tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53768386562663871552024-03-13T00:42:58.537-04:00The UdjatDjeden Ma'at Aten-Rahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314565879460084110noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-63054760083129863572012-08-01T17:09:00.001-04:002012-08-01T17:09:20.301-04:00Daily Dispatches from Kemet<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>Historian Jabari Osaze will be posting daily descriptions of the Center for the Restoration of Ma'at's annual trip to Kemet (Egypt). He's has been leading tours of historic sites in Kemet for over a decade. Follow along to retrace the ancient footsteps of our African ancestor who gave civilization to the world.</em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUrslP8bd1k/UBfsrhheXII/AAAAAAAAAag/eHZ0H-Mb07E/s1600/egyptair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUrslP8bd1k/UBfsrhheXII/AAAAAAAAAag/eHZ0H-Mb07E/s1600/egyptair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUrslP8bd1k/UBfsrhheXII/AAAAAAAAAag/eHZ0H-Mb07E/s320/egyptair.jpg" width="320" /></a>It’s approximately 11 AM and we’ve just arrived in Cairo, Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all anxious to begin our odyssey searching for the wondrous achievements of out Kemetic (Ancient Egyptian) ancestors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, 16 people are partaking in “The Mysteries of Ancient Egypt Revealed” tour sponsored by the Center for the Restoration of Ma’at and the African Genesis Institute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s simple activities include checking in at the Le Meridian Hotel which overlooks the magnificent pyramids on the Giza Plateau and a dinner cruise on the Nile River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
It’s fair to say that our 10 hour flight has left us in need of a good night sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, each and every person on our trip has also expressed excitement over tomorrow’s visit to see the Great Pyramid (pyramids called mr or mrkhut by the Ancient Egyptians).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Viewing the monument from the hotel with their own eyes has only left them with more questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even our travelers with mobility issues are considering descending the narrow long passage into the burial chamber of the third mrkhut on the plateau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-z56cIGlE4/UBftfMAFeuI/AAAAAAAAAao/YzkdJPigem4/s1600/Giza+Plateau+Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-z56cIGlE4/UBftfMAFeuI/AAAAAAAAAao/YzkdJPigem4/s1600/Giza+Plateau+Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-z56cIGlE4/UBftfMAFeuI/AAAAAAAAAao/YzkdJPigem4/s320/Giza+Plateau+Large.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is my tenth year of leading tours to Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am quite concerned about reports of the looting of sites all throughout Egypt. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The revolutionary actions in Egypt over the course of the last year and a half have also allowed opportunist to both desecrate and steal ancient items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Archaeological sites all over Egypt have reported looting and even artifacts like the bodies of King Tutankhamen’s grand-parents have been desecrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder whether I’ll be able to receive more information on how extensive this problem is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As groups of people of African descent like ours are continuing to visit important sites on the African continent to look for our ancient footsteps, I can only hope that these sites will remain intact until we’ve become powerful enough to assert the importance of our homeland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These issues have left my head spinning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s enough for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow I’ll recount our tour of the magnificent mrkhuti (pyramids) on the Giza plateau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</span>Djeden Ma'at Aten-Rahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314565879460084110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-69155423401466436712012-02-29T01:22:00.008-05:002012-02-29T02:07:45.982-05:00UNCONDITIONAL: Multi-Media Art Exhibit & Performance Showcase<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9PG9UAfiTaM/T03Mw_9kdOI/AAAAAAAAAB0/-EhOUO8hOWA/s1600/Unconditional.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 315px; height: 424px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9PG9UAfiTaM/T03Mw_9kdOI/AAAAAAAAAB0/-EhOUO8hOWA/s400/Unconditional.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714448644378490082" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Uniting with our creative essence is the Key to our Holistic Restoration as individuals and as a Global Community. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /><br />Inundated with stereotypical, gender-degrading and culturally warped images and<br />perspectives on networks such as BET, the internet, movies, journalism, institutions,<br />etc…the intent of grassroots organizations Savaé inc and FreeLaavéSól’s is to<br />magnify the ingenious creativity of richly pigmented persons of the Diaspora.<br />"UNCONDITIONAL: An Art Exhibit and Performance Showcase, March 10th, 2012, will highlight the extraordinarily multidimensional artists as they artistically delve into what they know are the true fibers of the dynamic tapestry of Black Love—how Black Love is expressed for ourselves, our families and significant others, our legendary history, our domestic and global community.