INVADERS FROM THE NORTH BEWARE!
Rounding the corner to the entrance of the house, I saw a terrible battle taking place. My mother’s men were fighting a crowd of strange, pale-skinned warriors I had never seen before, speaking a language that was equally unfamiliar. I saw Teta, the leader of the Port House guard, fighting valiantly against four of them, while several of his guards went down before the large mass of foreign warriors.
With strange round shields and long swords of a make I had never seen, the men were vicious and gave no quarter. No one had yet noticed me as I stood before the house, looking desperately for my mother and sister, trying to decide what to do. Then I spotted Meri-Ta, my mother, surrounded by four of her faithful warriors. They were hopelessly struggling to protect her against the imposing wave of attackers.
My mind was then made up. Springing forward, I seized the sword-arm of one of the aggressors, striking him in the belly until he let go of his weapon. Then several of the strange warriors turned towards me...
Bio and book info:
Brother G (Gregory L. Walker) is a Chicago based journalist, poet, historian and author. While working part-time for the Associated Press, Brother G spent 10 years conducting research for the African Legends genre, writing "Shades Of Memnon," and developing contacts in archeology anthropology and linguistics worldwide.
Shades
Of Memnon is an exciting, inspiring, award winning series of
adventure novels written in the epic style similar to classics
like "The Lord Of The Rings." But this series finally
revives an aspect of history and legend that has been long overdue:
The contributions of Africans to world history and ancient legends.
According to many teachers, these books help to promote a truly
multicultural experience in the classroom, promoting historical
self-esteem and interracial respect. The reading program consists of
books, teaching guides, music and art and has proven to be a powerful
educational tool. Especially in tough, low reading interest
situations. The books have been used in the efforts of dozens of
teachers to improve the reading interests and literacy scores of
students from middle school, high school and even college. The
teaching guides are the result of over two years of research and
writing by Dr. Clyde A. Winters PhD, of Governor State University and
a 25-year teaching veteran of the Chicago Public School system.
Brother G has also written columns on comic books and graphic novels for the American Library Association, contributed to the national news publication "In These Times" and is one of a popular group of Chicago poets who inspired the motion picture "Love Jones." Recipient of the Best New Author Of the Year Award at Chicago's Black Book Fair 2000, Brother G has been a featured speaker o n C-Span, at the Harlem Book Fair, The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention, the Association For The Study of Classical African Civilizations, and numerous other schools, colleges and organizations. Brother G won of the Best New Author of The Year Award at Chicago's Black Book Fair 2000 and the African American Pavilion's 2009 Octavia Butler Humanitarian Award on May 30 at Book Expo America.
For
Teaching Guides and the Shades of Memnon reading program contact:
Greg.brotherg@gmail.com
See Brother G speak on
C-Span
here:
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=287796-4
Read
reviews
here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0966237404/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0966237420&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ZMGM2PVCDA9PF7BR51H
See
Brother G speak to a group of youths here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3596705828408030197#
Shades Of Memnon
The African Hero Of The Trojan War And The Keys To Ancient World civilization
BOOK ONE
By Gregory “Brother G” Walker
Published by Seker Nefer Press, a division of Seker Nefer Group at Smashwords
Copyright 2009 Gregory Walker
Discover other titles by Gregory Walker at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6947
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading this free ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.
This novel is a work of historical fantasy fiction based
on the legends and myths of the great African hero Memnon
Book cover artist credit: Darryl Spicey
Book cover design: Courtney Jolliff / Direct Effect and the Ancestors
Shades Of Memnon: The African Hero Of The Trojan
War And The Keys To Ancient World Civilization
1, Mythology. 2, Historical Fantasy Fiction.
3, African Studies. 4, Martial Arts. 5, Spirituality.
Brother G (Gregory L. Walker) is a Chicago based journalist, poet, historian and author. While working part-time for the Associated Press, Brother G spent 10 years conducting research for the African Legends genre, writing “Shades Of Memnon,” and developing contacts in archeology, anthropology and linguistics worldwide. He has also written columns on comic books and graphic novels for the American Library Association, contributed to the national news publication “In These Times” and is one of a popular group of Chicago poets who inspired the motion picture “Love Jones.” “Shades of Memnon” has been optioned for movie production by the actor Wesley Snipes, star of the “Blade” trilogy.
Acknowledgments:
I would like to first thank the creator for making this world in such a way that it challenges all of us to struggle and to strive, for without this there would be no progress. I must next thank the long chain of ancestors, those known and unknown, who sent me here and put it into my heart to carry on this work. To my mother, Geneva and father, Pat and the rest of the Walker clan, thank you for your support and love. Thanks also to the Ausar Auset Society for revealing the great wisdom to me. Thanks to Clyde Winters for revealing the facts to me. Thanks to Bill Duke, Joe Landsdale and Tim Truman for the kind words and assistance.
To my creative and spiritual homies Apuat En Heru, En En Sa Takhi(John Grey), Donnino Hill, Courtney Jolliff, Darryl Spicy, Auset N’ Temu, Aung Mu Ra, Jah Bang Jah, Baba Oje, Frank Stevenson, Tony Akins, Reatha Hardy, SeneMaku En En, Hrupti Men Ab and Hra Ptah: Thank you for every line drawn, every image rendered, every verse kicked, every line spoken, every minute edited and all advise given- together we are the modern Medjay and I love you all. You are constant reminders to me that a fist can break through where a finger falters. Peace.
Author’s Notes:
“Shades Of Memnon” is the first series of the new African Legends genre being introduced by Seker Nefer Press. Based upon 10 years of research, the genre reflects the study of epic traditions that we call “Epicology,” a word coined by Ayele Bekerie, a brilliant professor of Africana Studies at Cornell University.
In his ground breaking book “Ethiopic: An African Writing System,” Bekerie defines Epicology as “the art and science of mythologizing, symbolizing, narrating, lamenting, prophesying, allegorizing and folklorizing. It could be looked upon as total history.”
I realized total history was what I had embarked upon 10 years ago after reading Bekerie’s book. In my quest I have studied traditions of history, legend and myth along with the sciences of archeology, linguistics and anthropology in an attempt to find out where the history and lore originated. I too discovered that “epic comes in and out of history” and that “some epic tales could literally and deliberately evolve out of history” as Bekerie mentions in his definition.
I will even go a step further, to say that, based upon my study of spiritual traditions and African religion, Epicology can sometimes be a stream of spiritual energy. It can be the process by which the ancestors give us guidance here on the earth, a way of keeping messages alive so that we will not totally forget, even in the darkest times.
