This TED Talk features indigenous knowledge expert Chica Esianya Essobu, recorded live at TED Global 2017.

So months back, I was visiting this East African city.

And so we were stock in traffic, and this vendor suddenly approaches my window

with a half-opened alphabet sheets.

I took a quick look at the alphabet sheet, and I thought of my daughter,

how it would be nice to spread it on the floor and just play all over it with her

while getting her to learn the alphabets.

So the traffic moved a bit, and I quickly grabbed the copy, you know, and we moved on.

When I had time to fully open the alphabet sheet and take a more detailed look at it, I knew I was not going to use that to teach my daughter.

I regretted my purchase.

Why so?

Looking at the alphabet sheet reminded me of the fact that not much has changed

in the education curricula in Africa.

Some decades back, I was thought out of a similar alphabet sheet.

And because of that, I struggled for years.

I struggled to reconcile my reality with the formal education I received in school,

in the schools I attended.

I had identity crisis. I looked down on my reality.

I looked at my ancestry. I looked at my lineage with

disrespect. I had very little patience for what my life had to offer around me. Why? A is for

Apple. A is for Apple. A is for Apple. A is for Apple. A is for apple.

A is for apple.

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