<br /></span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">"Unconditional" is inspired by the numerous requests for a display of images that exemplify positive and romantic reflections of Black Love. The selected artists will showcase their diverse styles through images that depict the true essence of LOVE and how it strengthens our understanding of acceptance, commitment and community. The images will represent how love binds and unifies us...Black Love is often misrepresented in mainstream media. We want to highlight the beauty of nurturing and loving relationships, while exploring the complexities of Black Love in today’s society. The ultimate goal of the Unconditional Exhibit is to create a space for and encourage dialogue about the importance of cultivating positive reflections of Black Love." -Savaé Inc</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Black Love headlining the discussion opens the floodgates wherein founders Petula Payne and Fatima Friday delve into the at times unspoken and hidden aspects of Black Love in order to , deconstruct, decipher and synthesize the means for fortifying ourselves such that we can consequently lay the foundation for a healthy, vivacious and optimal future. The legacy of the ones who preceded us must be redeemed and honored.<br /><br />This event entails what we Africans shall return to (Sankofa) in order to move forward and to ultimately ascend. The exhibit will navigate the roots of Black love as it is expressed from the perspectives of sculptors, fine artists, photographers, musicians, dancers and choreographers, spoken word artists, and vocalists. The pertinent cultivation of a dialogue between artists and the community accentuates the critical nature of Savaé inc and FreeLaavéSól’s desire to forge an artistically and intellectually-centered community that will continue to support one another in upbuilding of supportive collaborative-based artistic and healing-oriented endeavors.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />The energetic vibration of African drums is just one magnificent element that<br />the Black Love Art Exhibit and Performance Show case will masterfully engage and<br />revitalize everyone with.<br /><br />This multifaceted event will remind us of the reality that each of us are literally the stewards of our own destiny. Creativity--the thought, act and purposeful manifestation--has the power to foster a clairvoyant sense of perpetual optimism. Optimistically envisioning our lives--at each present moment and what we foresee in our futures, drastically improves how we see our lives-- both as individuals and as a global collective.<br /><br />Creativity offers the energy burst of faith wherein what we THINK we can attain becomes less of a figment of our imaginations and an actual holograph of our Divine Expression. That Omnipotent expression we each possess is love. Love is UNCONDITIONAL for it resurrects the sacred essence of our legacy...the legacy of our ancestors. </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Venue: Saturday March 10th, 2012, 6:30-9:00 pm. Free Candy 905 Atlantic Ave 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, NY 11238</span><br /></span>Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-30560279922207169242011-11-02T14:44:00.002-04:002011-11-02T14:46:27.179-04:00The Wise Sage Amenemope<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">Throughout my life experience, Divine clairvoyance has activated my spiritual molecules in that, I have an infinitely deep understanding of the dynamic variables that constitute this present day/time and each precious moment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Essentially, I am finally beginning to understand that though many may like to<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>reiterate that the language, culture, tradition, and other facets of African persons, have been stripped, stolen, warped, diminished, etc, that no one and nothing can eradicate attributes of the soul that are intrinsically Divine and immortal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thus, asking for guidance to tune in to the true intent upon reading the translations of ancient texts—both that of the Instructions of Amenemope and Biblical Proverbs—will unlock that Divine meaning and convey not what one wishes to hear, nor that of autosuggestion, but maakheru (true of voice)…the voice of the Supreme, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient Creator.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Therefore, it is also not surprising nor ironic to realize that Maakheru is one of the foremost mentions Baba Amenemope references in his instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Lastly, in this comparative analysis of two pertinent texts, Amenemope written during the Rammeside Era 1300-1075 BC and Biblical Proverbs written 931 BC which asserts that Proverbs was written after The Instructions of Amenemope, I will juxtapose content from both texts and offer commentary to stimulate further exploration and discussion into the meanings of these wisdom teachings.