The legends of Memnon are of this nature, having over the years taken on an almost magical quality, as if the legend had a life of it’s own. They raise questions:
· Who were these “blameless Ethiopians” praised frequently by the ancient Greeks from the earliest times?
· Why were they the central focus of “The Ethiopis,” the third book in the Trojan War saga?
· Who was Memnon, the prince/king of these blameless Africans?
· Why was he chosen to receive a unique immortality, while his opponent Achilles was sent to Hades after death (see “The Oddessy”).
· Why were the statues of a local king named after Memnon in Egypt by the Greeks?
· Why did one statue emit a distinct sound as the sun rose, eerily backing the tradition that Memnon was literally the “son of the Sun?”
· Why have poets referred to Memnon when pondering the highest aspects of human nobility?
· Why did a group of German scientists in 1907 name a journal about the world’s greatest artistic, cultural and archeological finds “Memnon?”
· Why is there a French journal today that presents studies of great archeological finds called “Memnonia?”
These are Epicological questions I have pondered and striven to answer in an Epicological fashion, through interpreting the legend. Not only about Memnon, but about many other legends I have come across in this process. So I ask you to read this epicological glossary, and this book series, and think of it as my attempt to honestly portray the accumulated legend and historiography about Africans in ancient times. Just remember, Bekerie says it is not the task of Epicology to be literally true, as in portraying a real man whose name was Memnon. What is necessary is that it be honest in portraying a legendary figure and what he has come to mean to the world—the highest aspirations of human kind.
Glossary Of Terms...............................................................................
Foreword.............................................................................................
Preface.................................................................................................
Prelude: He’s Got To Fight To Live....................................
CHAPTER 1: I WOULD BE A WARRIOR......................................
CHAPTER 2: DESTINY IT IS INDEED............................................
Chapter 3: Guardian of ausar...........................................
CHAPTER 4: WELCOME BACK, CHILDREN OF MEMNON.........
CHAPTER 5: SEE NOW, SERVANTS OF THE SERPENTS.............
CHAPTER 6: UNDERSTAND THESE ISH-RA-ELITES....................
CHAPTER 7: Wind and Wave (Between Man and Woman)..
CHAPTER 8:THE WOLF CREATURES.........................................
CHAPTER 9: THIS IS THE SMITHY OF DAEDALUS......................
CHAPTER 10: SHOW NO MERCY..............................................
CHAPTER 11: I FORGED FOR YOUR PA....................................
Memnon’s Lyrics.....................................................................
“Mythology Is Psychological Archeology”
George Lucas of “Star Wars”
An Epicological Glossary Of Terms:
Aahmes Nefertari— The greatest hero of ancient Kamit. Queen Aahmes Nefertari led the coalition from southern Kamit that defeated the dreaded Hyksos invaders. Though practically ignored by historians today, this queen was made the most honored Sheps of Kamit’s entire history. Temples built in her honor rivaled those of the Neteru, and parades were held in her name until the beginning of the Christian era.
Aat— Kamitic: A region of the Taut underworld.
Agaru— The sacred island home of the Anu, located off the coast of modern-day southern India. Small blacks live on islands in this area to this day.
Allat— A female deity, popular among South Arabian blacks until the coming of Islam.
Amen — The most high, creator deity of both the Kamitians and Kushites, and many other East African nations.
Amen-Ra—Kamitic: Another name of the most high, with emphasis on the deity’s role as a creative power - see Ra.
Amorites—Ancient name for a nomadic, warlike Shashu people in the Middle East during the Bronze Age. They blended with the Hittites to become the Habiru, forefathers of the modern-day Hebrews.
Anetch Hrak— Kamitic: Common greeting given to honored elders, priests and royalty in Kamit.
Ancestor communication— A spiritual science: Rituals and psychic abilities developed to ensure that the links between the living and the deceased are not severed after death.
Anu— The sacred ancestors of the Kushites. These small blacks, originating near the Mountains of the Moon, once lived all over the earth. They were related to the present day forest pygmies of central Africa, whose traditions claim they once lived in large cities. Anu remains have been found near ancient monuments worldwide, including Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid and in Olmec/Xiu ruins. Highly skilled in the spiritual sciences, they were the source of legends of pixies, fairies and elves.
Apademak— Kushite deity of protection. Always depicted in lion form, this deity was popular in upper Kamit and lower Kush from very ancient times until the Christian era.
Araby—Ancient name for modern-day Arabia, especially South Arabia.
Atef— Kamitic: Brother/friend, potential father.
Aten— Kamitic: The sun.
Atl-anta—Ancient name for the fabled land across the Atlantic Ocean, known first to the Kushau, then to the ancient Greeks and others. Source of the story of fabled Atlantis, Atl-anta was north, south and especially, middle America.
Ausar—Kamitic: Deity representing the highest aspects of spirituality.
Auset— Kamitic: Deity representing mothering, nurturing and emotions.
Baa en pet— Kamitic: Metal from the sky, a meteor.
Bekhtan—A country located in the Middle East during the Bronze Age near the country now called Syria. A great trading nation of Shasu and Tamahu peoples. It was destroyed during the Great World War.
Blybos— A Canaanite city famous for its seaport and ship building.
Basileia— Ancient homeland of the northernmost contingent of “People of the Sea,” located in northern Europe near the Baltic and North Seas.
Canaan— Ancient country once located in the Middle East.
Canaanites— The Kushite people who once ruled in ancient Canaan. They were migrants from Tamana.
Chi—Far eastern name for the life force. Called Rau by Kamitians and Kundalini by people from South India.
Children of Geb— Kamitic: Human beings alive on the Earth.
Children of Impotent Revolt— Kamitic: Unchecked emotions, assistants of Set.
Dark Deceased— Kamitic: Unruly human spirits that refuse to rest after death. Confused and in need of light, they stay on to plague the living.
Desher Sea—Kamitic: The Red Sea.
Djahy—A region of the Middle East just south of where Israel is today.
Eastern Kushites— Blacks related to modern-day Somalians, South Indians and South Arabians, with dark brown to jet-black skin, curly to straight hair and sharper features than Western Kushites. Originally from Tamana.
Five Great Kushite Nations— The five groups from Tamana, whose people most adhered to the great teachings embodied by the spiritual sciences and the Universal Principles. These are the Kamitians of North East Africa, the Haltamtians of ancient Iran, the Canaanites of the Middle East, the Meluhans of Southern India and the Xiu of Asia and the Americas.
Geb—Kamitic: The deity of the material plane, Earth. The world was recognized as conscious by the people of Kamit thousands of years before the Gaia theories of today.
