Black History Studies in partnership with the Institute of Black Culture, Media and Sport and the Petrie Museum contributed to the research and production of the new documentary the ‘African History of Sport’
At least five thousand years ago, ancient Nile Valley African Civilisations KMT/Egypt, Nubia/Sudan, and Ethiopia, invented a ‘Grand Philosophy’ which they called several names, including Sewetwet and Sedjay Her.
For the peoples of the Nile, ‘Sewetwet’ and ‘Sedjay Her’, were the ultimate union of brain, brawn and spirit. They used them for pleasure, leisure, warcraft or military training, governance and foreign policy; and treated them on par with intellectual fields like: religion, law, medicine, natural sciences, art, and a combination of them all. Eventually, these activities became known and popularly practiced as Sport.
Today, few education systems in the world; if any, treat sport as a product of thought; for example, the British National Curriculum introduces sport to children, as PE or physical education. Ironically, sport involves all intellectual properties or characteristics; but is not treated academically by Primary and Secondary Schools.
Perhaps, this is because the ‘Grand Philosophy of Sewetwet and Sedjay Her’ invented by Black Africans, did not survive invasion and colonisation by Greeks; or colonisation and enslavement by Romans, Arabs and Western Europeans; all of whom destroyed the philosophical and spiritual premise of Sewetwet/Sedjay Her; and reduced them to physical activities for the brawny. This film revisits scenes of ancient glory.
The African History of Sport was funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.
Black History Studies organised the FREE launch screenings that took place on the following dates:
- UK Premiere Screening on Friday 6th April 2018 from 6.30pm to 9pm at University College of London (UCL), London.
- North London Premiere Screening on Saturday 14th April 2018 from 6pm to 9pm at St Ann’s Library in Tottenham.
- South London Premiere Screening on Sunday 29th April 2018 from 1pm to 3pm at Upstairs at the Ritzy Cinema, Ritzy Cinema in Brixton.
- East London Premiere Screening on Tuesday 1st May 2018 from 7pm to 9pm at Hackney Attic, Hackney Picturehouse in Hackney.
Some video feedback is below: