Teacher: MIT Zerita Sharp
Maat
- Draws the medu for maat
- Opens by showing a quilt created by her grandmother, and ask how it's connected to Maat
- Students explore several ideas, including family, balance, reciprocity, etc.
- MIT Zerita shares that her grandmother abhored waste, and discusses usefulness, purpose, handiwork
- Open discussion about the place of Maat in Kemet; students reflecting on its role and how it was used in society
- No separation in the community by class
- One way of knowing how our ancestors lived is examining how they prepared themselves for their passing by looking at what they said was important to them; see this site
- The passing was key to become a "blessed spirit", called the akh (a bird)
- Scripture reads, "soul [belongs] to heaven the body to earth"
- Even when you're in the physical world there is a part of you that's in heaven
- There is a part of you that you have to feed spiritually
- The deceased are traveling through the duat to get the "Hall of Maati"
- What is the hall and where is it?
- The soul is traveling to the Hall
- The heart is weighed against the feather of Maat (i.e. truth, righteousness)
- The same law that you should live by on earth or the same laws you are judged by
- Why is it necessary to understand the 42 punishers, representing the cities (nomes) in Kemet; thus in going before the 42 netchers is a statement that you've done right by each community
- Is this revelant for us today? It is questioned, but in general feel that the declarations are relevant
- Students suggests that everyone, including children know the difference between right and wrong inherently
- Important to understand that our people were stressing symbolism and not literally; they were not trying to communicate that literally a person stood before Asar
- None of us are perfect, but the question is whether our lives are good "on balance"
- Important to understand the basis for the symbols to understand its deeper meaning - what did the ostrich feather represent in an agricultural society or we run the risk of imposing on our assumptions on their symbols & culture
- Why chose a feather of a being which is a bird, that never leaves the ground - it's a paradox; which contain consealed truths [Baba Ray]
- One of the largest papyri; Ani was a controller, and handled the money
- Asar is green because he represents regeneration (growth)
- Why is he with his wife (her name is Tutu)? Not certain whether she had already passed, although in some instances servants were killed - although this is unlikely
#1 Briefly summarize this narrative in your own words
- Everyone discussed their assessment of the narrative
- Narrative is an allegory - story which contains deeper meaning
- If you didn't know anything about the narrative or the spiritual system it would not restrict a person of good behavior from ascending to Amenti (Min Greg)
- Must know Nut, and sky and what is the attribute the ancestors are trying to convey
- What was the symbolism of Nut having multiple suitors
- Even Set, who's anger was justified, has a place in the Boat of Ra; he is not personified as evil
- Set represents the duality; even after having murdered his brother, and would have killed Heru, the way it is discussed is that Asar was resurrected, and Set was not put to death
- Raises the question of what is the greater value? Sometimes a Set energy is required for certain situations
- Says it is a love story more than anything else. Think of the story of Aset is finding her husband, and the woes of Nebt-het after what she had done.
- Shows the four pillars - (1) worship and praise the God of our ancestors, (2) living in harmony with Creation/nature, (3) social justice, (4) maintaining who we are as a people
- Raises the question of how often do we work with our hands - our children "push buttons"; how many can make biscuits or create a pot
[CLASSES ENDED HERE]
#2 Would you say it has one of multiple themes? Please exaplin.
#3 Why do you suppose the 360-day year needed to be adjusted?
[THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS]
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