Great Green— Kamitic: The Mediterranean Sea.
Great World War— Around 1200 B. C., the Mediterranean area became embroiled in devastating warfare. This was due to invasions by a mysterious coalition led by northern Tamahu dubbed
the “People of the Sea” by Kamitians. They destroyed great nations in Europe, Asia and on the islands in the Mediterranean before they were finally defeated by a coalition of Kushites in Kamit. At the same time, in West Asia and India, Eastern Kushites were fighting other Tamahu who swept down from the Eurasian steppes. This Great World War, some historians think, was the source material of the greatest epics in ancient world history, such as the Iliad; the Norse Ragnarok sagas; the Philistine tales in the Old Testament; the Indian epic “The Mahabharata;” the story of Atlantis; and “The Ethiopis,” which featured the legendary Memnon.
Habiru—Ancient name for the semi-nomadic tribes of Tamahu (Hittites) and Shashu (Amorites) who settled in the Middle East just after 2000 BC. They came together in the land of Canaan, forming the Hebrews of the Old Testament. “And say, thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and nativity is in the land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite.” - 01d Testament, Ezekiel 16:3.
Haltamti—Ancient Elam, located in the country we now call Iran, was settled by various groups from Tamana. Linguistic studies indicate domination by the Xiu, who also dominated in regions of China and Meso-America.
Hapi— Kamitic: The river Nile.
Hatti— Ancient country once located in Turkey. Originally settled by Kushites, it came under the domination of Tamahu who adopted the local culture. Sometimes an enemy, sometimes an ally of the Kamitians, it was a mighty nation with a highly evolved society. They were destroyed by the People of The Sea during the Great World War.
Hittites — The Tamahu people of Hatti. Some settled in areas of the Middle East, blending with the Amorites to become the Habiru, forefathers of the early Hebrews.
Heru— Kamitic: Deity governing heroism, stability and maturity.
Herukhuti— Kamitic: Deity governing justice, warfare and the upholding of natural law.
Hesperides— Greek mythology says that islands called Hespers or Hesperides were located in a fabled land across the Atlantic Ocean and that Memnon was raised there. In reality these were the settlements of the Xiu people in ancient Mexico. Archeologists today are puzzled by the engineering feats of the Olmecs (see Xiu), who moved thousands of tons of earth and stone to create artificial islands, platforms for temple complexes and giant stone statues. A careful examination will reveal that sophisticated earth moving and stone working was a common technology of Tamana migrants worldwide. Direct mention was made by the Greek writer Scylaxus of Coriandre, who recorded that Phoenicians traded with Ethiopians on an island across the Atlantic Ocean. Today major Xiu settlements are known to have been located on islands in ancient Mexico.
Het-Heru — Kamitic: Deity governing pleasure, sexuality and imagination.
House of Life— Kamitic: School, place of learning.
Hyksos—A coalition of Tamahu and Shashu who wrested control of Lower Kamit from approximately 1640 to 1532 BC They were overthrown by an army of Kamitians from Waset (Thebes) and Medjay warriors led by the great Queen Aahmes Nefertari.
Indu— Ancient name for Eastern Kushites who lived in Indus Kush.
Indus Kush— Ancient name for the area stretching from Pakistan up through all of northern India. It was once dominated by Kushites, who fled the area during the time of the Great World War. Anthropologists today call their culture the Indus Civilization. They were originally from Tamana in Africa.
Ifrits—Evil creatures from Arabic folklore, often representing the fearful and destructive forces of the desert.
Ish-Ra-EI—Ancient Israel of the Old Testament.
Ka— Kamitic: Individual spirit, the personal soul.
Kabba Stone— Ancient black rock considered sacred by Islam even today and also revered by worshippers of the “goddess” religions of ancient Arabia.
Kam—Kamitic: Meaning dark or black. Mistranslated in Biblical texts as “Ham.” Africans are the children of Kam, not of a rump of pork.
Kam-Atef— Famous creature from Kamitic legend. His name means “friend of black people.”
Kamit— Correct name of ancient Egypt, meaning the land of black people (Kushites). Part of the Tamana cultural/civilization complex, Kamit had both Western and Eastern Kushites within its population, which explains why many monuments do not look like the stereotypical “Negro.” The Kamitians created the greatest achievements known to mankind, seeding the world with their knowledge and puzzling us with spiritual sciences that have yet to be fully understood.
Kamitians— The people of Kamit.
Kamitic— Things of and from Kamit (i.e., language, monuments, culture, etc.).
Kamitic Heresy— During the last years of the 18th dynasty a new king named Ankhenaten mounted the throne and tried to institute sweeping changes in the religion of the Kamit. Declaring his “Atenist” religion (the worship of the physical sun) the only legitimate faith in Kamit, Ankhenaten built a city and moved thousands of converts to it. In time the Kamitic people rose up in defense of the traditional Ausarian spirituality and dethroned Ankenaten. Then they defeated his chief priest Ausar-Mesh (known biblically as Moses) banishing he and his followers from Kamit. These exiled heretics joined with others from the Middle East to become the biblical Israel, concocting a false history based upon Kamitic history, spirituality and cosmology, including hateful stories about the nation that had banished them.
Keftui— The island nation of ancient Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.
Khepera—Kamitic: The sacred beetle representing the act of creation.
K’un Lun— Legendary regions of ancient China dominated by blacks (Xiu and Shang) who migrated there from Tamana. One of the greatest settlements was that of the Xiu in China’s Shensi province. Today dozens of pyramids, one nearly as large as Kamit’s Great Pyramid, can still be found there.
Kula Yoga— A spiritual science: The children of Tamana discovered a third great use for sex, which is known today as tantra or tantric sex. It is the use of yoga and meditation techniques during intercourse that combine male and female Rau for use in healing, psychic phenomena, spiritual cultivation or other marvels we sometimes call “magic.” Today Kula Yoga is practiced primarily in Asian and African cultures.
Kush—Land to the south of Kamit, home to the Kamitians before they settled further north.
Kushau— The name that the ancient high culture blacks of Africa called themselves. When they migrated they usually created place names, such as Indus Kush, similar to what they called themselves.
Kushite— Things of and from the Kushau.
Kushite darts — An amazing weapon of the Kushites. These throwing blades were 3 to 5 inches long and made of finely honed bronze. Razor sharp, they were astonishingly accurate weapons
in the hands of a trained warrior. Kamitic paintings depict them being used for warfare and hunting small game. A favorite weapon of the Medjay warriors.
Lower Kamit— The northern region of Kamit which borders the Mediterranean, is referred to as “lower” or “down there” because the Kushite people lived with a southern orientation. Middle to southern Africa was their homeland and was therefore “up,” while areas farther north were considered “down.”
