An african Heritage Revival

In Joann Sanneh’s extraordinary book reflecting her life-long works, you will read citations from many outstanding authors whose books recognized the fact that ancient Egypt’s Pyramid texts not only contain Africa’s ancient wisdom as a common source of our humanity, but they also reveal the foundation of the sacred beliefs of many worldwide ancient cultures. 

For those who may wonder why a workbook about African history is necessary, the answer is simple: the combination of views of many of the authors cited within this book about Ancient Africa are quite extensive and they now have the potential to be exposed to a wider universal audience in this Information Age.

The intensity of the information concerning ancient African history within this book is so often astonishing that it needs to be read one chapter at a time, preferrable within a Sacred Continuum book club, whose members can discuss the book’s texts in addition to the contents of related videos cited within the chapters.

English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon once stated in an interesting metaphor that different books require different levels of attention and depth of reading when he wrote this now famous quote:

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be  chewed and digested.”

Sir Bacon’s quote was first published in The Essays in 1625, but we can now use a similar metaphor for Joann’s book, The Sacred Continuum: An African Legacy Reclamation, because we feel that it should not only be “chewed and digested” but it should also be “slowly savored and read one chapter at a time.”

A Suggestion for Broadening One’s Horizon’s While Reading this Book 

Since there is an abundance of new views concerning African history presented in this book, one of the best ways to read the chapters is to establish small book clubs with like-minded friends. The club members could meet in sessions to discuss the book’s chapters one at a time. This will allow the Sacred Continuum book club members to enjoy individual presentations and contribute to discussions on a variety of issues and viewpoints in a pleasant social environment. 

Readers of the book are advised to include the book’s Preface in their discussions because it contains detailed information from the author’s life-long research into Egypt’s legacy to the world. In the Preface, you will also gain valuable insights into the work of a few authors who are cited throughout the book. 

The Author’s Notes in the book’s introduction should be used as a reference while reading the book because it helps unravel the discrepancy among various authors concerning the dates of events in ancient Egyptian history, which can be challenging. We are excited to have you join us on this incredible—and what we hope will be a transformative—journey of discovery into ancient African history presented through the prism of the indelible contributions of Africa’s ancient Egyptian civilization to world history and to multiple sacred belief systems. 

Sign up now below for updates on the book launching of The Sacred Continuum: An African Legacy Reclamation. In addition, you will be informed of how to acquire the free online companion workbook after the book’s official publication. 

Maat was the principal reality for life in ancient Egypt.  When personified, this African goddess was at times envisioned as the daughter of Ra (the Self-Created One).

In ancient Egypt, Maat’s cosmic laws were immutable eternal truths that were sacred touchstones representing the moral and ethical concepts of divine law and cosmological universal order. 

In Nile Valley Classic Old Kingdom sacred text, ancient African Kings (Pharaohs) proclaimed themselves to be “True of Voice” (Maa-Kheru) – meaning they were speakers of “Truth”, men with a moral compass, and righteous upholders of the sacred and eternal cosmic universal laws of Maat.

It is quite evident that the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras was familiar with the principles of Maat’s Truths taught to him by the African Priests/Scientists in the Sacred Temples of ancient Egypt, given his visions of a state of order composed of incorruptible men.

The mystery of how Maat’s virtues would survive through millennia was known to the priests/scientists of ancient Egyptian temples as primary esoteric knowledge embedded within their teachings. The essence of this knowledge became the foundation of the Sacred Continuum taught as part of ancient Africa’s Greater Mysteries. The sacred wisdom of the Nile Valley priests/scientists was considered the divine birthright of all of humankind and was presented to the world through their texts in the essence of Maat’s cosmic sacredness. Ancient Egyptian priests/scientists considered the preservation of Maat’s virtues as the foundation of the Sacred Continuum that—through millennia—contained the essential esoteric knowledge of their teachings.

The ancient Egyptian rulers proclaimed themselves to be “True of Voice,” believing that if society’s leaders were ever to become liars, that fact alone would lead to the collapse of the entire society. Ancient Egypt was a civilization that lasted for millennia, enduring for 3,000 years, because of the actualization of the principle of Maat within the lives of everyday Egyptians. How Maat’s principles survived through the ages—becoming a driving force of stability within the Sacred Continuum and a core of many of the world’s belief systems—is a primary focus of my book. 

Joann Sanneh is a Detroit Writer, Artist, Educator, and Curator who has lived and traveled extensively abroad. During the 1980’s she lived with her family in The Gambia, West Africa. While there, she helped to establish the first museum in The Gambia. Before she left the United States for The Gambia, she assisted Mrs. Esther Edwards, sister of Berry Gordy, with the establishment of the first Motown Museum. 

While living in The Gambia, Joann also completed a series of now historic drawings entitled “Music in the Gambia,” two of which are featured below on this website. While in The Gambia she was also a mentor to many of the young Gambian artists. In addition, Joann worked for the American Embassy in The Gambia where she was the Cultural Advisor to the Ambassador and administrator of the Embassy’s United States Information Center. Joann also worked for the President’s Office of The Gambia as Interior Decorator Coordinator for the State House. She also worked with the Woman’s Bureau in The Gambia and published the Bureau’s first Woman’s magazine.

In addition, while living in The Gambia, Joann self-published a novel entitled The Ritual of Eternity: Ancient Egypt Unveiled.  In the 1970’s, after living in Ohio in the home of Colonel Charles Young, the first black Colonel in the United States Army, she wrote a book entitled Hero of the Race: The Life and Times of Colonel Charles Young. Also in the 1970s, Joann created a suite of fine art etchings featuring Colonel Charles Young’s achievements. One of those etchings seen at the end of this website is from the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), Artworks collection. In addition, she posted a special online tribute to the exemplary military career of Colonel Charles Young, where she featured Young as one of America’s Racial Equality Pioneers on her website: www.colonelcharlesyoung.com.

Joann Sanneh returned to the United States after living in The Gambia for the lion’s share of the 1980’s, where she resumed her educator career in the ‘90s. While working in Detroit’s historic Northern High School as an English Literature teacher, she was also the senior yearbook and journalism advisor. As Detroit’s Northern High School journalism advisor, Joann Sanneh was named Detroit’s Journalism Advisor of the Year by the Ford Motor Company and Detroit Press in recognition of journalistic skills and leadership in the 1996-1997 Detroit Free Press High School Journalism Program. Joann retired as an educator in 2005.

In March of 2007, Joann received a Spirit of Detroit Award from the City Council of Detroit, Michigan as a Detroit Artist and Scholar in recognition of exceptional achievement, outstanding leadership, and dedication to improving the quality of life in Detroit. In 1978, Joann received an award of excellence from the McDonald’s Corporation in recognition of excellent artwork in her “Tribute to Jazz in Detroit,” which was a permanent art exhibit displayed in one of their stores that was built on the site of Detroit’s legendary 1960s Minor Key Jazz Club.

Joann Sanneh received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wayne State University in 1966. She received both her Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts Degrees from the University of Wisconsin – Madison campus in the 1970s.