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">In the Introductory phrases of the Instructions of Amenemope, wisdom says “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Hoermmaakheru is his true name</i></b>.” </span>Proverbs “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">1:1. The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel…1:2. To know wisdom, and instruction</i></b>”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Implication of Solomon as the wisest and maakheru—true of voice Hoerm where Heru or Horus is derived even Horem from Horemakhet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Instructions of Amenemope: “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">The beginning of the instruction about life…The guide for well-being…All the principles of official procedure</span></i></b><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When once the pricinciples are grasped, i.e. the principles of ma’at, the doctrine to live accordingly is but a consequent manifestation, is related to “ Proverbs </span>1:3. To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity”</p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">Baba Amenemope “<span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">To know how to refute the accusation of one who made it… And to send back a reply to the one who wrote”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>addressing the origin of the malaise, deviation and the proliferation thereof <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>in order to ascend from regressing in infantile states of retaliation, eye for an eye, egoistical approaches of reacting to resolve situations of wrongdoing… Related to </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">“Proverbs 1:4. To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.” As stated in the instructions of Amenemope, to “reply to the one who wrote” the “accusation” is to address his lack of understanding, your wisdom offers poise, compassion and humility in the way in which you address the matter of another’s deviation as it states in Proverbs “1:5. A wise man shall hear, and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth shall possess governments.” Possessing governments imply law and order, balance, reflecting back to the priciples subtly asserted in the Instructions of Amenemope<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“<span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">To set one straight on the paths of life…And make him prosper on earth…To let his heart settle down in its chapel.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A “steer” is really a seer in that the instructions of Amenemope, “As one who steers him clear of evil…To save him from the talk of others…As one who is respected in the speech of men” and Proverbs “</span>1:6. “He shall understand a parable and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings” essentially says that the wise advisement of the seer, the intuitively sound mind of the guide teaches the aspirant, inundated by the external/environment vices around him, to harmonize with the vibration of Righteous action, to know real from unreal, right from wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This behavior, practiced first in thought, cannot be refuted by the observance of others because the authenticity of truth is perceived by action and not superficial postures and projections.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="Book Antiqua","serif""></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif""> </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">The author of Proverbs made a very grave misstep in the interpretation of Amenemope’s instructions, misconstruing for their own benefit to dominate and control the people with fear, inciting them to pursue acts of revenge and mockery, taking it upon themselves with arrogant and incompassioned acts of judgment when as Amenempome says, that we should leave our criticisms behind and surrender to the Divine conveyence of the the Most High when he stated<br />“1:7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Amenemope actually states: <span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">“If you spend your life with these things in your heart…Your children shall behold them.” Whether your heart is as light as the feather of Ma’at or your heart is bogged down with sentiments of resentment, wrath, infuriation, etc because of the wrongdoings of others, that energy will manifest itself in the reproductive structures of our parents, the womb and almost certainly express itself as an aspect of that offspring.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That offspring, with the intuitive guidance of Divinity must then heed the instructions and practices of Wisdom, “Sharpen her/his eyes and tune her/his ears so that she/he will know what they see and understand what they hear”—as stated by scholars such as Chike Akua, Anthony Browder and Jabari Osaze.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span>This Very one prolific statement in The Instructions of Amenemope clearly defines the nature of the African mind versus that of the European mind.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To twist information such that the message conforms to egoistical principlse is far from what Amenemope and other wise counselors have ascertained.</p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Before Proverbs asserts “1:33. But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils” which is very similar to the most recent quote included from Amenemope’s instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This immense difference must be addressed because it sets the tone, since these differences appear at the very introduction of each book.