Maat— Kamitic: The Kamitic deity who governs the natural balance of the universe. Depicted as a woman, Maat also represented the ideal of “right” behavior and social justice.
Makka— Ancient name for the city of Mecca.
Medjay— Kushite warriors who moved into Kamit after helping to expel the Hyksos. The Medjay were great trackers who also served as the police force of Kamit, and were legendary martial artists.
Meluha— Ancient name of middle to southern India where other Tamana people settled.
Meluhites— Ancient name for the Kushites who still live in Southern India and are also immigrants from Tamana.
Memnon— The most widely known heroic figure in world history. When the Greeks took over Kamit they named two statues near Thebes the “Colossi Of Memnon,” who in Greek myths went to the battle of Troy with warriors from Susa (Iran) and his own homeland.
“To Troy no hero came of nobler line, or, if of nobler, Memnon, it was Thine” Homer.
The name “Memnon” means immortal in Greek and Kamitic, backing traditions that say he was made immortal by the gods. Kamitic: Mem - cummin = a black seed; na = to go on; un = living. Greek: Resolute, always there.
There was a temple in ancient Haltamti (Biblical Elam, called Iran today) called “The Temple of Memnon” and recent scholarship on Greek myths point to ancient Meso-America (see Hesperides and Xiu) as his homeland. In Asia, Africa and Europe there are many legends of Memnon; some indicating that there were more than one. Some people south of Kamit claimed relation to Memnon, while ancient Greeks claim he went to Kamit’s Thebes. In reality, Memnon represents the worldwide influence of the children of Tamana, especially the Kamits and the Xiu.
Men Ab— Kamitic: Meaning “still heart.” Meditation technique to gain control over emotions and assist spiritual development.
Mesh— Kamitic: Meaning “born of” or “son of” or “daughter of.” Examples: Ausar-Mesh, Ra-Mesh and Tehuti-Mesh.
Middle Atl-anta— Ancient Meso-America, homeland of the Elder Memnon, who hailed from the mysterious Xiu people, who originated in Tamana.
Mountains of the Moon— Ancient mountain range near the traditional homeland of the Kamitians, other Kushites and the Anu. Situated near modern-day Uganda, it is the site of fantastic anthropological discoveries indicating that technical civilization began in this region nearly 100,000 years ago.
Mut— Kamitic: Mother or elder woman. The symbol for Mut was the vulture, often worn on the crown of royalty and deities to symbolize the nurturing aspects of government.
Mycenea—Ancient name of the region known today as southern Greece. In Greek myth it was the home of the legendary hero Persus and his Kushite wife, Andromeda. The Persus and Andromeda myth represents the peaceful coming together of Tamahu and Kushite peoples in pre-Greek history. Mycenea was nearly destroyed by the People of the Sea.
Myrmidon— Legendary warriors from Greek mythology, led by Achilles in the Trojan War.
Nabata— Ancient name for a South Arabian region settled by Kushites.
Nabataens— The people of Nabata, migrants from Tamana.
Nekhebet— Kamitic: The cool electromagnetic force of the Earth responsible for some psychic phenomena.
Neter— Kamitic: A deity. One of the conscious, governing natural forces put in place by the creator to run the universe.
Neterit— Kamitic: Natural forces manifested negatively; evil deities.
Neters— Kamitic: Plural -a group of governing spirits. They were never worshipped in the modern sense, but were revered as conscious forces of nature, assigned by the creator to run the universe. Statues and images were used as reminders of this, as well as focal points for meditation to control Neter forces inside human beings. Misunderstood to this day as “idol worship,” this spiritual science is still a common practice of most African people.
Neteru—All of the governing spirits.
Nimrod—Legendary warrior from the Bible and other West Asian lore. He actually represents Kushau groups who migrated from north central Africa (Tamana) into West Asia to form the Elamites, Sumerians, Akkadians, Nabataens and others. “And Kush begot Nimrod...He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.”—Genesis 10: 8, Old Testament.
Nome— Kamitic: A city; home district.
North Atl-anta— North America.
Oracle—A spiritual science developed to provide insight into the inner workings of a situation, decision or occurrence. True oracles are never fortune-telling devices. They provide a means of examining the underlying spiritual structure of a situation, similar to a computer program that analyzes stock market trends. Card games, dice and other games of chance of today are based upon oracles developed by the Kushite and Anu peoples thousands of years ago.
Oxhide—Various metals cast into the easily carried shape of an oxen’s hide.
Pan-Kau-Rau-Shen— Kamitic: Means “defeating enemies with the force of Ra.” A Kushite martial art. A form of it survives in Greece to this day and is called Pankration.
Petra— Ancient name of a city in northwest Arabia.
Petrans— The people of Petra who were its Kushite and Shashu settlers.
People of The Sea— An ancient group led by Germanic people who migrated from Basileia in northern Europe to the Mediterranean area. Renowned sailors, pirates and warriors, this coalition initiated the Great World War, circa 1200 BC
Ra—Kamitic: The deity representing the Great Power, the creative life force. Misinterpreted as the “Sun God” because the Kamitians often used the sun as Ra’s symbol (see Aten). Through their spiritual sciences, the Kamites discovered that all life is sustained by interaction with the energy of the sun, currently acknowledged as a scientific fact.
Ra-Mesh III— Proper name for Rameses III, the great king who defeated the People of the Sea. (Ra, meaning “the great power behind all life,” and Mesh, meaning “born of” or “son of” which then translates into “The Third Son of the Great Power.”)
Rau— Kamitic: The life force or serpent fire (chi in Chinese).
Saba—Ancient land in South Arabia ruled over by a line of legendary Kushite queens, such as the Queen of Sheba (Saba) of the Old Testament.
Sabaeans—The people of Saba, who were Shashu and Kushau migrants from Tamana.
Spiritual sciences — The Kushite technologies of spiritual upliftment, social ordering and natural resource manipulation. These included oracle systems, spirit possession/trance, natural healing, meditative techniques, Kula Yoga, the manipulation of earthly and human energies (pyramids, acupuncture) and the coercion of the laws of nature through heightened spirituality combined with hidden knowledge (magic). The Kushau and Anu shared in a civilization complex that recent anthropology indicates stretched back 100,000 years, originating near the Mountains of the Moon of Uganda. During this time they developed these spiritual sciences.
Set— Kamitic: Also called Setesh, the principle of evil and disorder, similar to the Christian Devil.
