I had the pleasure of attending the 20th anniversary conference of the Mid-American Alliance for African Studies (MAAAS) this weekend with Dr. Margaret Buckner. Professors Jamaine Abidogun and Bukola Oyeniyi from the Department of History were also in attendance. This two-day conference was held at the University of Kansas and was sponsored by the Kansas African Studies Center. It drew Africanists from throughout the Midwest, from as far away as Texas, Michigan, and Indiana. MAAAS is the only organization that promotes African studies in the region and has members from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. As Applied Anthropology is interdisciplinary, I found it particularly interesting to hear presentations by a scholars from a variety of different fields.
Dr. Buckner’s presentation, “An Instance of African Modernity: Manjako Age Sets Make History,” focused on the changing Manjako age sets in Guinea Bissau. Dr. Oyeniyi presented a biography of Ade-Ajayi, a Nigerian historian, highlighting his contributions to the study of African history. Dr. Abidogun chaired a panel discussion with eight visiting scholars from the Nigeria Public Affairs Program (in collaboration with Missouri State) on “The Role of Extended Family in Faising Children with Special Needs: Implications for Community-Based Rehabilitation in Africa.” She also presented a portion of her Fulbright research entitled “Strengthening Gender Research to Improve Girls’ and Women’s Education in Nigeria.”
* Ashley Riley is a graduate student in the applied anthropology graduate program and Missouri State University