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Several verses in Proverbs institute underlying gestures of a Supreme Deity that expresses such intense disappointment in the unrighteous, God purports his disapproval with the following statements: “ 1:24<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">. Because <u>I called, and you refused</u>: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded…1:25. You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions….1:26<u>. I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared</u>…1:27. When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: <u>when tribulation and distress shall come upon you</u>:…1:28. <u>Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning, and shall not find me</u>…1:29. <u>Because</u> they have hated instruction, and <u>received not the fear of the Lord</u>…1:30. Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof….</i></b></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">These statements in Proverbs is quite appalling because say he, the messenger of the Lord, these quotes are akin to that of a spoiled child engaged fervently in a tantrum because she/he has not gotten their way.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Instructions of Amenemope advises that when the Righteous teacheth and speaketh, she/he need not await a favorable outcome from the aspirant because, even in the teachings of Martial Arts—the ways of the Warrior/Spiritual Initiate, temperance is the art of detaching from those things that create tumultuous bouts of fluctuations in the heart and Spirit of Seekers of the Way.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ayi Kwei Armah, the pre-eminent author of Two Thousand Seasons, The Healers and others has also attributed attributes of the wise as those who neutralize the enticing antics of impulsivity, haughtiness, thirst-quenching endeavors of the ego, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So, though Proverbs speak of beholding sentiments of fear of, to and for the Most High God, Proverbs speak of honoring the principles of Righteousness, of Ma’at—the feminine principle who sailed within the Solar Boat of Ra as Ptah created the Neteru…the principle of Truth, Righteousness, Reciprocity, Balance, Harmony, Order, and Justice. Thus, this aforementioned dis-similarity between Proverbs and The Instructions of Amenemope is obvious in Chapter 4 Amenemope’s advocacy that “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><u><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">the truly temperate man sets himself apart…He is like a tree grown in a sunlit field</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">…But it flourishes, it doubles its yield…It stands before its owner…Its fruit is…something sweet, its shade is pleasant…And it reaches its end as a statue</span></i></b><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">.” Whereas, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><u>The hot-headed man in the temple… Is like a tree grown indoors</u>…Only for a moment does it put forth roots… It reaches its end in the carpentry shop…<u>It is floated…away far from its place…Or fire is its funeral pyre</u>.</i></b>”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">Proverbs also states “ </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">1:31. <u>Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices</u>….1:32. The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” </i></b>While the true wisdom of Amenemope’s Instructions actually warns us that “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">The evildoer, throw him <in> the canal… And he will bring back its slime.</in></span></i></b><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sadly, the Proverbian translators were so sequestered with feelings of ‘let me show them what will happen if…’ that they missed one of the most vital insights of Amenemopes’s instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That, one cannot extract goodness from evil if one is so adamantly fixated on constantly magnifying, criticizing, and punishing those befallen with the desire to gratify their animalistic indulgences.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sadly enough, this Biblical interpretation is not only symbolically implemented in our contemporary ‘courts of justice’,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>the notion of punishment versus that of rehabilitation for those who have committed some of the most agregious crimes, (perdition, purgatory) are sentenced to imprisonment and further immersed into lethal acts of violence.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So, the question is, is a person, upon their release back into society from serving time, better or exponentially worse than before they were locked up?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well, the statistics most certainly reports that many times, criminals of this society and system tend to be second third and even fourth degree offenders—each time, the heinousness of the crime increases.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Is that what Amenemope<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>advised that we refrain from…is that what Biblical Proverbs advise that we entertain?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In which society do inhabitants exist in non-calimitous versus hellish conditions—African or European societies? </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">Furthermore, chapter 2 of Amenemope’s Instructions states:” <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Lift him up, give him your hand…And leave him <in> the hands of god…Fill his gut with your own food…That he may be sated and ashamed…Something else of value in the heart of God… Is to stop and think before speaking.” </in></i></b>Which progresses as these teachings are found in the context of other wise practitioners who have stated “Give yourself to the one most high and keep thyself for the Divine.