Shang— Ancient group of Kushites and Classical Mongoloids (brown skinned Orientals similar to Indonesians), who ruled parts of ancient China from 1500 to 1000 BC. These Kushites were Tamana immigrants, who settled in the area called K’un Lun.
Shashu— Kamitic: Arabic or Semitic peoples. OriginaIly Tamahu migrants who came down from Eurasia around 2000 BC, the Shashu peoples developed by interbreeding with Kushites and adopting their cultures.
Shekem ur Shekem— Kamitic: Means “Power, Great Power.” This was the common designation of Kamitic kings, not “pharaoh.” The term pharaoh originally meant “Great House.”
Shemsu— Kamitic: Follower, devotee.
Sheps— Kamitic: Honored ancestor. One of the Kushite spiritual sciences is ancestor communication, misnamed ancestor worship by western observers.
Shepsu— Kamitic: Plural- the honored ancestors.
Sky-boat—Kamitic: In ancient Kamit and other Kushite cultures there was a legendary tradition of flying vehicles. They were mentioned in magical tales like “The Stories of Setne Khamwas” and depicted and discussed upon the temple walls of Edfu. In Edfu the traditions say that the Neter Heru established a “foundry of divine iron” and maintained a flying vehicle used in the war with Set. Illustrations of this flying vehicle can still be seen on the Edfu temple today.
Sofik Aabut— Kamitic: The female deity of learning.
South Atl-anta— South America.
Spiritual sciences — The Kushite technologies of spiritual upliftment, social ordering and natural resource manipulation. These included oracle systems, spirit possession/trance, natural healing, meditative techniques, Kula Yoga, the manipulation of earthly and human energies (pyramids, acupuncture) and the coercion of the laws of nature through heightened spirituality combined with hidden knowledge (magic). The Kushau and Anu shared in a civilization complex that recent anthropology indicates stretched back 100,000 years, originating near the Mountains of the Moon of Uganda. During this time they developed these spiritual sciences.
Tamahu—People of European descent. (Kamitic: Tama means people and hu means white.) Various Tamahu peoples dwelled near the Mediterranean Sea, living in relative peace with their Kushite neighbors until the Great World War circa 1200 BC. At this time nearly all of these civilizations were destroyed by a coalition led by northern Tamahu called the People of the Sea.
Tamana—Ancient region of trading cities and countries located in what is now the Sahara Desert. (Kamitic: Tama means “people; na means “to go” or “to travel.”) The children of Tamana the Kushau or Kushites, linked by similar languages, spirituality, technology and race. Tremendous engineering feats like stone tunnels hundreds of miles long beneath the north African sands, giant megaliths in Morocco and other north African countries, and well known Kamitic and Kushite monuments attest to the level of civilization attained by these people. When the Sahara (which is larger than the land mass of the continental United States) dried up, the people of Tamana migrated, giving birth to the major civilizations of the ancient world.
Ta Neter—Kamitic: Means “Land of God. Ancient birthplace of the Kushite people near the Mountains of the Moon.
Taut—The spiritual world. The place of residence of the dead and the source of all non-material life. In the lower regions of the Taut dwell the low spiritual forces, in the higher regions dwell the more pure.
Tehuti— Kamitic: Deity of wisdom.
Tem— Kamitic: Bad, negative.
Tenehu— Ancient Libyans. These people lived in the region just west of Kamit, and were the source of considerable trouble due to their attempts to invade Kamitic territory. They even formed a partnership with the People of the Sea against Kamit. The Tenehu were a mixed people, with Tamahu, Shashu and Kushites within the population.
Trojan War— The legendary war documented in Greek mythology by Homer in “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” and by Arctinus of Miletus in “The Ethiopis,” in which Memnon is the leading character.
Troy—An ancient trading city which was located in Turkey. In Greek mythology it was the home of Priam, whose half-brother Tithonos was the father of the Elder Memnon, who came to Troy’s assistance. In real history, Troy was a trading center of the ancient world where Kushites, Tamahu and others lived in peace knowledge can work miracles.together. In the mythology, the city fell to forces led by Achilles and Agamemnon, whom many historians now believe represented the “People of the Sea” coalition.
Tu— Kamitic: Good, positive.
Uachet — Kamitic: The hot electromagnetic force of the Earth responsible for some psychic phenomenon.
Universal Principles: The Ancient Kushites’ pattern of behavior inspired awe among the ancient Greeks, who called them “Blameless Ethiopians” and referred to them as “the most favored of the gods.” This was due to a code of spirituality and ethics which the Kushites propagated to the world. Here is that list, compiled from the traditions of the Kushites themselves and what witnesses such as the Greeks said about them:
1. Covet no land or riches that the supreme being does not naturally grant you.
2. Respect the opposite sex as your equal and your compliment.
3. Give unto the world what you would have the world give unto you.
4. Always seek balance in all things, for only in harmony can there be growth.
5. Honor your ancestors, especially those who sought justice and balance in their time upon the earth.
6. Seek not simply to do good, but encourage others to do good as well.
7. Always seek higher wisdom in all of life’s endeavors.
8. Honor and safeguard the children, who have come to forge the future of the world.
9. Seek to be part of a brotherhood, sisterhood or group, for we accomplish more together than alone.
10. Have no tolerance for evil and injustice, so that you will forever be known as blameless.
Upper Kamit— Southern Kamit.
Uraeus—Whenever Uachet and Nekhebet were harnessed for a psychic attack or for protection, the uraeus, usually worn at the brow by royalty, was used to focus and discharge its power. For those who could not use the power, the uraeus is simply a representation of this ancient spiritual science. The Kamitic texts describe the power of the uraeus as laser-like and instantly fatal.
Urim and Thummin— Oracles used by the ancient Hebrews (Habiru) as mentioned in the Old Testament. (1 Samuel 28:6).
Western Kushites—Black people with broader noses, thicker lips and kinky hair.
Xiu— Tamana migrants who left the drying Sahara, settling in ancient China, Iran and Meso-America. The Xiu were Western Kushites, linguistically and culturally related to the Manding people who still live in West Africa today. In Iran they built “ziggurats” and left many artifacts, while in Mexico they built pyramids and carved huge stone portraits. The native American Maya called them “Tul Tul Xiu” and remember them as teachers. (Tul Tul in Manding means “supporters or teachers of the High Order”) Today they are called the Olmecs, mother civilization of the Americas, and referred to as the “Shi Dynasty” by Chinese anthropologists. In China they left African physical remains and dozens of pyramids (many still standing) in that country’s Shensi province, while artifacts and statues from settlements in Mexico indicate that the Xiu had Kushites and Asians among the population. This hints at an empire, or at least trade relations that may have stretched from China to the Americas.
