricultural societies flourished in Mesopotamia - Ausar (Assur), Sumer, Elam, Babylon; in Africa - Monomatapa, Zimbabwe and Nok; in India - Dravida and Mundu; in China - Chou; and in the Americas - Olmec, Inca, Aztec to name a few.

food1 Kemet became the global center of that development and the repository of the 'knowledge, rituals and beliefs' articulating the 'way of life' that engendered and informed African Societies on the continent of Africa and beyond.

It was the 'way of life' and its resultant benefits that were admired and envied by Aryans (European, Arabs and Asians) who subsequently invaded, debilitated and destroyed the societies that lived the 'way of life'. And it is they who today threaten the very existence of the 'way of life' itself.

Kemet Way: Present and Future

Today, through Kemet Way (aka Kemet Communalism) we are able to recreate the 'Way of Life' and are committed to creating societies and restoring a world order that engenders 'optimal life' for everyone and everything.

Short Bibliography:

The African Origin of Civilization - Cheikh Anta Diop
Ancient Egypt Light of the World - Gerald Massey
Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Kushite Empire - Drusila D. Houston
Introduction to African Civilizations - John G. Jackson