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is quite obvious that Amenemope does not have to insinuate that the righteous attune their thoughts and behaviors to the thoughts and behaviors of the Supreme, Omnicient Creator.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Which is to shortly conclude that as Highly Pigmented Melinated People whose pinenal glands are not calcified, our Udjats (Third Eye) is Clairvoyant, so much so, that we know that the Defining characteristic of Wisdom and the wise is knowledge and understanding that s/he who is great, the Divine, pervades as the subatomic structure of all things and thus beholds the mechanism, though seemingly unfathomable, to correct the missteps and deviation of all entities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hence, why in Chapter 3 Anemope further constitutes righteousness and Divinity as the capability to refrain from these behaviors: “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Do not get into a quarrel with the argumentative man…Nor incite him with words…Proceed cautiously before an opponent…<u>And give way to an adversary</u>…Sleep on it before speaking…For a storm come forth like fire in hay is…The hot-headed man in his appointed time…May you be restrained before him…Leave him to himself…<u>And God will know how to answer him</u>.” </i></b></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);"><span style="Book Antiqua","serif"">Baba Amenenope also states is chapter 6:</span> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“Desire, then, to make yourself prosper…And take care for the Lord of All…<u>Do not trample on the furrow of someone else…Their good order will be profitable for you.</u>”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Gluttony, crabs in a barrel, higher leverage of CEO’s with billion dollar bonuses while ‘minute’ workers are defamed with the loss of their employment, employability, and worst, their violation of their promissory notes—their pensions…<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These entities have not “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Take care not to topple over the boundary marks of the arable land…Not fearing that you will be brought to court…Man propitiates God by the might of the Lord…When he sets straight the boundaries of the arable land</i></b>”</p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Chapter 7: “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Do not set your heart upon seeking riches…For there is no one who can ignore Destiny and Fortune…Do not set your thoughts on external matters…For every man there is his appointed time.”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Strenuous straining of the mine for attainment—whether that attainment is perceived in the form of material wealth or spiritual refinement.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This prophetic passage communicates the cunning impact of extremism on either side of the spectrum.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Such that, hyperstimulation can reverse the process of enlightenment and lead one into the chambers of fanaticism, while complete indulgence in extroversion can also create fanatical deviants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thus, in chapter 6: “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Better is bread when the mind is at ease…Than riches with anxiety” and in chapter 7: “Do not exert yourself to seek out excess…And your wealth will prosper for you</i></b>.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-57095634383401820812011-10-09T19:58:00.003-04:002011-10-18T13:18:43.710-04:00Closure of The Slave Theatre is NOT an Option<style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span">The Slave Theatre is more than a building with a base and four walls; this preeminent institution, founded by the Honorable Judge John L. Phillips, aka “The Kung-fu Judge,” is an iconic representation, historically spearheaded by culturally-conscious, community and family-oriented persons of the African Diaspora.<span> </span>In the late 1980s early 1990s, organizers of the Slave Theatre strategically fostered dynamically relevant programs, symposiums, lectures, events, and forums, to name a few.<span> </span>The artistic and intellectual versatility Judge Phillips offered with this imperative space, generated positively progressive influences within the predominantly Afro-Caribbean communities in Brooklyn, New York. <span> </span><span> </span>These individuals became so profusely versed with knowledge of their African Origins, their activism spanned not just the boroughs; they became global visionaries—traveling to Africa (Egypt and Ghana) with Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannan and other renowned scholars.<span> </span>Like scholastic leaders Dr. Ben, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Ali & Helen Salahuddein—co-founders of the D’zertclub: African Genesis Institute—Judge Phillips had the intuitive foresight that charged him to create a space he knew and African persons knew was critical then as it is even more so today for the empowerment, purification, healing, and holistic collaboration of persons of African Descent.<span> </span>It is the thorough reflection of his clarity, his vision, his mission, his extraordinary execution and the immensely constructive impact his creativity has had within NYC, that ignites the fervor to do everything possible to resurrect life back into the Slave Theatre.