The Memnon tradition and the Xiu:
1. The Xiu were renowned for their architectural wonders and statues wherever they settled; the legendary character Memnon has been affiliated with architectural marvels and statuary worldwide.
2. The Xiu had major settlements in both the Far East and the Far West, which the Greeks confirmed by saying that Memnon led Kushites to Troy from both horizons.
3. The Xiu had settlements upon islands (like Laventa in Mexico), and the legends of Memnon say he came from islands called Hesperides, located on the far western shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
Come on tell a story,
Morning Glory,
all about the Serpentine Fire”
Earth, Wind & Fire—
“Serpentine Fire”
Foreword
What is history?
What is the context of reality within which we all live? All of the moments before this moment. Why is it important to record it in a way that it reflects? Because history is a way of saying that, “I was there too.” I mattered. I contributed. I am somebody. And the degree of that contribution gives validity to how I walk, how I talk, my sense of aesthetics, how I wear my hair, my ornamentation, the way I dress, the way I dance, my religion.
I have significance because so and so of long ago walked, talked, spoke, danced, felt, realized in a similar manner. And if so and so walked, talked, spoke, danced, felt, thought and heard music in a similar manner, and he was significant, and he accomplished many great things, and his aesthetics, his sensibility is similar to mine, then perhaps even I, in this small shack, or this small ghetto pad, or this island in the Caribbean, or this African hut, if he who is before me, who looked like me, whose lips were thick like mine, whose nose was wide like mine, and whose shoulders spanned the globe of his dreams, if he could achieve greatness with his light, then perhaps, so can I.
But without my reflection in the mirror of history, if my reflection is nowhere to be seen, if my reflection is insignificant or cast in the light of criminality, if my light is not of importance, then of what importance could I be in this present moment? Because if nothing of significance looks like me or has my voice or my walk, wears his hair like my hair or thinks in the way that I think or wears his clothes on his back that way I wear mine, then of what significance am I? What significance do I hold dear to my heart if I am only a recent discovery, an experiment. What is my significance?
The question of context and significance are not of intellectual import only. Young men passing through the passages of life, proving who they are, is something that we should pay attention to. Because if you and those that have gone before you, been like you, have proven themselves in a manner that is significant, that did not require them to defile themselves or their brother or any part of humanity, then perhaps you can copy that behavior.
But if that memory is not taught and if the only reflection I see is the present and around me is only the sociopathic that preys upon my ignorance of myself, and does not hold my mother and father, uncle and aunt, grandmother and great grandfather and relatives in high esteem, then my culture and my tribe is not worthy. Then I must prove myself to you. I must prove my manhood, my significance, my contribution to you in ways that sometimes are not only self destructive, but destructive to you as well. Because if I can not value my own life, I most certainly can not value yours.
So within this context of history, we perceive reality. History is the moment reflected in the context of the past. We are always struggling for something to hold onto, something that says, “I have a lineage of significance and importance like others.”
This is why this book is not a book that is to be read by those who want to have a scholarly treatise on a great man of antiquity, but by all of us, black, yellow, white, and brown, who understand the importance of and impact of individual achievement and contribution. So that that contribution not only reflects the importance of the struggle of that particular culture, but of the human spirit and its importance. Because history is not only the chronicling of a single event or cumulative events or contributions of a particular individual only, but it is more importantly the chronicling of the process through which individuals and nations go, the process through which we all go to reach a certain goal. And history is also a teaching device in terms of chronicling what not to do, where not to go, what stoves not to put our hands on. It is the chronicling of the process of accomplishment itself.
What is the anatomy of accomplishment? It is the dissection of accomplishment. History is a dissection of tradition and rituals and rites of passage. And the dissection of ethics and sacrifice which is always involved in the process of accomplishment. The dissection of discipline, of commitment, of legacy and most importantly, the dissection of generational responsibility. These fundamental elements —the process of accomplishment, tradition, rituals, rites of passage, ethics, sacrifice, discipline, commitment and generational responsibility are some of the fundamental issues that are absent in the consciousness of the twenty-first century. I believe that if we do not begin to reexamine these fundamental principles of survival that had been utilized by cultures of the past, we will not be able to survive the twenty-first century.
So I celebrate this book and this author, and though it may be seen as the accomplishment of one man, Memnon, I would ask you to think of Memnon in a greater context. The context of his historical significance. Not as an individual, but as historical process itself, because he was truly the Homo Universalis, the universal man, who accomplished more than many. And if we examine the principles that he lived by, the rituals of his culture, the rites of his passage, the ethics by which he functioned and the legacy which he left that connects us to him through the chord of generational responsibility, then perhaps we will see that he is a symbol of all accomplishment and of all the processes thereof. As we celebrate Memnon, in essence we are in the light of the celebration of ourselves, because we all have the potential to be like him and more. We have the potential to move towards our light and our way. However, without the lantern of history, we are certain to flounder in the abyss of ignorance.
Bill Duke
“Go back again and find the divine dark,
Seal up your eyes and be as tombs,
See that yourselves shall be as Memnon was.
Then, if you have the strength to curse the darkness,
And praise a world of light, remember Memnon...”
Conrad Aiken, “Preludes for Memnon” - 1945
Absolutely astonishing.
Those words are about as close as I can come to describing the effort, research, and remarkable results of Brother G’s monumental epic “Shades of Memnon.”
Here is the story of one of the greatest and most legendary heroes of history, and unfortunately, few know anything about him. Few have any idea of the contributions of Africans to history, as most people’s views of blacks are based on broad racist interpretations established by books, and even more, by films.
A lot more went on in the black past besides “Yes Bwana.”
It is unfortunate that modern readers will be astonished at the cultural and historical significance and contributions of Africans to history. It is even more disturbing that many of African ancestry will be surprised to discover the importance of their race to the developement of the world.
Art. Dance. Music. Literature. Politics. Government. Even Martial Arts. Africa and Africans were instrumental in the developement of all of these, and more. Besides this, “Shades of Memnon” is what the British love to call a “ripping yarn.” It’s the sort of tale that entertains while it enlightens, much the same way that “Little Big Man” entertained and enlightened us.
I don’t really know how to express my respect for Gregory L. Walker’s endeavors and the fine results. Everything I say seems lame. It’s just not enough. I can only say that I have been entertained and I have been enlightened.
As Brother G states in the last line of the prelude of his tale, “This is the story of Memnon.” Really, nothing else need be said. In fact, say no more. Read.
