Rieko

Rieko is a branch of philosophy of early settlers along the Nile valley that is available in the ancient Egyptian records. It is also found in variant spellings as Riek, Riekh or Rekh; was first recorded by the early Greek scholars as “techne” when they came for art training in the Pharaonic Africa. To the foreign scholars, Rieko meant acquisition of skills that they as foreigners in the ancient academy (Par Ankh) found difficult to gain in a short period of time. It was believed that without firstly gaining some training in Kemet (ancient Egypt) for considerable period of time, one could not fully know how to bring the self into full senses. The ancient Egyptians then said that there was some thing called "rieko duto" that meant “the totality of what is there on the continent of Africa to be known”. The continent of Africa as a place was called “kama wade riekiete”, meaning the place “where one could find skilled workmanship in the arts and sciences of the Pharaonic time”. The natives termed the understanding of Rieko as “rieko nyasiwa” meaning the King’s acquaintance, and during the celebrations of harvest it was employed as "rieko keyo".

The three most controversial contemporary scholars and artists who have written and spoken on the subject of Rieko are:

Odhiambo Siangla,African Origin of Knowledge (Drexel University, Focus on Africa, a TV Educational program, 1997).

Molefi Kete Asante, Kemet, Afrocentricity and Knowledge Africa World Press (November 1990) ISBN: 0-865431-89-2

Jimmy Ogonga, Exhibiting Contemporary Sculpture

References:

Middle Egyptian Raymond O Faulkner ISBN 0-900416-32-7

The Cambridge Dictionary of PhilosophyGeneral Editor, Robert Audi ISBN 0-521-48328-X

ee also

Aristotle, Physis, Plato, Atieno Odhiambo