Joe R. Lansdale
PRELUDE: HE’S GOT TO FIGHT TO LIVE”
The doctor shifted uneasily as he stood at the foot of his patient’s bed. Next to it the mother and father sat in two chairs pulled close, silently weeping. Clinging tightly cheek to cheek, their hot tears mingled as their bodies shook with grief. On the bed lay a dark-skinned young man beneath white linen sheets, his head and left eye bandaged, his visible eye closed. His breathing was shallow. Multicolored wires were attached to his face, head and chest.
Shaking his head sadly, the doctor made a mark on his notepad. The parents hadn’t noticed him, so he decided to leave them alone. As he backed away towards the door, his shoe scraped the floor and both parents looked up.
“Mrs. Martin...Mr. Martin,” the doctor said hesitantly.
“Is there any hope, doctor?” cried Mrs. Martin. “Will my baby come out of this?”
The doctor looked at the desperate, pleading looks on the faces of the Martins. He swallowed hard to keep his own voice from cracking. “I’m sorry. We’ve...done all we can. With this type of head injury...it’s a miracle he’s survived so far.”
“He ain’t gonna wake up,” cried Mr. Martin painfully. “My boy is gone!”
“No,” said the doctor. “No. There’s a chance.”
Mr. Martin stood up, his hands held out toward the doctor. “How much of a chance? How much of a chance does my boy have?”
The doctor clutched his notepad until his knuckles turned white. “Please Mr. Martin,” he said. “Sit down, please.”
“I’m asking you, doctor. How much of a chance does he have?”
Mrs. Martin rocked back and forth in her chair, hugging herself as the tears streamed down her face. “He’s a good boy. Craig is a good boy. Please, God. Please, don’t take him from us.”
“How much of a chance, doctor?” Mr. Martin repeated, his eyes filling with tears.
The doctor sighed and wiped his hand over his mouth.
“Perhaps fifteen, possibly twenty percent,” he replied solemnly. “If he comes out of the coma within 72 hours.”
The doctor then gestured toward the medical equipment on the other side of the young man’s bed. It emitted a low, steady beep as it monitored the young man’s life signs.
“We’ve done everything we could do. It’s up to Craig now. He’s got to fight to live.”
Mr. Martin sat down next to his wife as the doctor quickly left the room. They sat for long minutes, staring at the still form of their son. Both wished Craig had been home two nights ago, when a bullet meant for someone else struck him on his way to school. He was the first generation of their family to go to college, and he planned to be a writer. Now his hopes and dreams hung by a fifteen to twenty percent thread.
“C’mon, honey,” said Mr. Martin. “You need to get some sleep....”
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere,” Mrs. Martin said. “Nowhere. I’m staying here until my baby wakes up.”
Mr. Martin sighed and held his wife close as the hospital grew quiet around them. Soon they were asleep with tears drying on their cheeks, while clinging to each other in fitful spasms of exhausted slumber.
All was quiet. All was still. In the mind of Craig Martin a deeper quiet of total silence and infinite darkness reigned. Then the voice spoke.
“Shula-ka-a! Awake! “
The dark void undulated as the voice spoke again. “Shula-ka a! Craig! Shula-ka-a! Awake! “
Craig opened his eyes. Before him stood a strange figure— a tall man with inky black skin, wearing a gray robe of strange shiny material. Mists swirled around the figure and Craig noticed that the man was sitting on something that looked like a cloud. There was a dim glow that seemed to come from everywhere and shadows flickered past the corners of his eyes. Suddenly, Craig felt fearful.
“What is this?” he asked. “Who are you?”
The figure took a step towards him and Craig noticed the man was incredibly handsome. His eyes flashing with streaks of light, the man smiled and introduced himself.
“I have been known by many names, over many lifetimes, as have you, Shula-ka-a. My immortal name is Shula-tet. I am your ancestor, your Sheps.”
Craig took a deep breath as realization suddenly hit him. The last thing he remembered before this was an incredible pain in his head and falling to the ground.
“I’m...I’m dead!” Craig gasped fearfully.
Shula-tet’s grin turned into a big smile. “I see you are still subject to the fear. No Shula-ka-a, you are still Craig.”
Then Shula-tet waved his hands at their surroundings. “This...is you. I am the visitor here.”
“But...why are you here?” Craig asked. “What’s happening?”
“You surely are near death, Craig Shula-ka-a,” replied Shula-tet. “But your time must not yet come. I am here to give you strength, so that through you, others can find strength as well.”
Shula-tet waved his hand and Craig grabbed the side of his face, crying out in terrible pain. Shula-tet nodded grimly as he spoke. “You must know the challenges ahead of you if you choose to live.”
Craig fell to his knees. The pain was searing.
“I...my eye! Where is my eye?”
“You must learn to live without it,” said Shula-tet, matter-of factly.
“I can’t,” Craig screamed. “I can’t live like this.”
Shula-tet strode over to him. Effortlessly, he picked Craig up and stood him on his feet. The pain drained away as he touched him.
“You must live!”
“But I....”
“You must go back to your parents, back to the world, and you must live, Craig Shula-ka-a! Look! “
Shula-tet took a step back and lifted his palm upward. A flicker of light appeared above it, growing brighter and bigger as it swirled around.
“This is why you must go back! Look into this light which was my life. My most famous life!”
Craig stood as if hypnotized. The light increased to several feet across and images took form. Rapidly landscapes flew by, as if viewed down from the height of a flying bird. He saw forests, rivers, sand and gigantic structures that he had only seen as ancient ruins in books of times long past.
A shining pyramid flashed by and the voice of Shula-tet boomed out of the sky around him.
“Hear now, Craig Shula-ka-a! This was a time of change, a time when the path of mankind shifted. A time when the kingdoms of Elam, Kush, Atl-anta, Saba and Kamit stood out as glorious beacons of the black man’s culture. When the lands of Hatti, Keftui, Mycenea and Bektan lived in peace and the cultures of man strived for harmony.”
Craig’s mind reeled as the images came closer. He could see an astonishingly beautiful building of pure white stone. Young people wearing white robes were walking up shining marble steps. Most were dark skinned, but some were lighter. They all walked into the building with an air of veneration and respect, carrying small boxes and wooden boards with brushes strapped to them.
“This is the end of the Age of Bronze, the twilight time of enlightenment, when the glory of civilization was at its peak, the spiritual sciences flourished upon the earth and the universal principles were respected. Black people were known as blameless, noble and wise. This was the age of my most glorious life. Memnon!” cried Shula-tet. “I was called Memnon, and this was the time of the Great World War!”
Craig saw a young man walking up the temple stairs whom he immediately recognized. It was Shula-tet.
“You are a scribe,” Shula-tet continued. “The first scribe in our family line who can clearly hear me. Only you can let the world know! Through you the world can gain strength and faith that this age will return. Even those who hurt you. Especially those who hurt you!”
Craig nodded enthusiastically.
“Show me,” he cried. “Show me, Shula-tet!”
“Craig Shula-ka-a, my soul-descendant! Gain strength! Choose life! This is the story of Memnon!”
“The Profound Philosophers Who Take Their History From Epic Poems Are Of Course Obliged To Make Two Memnons. This In Our Museum They Call The Younger.”
Godfrey Higgins,
Anacalypsis, 1836
CHAPTER 1: “I WOULD BE A WARRIOR”
Year 3, Third Month of Inundation, Day 10 in the reign of Shekem Ra-Mesh The Third, King of Kamit, the strong Heru, endowed with life.
Master Shu-ha sat high upon the raised platform of teaching. His legs were crossed in the traditional manner and in his lap lay three scrolls of papyrus. The candles of teaching burned brightly in their tall golden holders behind him, the flames flickering over his shoulders, the light gleaming from the sides of his brown, bald head. He lifted one scroll, scanned it briefly and addressed his students.
“Who can tell me, words exactly, where are the Kamitians are from?”
I knew the answer. I had studied ancient traditions well. It was one of my few passions in learning. I was in a foul mood though, and so kept silent.
“Come, speak up,” Master Shu-ha exhorted. “You who will be apprentice scribes on the morrow, speak up!”
Many students sat in the chamber of learning. Among the candles of enlightenment were those from as far north as Bekhten and as far south as Upper Kush. The right hands of all who would graduate on the morrow shot up, except mine. I was in a foul mood.
“Memna-un,” Master Shu-ha said. “You know the answer. Speak it! Words exactly!”
I knew he would choose me. It was like this always. I, the reluctant student and he, the determined teacher. There had been many bouts with the rod between us over the years, but I had learned.
“Yes, Master Shu-ha,” I replied. “From the writings of Hunefur: We are the Kamitians. We come from the Valley of Beginnings, near the Mountains of the Moon, where Neter Hapi dwells. We followed the waters of Hapi in the time of Ausar to partake of the gift of life and goodness, here, where Hapi touches the Great Green. We are the Kamitians, we come from Ta-Neter.”
“Very good, Memna-un,” Master Shu-ha said. “Next time, no hesitation.”
He lifted another scroll and unrolled it. Each of the many students in the chamber waited silently, eyes forward, anxious for the next question. Except me. I dipped my brush into its ink and started a drawing of Khepera, the beetle, on my palette.
Master Shu-ha looked up, gazing into the faces of his students. “Now, who can say, words exactly. Who are the sacred ancestors of the Kamitians?”
I put down the brush quickly, smiling innocently as his eyes touched mine. He squinted and looked on to the next student.
“What is their nature?” he went on. “Where do they dwell?”
The hand of Amistan, son of Bekhtan ivory traders, rose high. The
Master nodded and Amistan spoke.
“From the writings of Shekem Pepi the Second, in the land west of Ta-Neter and south of the seat of Hapi, live the sacred ancestors of the Kamitians. Here in the shadow of the Mountains of the Moon dwell the Anu, the small ones, strong of magic.”
Master Shu-ha seemed very pleased. Leaning forward with the papyrus in both hands, he congratulated the student from Bekhtan.
“You know well the traditions of the Kamitians for one so new among us. Speak on, son of the north. What else do these writings say?”
“As the first of all peoples,” Amistan continued, “The Anu dwell daily with the Neters. It is their song that drowns the wailing of Setesh, it is their dance that brings smiles to the faces of the Neteru and makes fertility from womb to tomb. No man can keep the Anu bound. No man can stay the Anu’s magic. Hail to the Anu! They dance the dance of life!”
The room suddenly exploded with clapping and enthusiastic cries. Not only did Amistan know the words exactly, but he had made good speech from his knowledge.
“Good speech, Amistan,” said Master Shu-ha. “You will do well at your post in Bekhtan.”
I did not join in the praise of Amistan. Giving him a sidelong glance, I went back to drawing my beetle. Master Shu-ha must have noticed, for an instant later his rod landed atop my palette, violently knocking it from my lap, spilling ink across the floor.
“Memna-un!” he cried. “You try my ka! Why do you not give praise to your fellow student for good speech? Why do you not pay attention in the House of Life?
The rod swished menacingly past my face as he drew it back. I no longer feared his stick, but I had gained a healthy respect for it. I knew speaking plainly would likely earn me a taste of it, but I spoke nonetheless. I was in a foul mood.
“Great Master,” I cried angrily. “He is a northerner! He comes from a land where great speech means nothing, where the love of Maat is unknown! They curse the Universal Principles in his land! It matters not how well he speaks, for soon he shall be back among them. His space should be filled by one from a Kushite land...”
Indignant cries went up from many in the room, especially the other northerners. I heard some voices of agreement, though, especially the students from Upper Kamit and Lower Kush. The murmurs grew louder and louder.
“Silence!” cried Master Shu-ha. “Be silent all of you!”
The Master paced the floor as the room grew quiet. Holding his rod behind his back, he bowed his head as he searched for the right words. Thenhe whirled around towards me.
“It is true that most northerners cause trouble, as some Kushites have been known to do also. But what makes you think that they can not know Maat?”
I spoke hesitantly, knowing that a debate with Master Shu-ha could only end with my total defeat and likely humiliation.
“But...but look at their lands. They go about like wild game...”
As I talked, Master Shu-ha picked up the last papyrus. He looked at it and nodded. He wore a knowing smile as he looked up at me.
“You know as well as I Memna-un, that all northern lands are not like that. Noble Hattie and Alashia are two examples. Here is the last lesson, Memna-un: What was the first task of Ausar when he learned to perceive Maat?
I nearly choked. I knew the answer, and it made my argument worthless. Master Shu-ha knew this also.
“Speak, Memna-un! Words exactly! “
I looked around at the other students. They were all staring. Some of the northerners smirked, but Amistan looked sympathetic. I gathered my strength and obeyed my teacher.
“The first task of Ausar was to deliver the Kamitians from the wilderness and harsh living. To teach them the ways of cultivation and the prosperity of living in Maat, great Ausar led the Kamitians down the course of Hapi to the richness of the black valley. With freedom from earthly want there came time for the progress of the spirit. Next Ausar and Great Mut Auset created the fertility rituals....”
“That is enough,” Master Shu-ha said. “You will never be a great scribe until you learn to apply the wisdom you recite. Get to your feet, student.”
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