<span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Middle and High School Educator and Entrepreneur Sandra John nostalgically remembers the event held at the Slave Theatre after the Release of Nelson Mandela.<span style=""> </span>“The Slave Theatre was an extremely effective establishment because it instilled a sense of pride, a knowingness of who you are.<span style=""> </span>You felt connected to your people.<span style=""> </span>During that time, there were a lot more interactions in the streets.<span style=""> </span>People made eye contact and stopped to have conversations about how to make our communities better, our children, various services like counseling and legal aid.<span style=""> </span>I felt like I had a true extended family because my family and I along with other families, grandparents, attended events at the theatre at least twice a week and even during the weekends.<span style=""> </span>I remember the internal environment of the theatre; the life force energy was powerful because the images and writings reflected so many aspects of African people.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Like Sandra John, young people and adults alike are crying out for a platform, a place of refuge, where communal efforts can arise again.<span style=""> </span>As of now, on Tuesday evenings, West African Dance Classes are taught by professional Dancer, Lycist and Educator Empress Idama on a contribution-based system; on Thursday evenings, film screenings and discussions are held and on Sundays, a Rastafari Upliftment concession is held.<span style=""> </span>How will the resuscitation of The Slave Theatre further aid and benefit the development of African-American, Caribbean and Latino communities?<span style=""> </span>Besides the exponential growth and evolvement of the programs currently hosted at the theatre, young people will play a consciously active role in combating the stereotypes and functions of systems and persons who terrorize and subjugate them to falter into criminal behaviors.<span style=""> </span>Their artistic gifts will be nurtured and scaffolded by adult educators and leaders of various fields—both artistically and academically.<span style=""> </span>Young people will receive training in music, martial arts, African history, science and mathematics to name a few.<span style=""> </span>The expertise and guidance of aware adults who know that cultivating a youth’s identity determines that youth’s self-esteem and consequent contributions to their education, their families, community and our global schema, further highlights why The Slave Theatre needs to be revamped and why <b style=""><i style="">its Closure or change of Guardianship is NOT an Option</i></b>! </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Though sparingly beneficial, the Media has done a grave injustice and disservice to young people of African Descent.<span style=""> </span>Too often, young people of African Descent are subliminally affected by information that degrades them.<span style=""> </span>If they are not viewed as pursuing activities lined with criminal intent, they are purposefully displayed as ignorant and unlearned, disrespectful to their parents and friends, etc.<span style=""> </span>Essentially, they are rarely depicted as entities of value like their White, Asian, and Latino counterparts.<span style=""> </span>Individuals of different ethnic groups represent identities that are complete because of the vast array of depictions viewed within the media…and they tend to stand second to none whenever their skill—intellectually or otherwise—is magnified.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span">The Slave Theatre, as a functional unit, will train young people and adults alike to utilize technology to show their intrinsic gifts in a light that, instead of denigrating themselves, their family, culture, history, and ancestors, resonates in the light and magnetism of their true character—powerful and bright.<span style=""> </span>These true aspects showing them in multifaceted lights, will eventually eradicate the false stereotypes that have fueled the behaviors—low performance in schools, violence, imprisonment, etc. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span>To </span><b><u>support</u></b><span> the revitalization of The Slave Theatre, call 718.669.9992 or 347.465.0926 and come to the </span><b><i style="">“Redeem-Restore-Reclaim”</i></b><span> celebration on October 22</span><sup>nd</sup><span>, 2011 with a $10 donation—enjoy Vegan food, partake in an exciting raffle drawing and prepare for several dynamite performances.</span><span> </span><span>Start time 7 pm.</span><span> </span><span>Closure of The Slave Theatre is NOT an option.</span></span><span style=""> </span></p>Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-65719212287880290512011-05-17T22:22:00.013-04:002011-05-18T11:28:12.741-04:00The Sacred Essence of Wombmen Part I<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AscnE32ls0k/TdMvhCNgqiI/AAAAAAAAABA/szv_wxZ5gJA/s1600/Lady_Peseshet"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 204px; height: 238px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AscnE32ls0k/TdMvhCNgqiI/AAAAAAAAABA/szv_wxZ5gJA/s320/Lady_Peseshet" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607878205582125602" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:Constantia;font-size:130%;" >The arts…what a powerful concept to ponder.<span style=""> </span>Dance…music…sculptures…architecture…science—yes… science.<span style=""> </span>Our ancestors’ keen, vast and ingenious mastery of the sciences</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:Constantia;font-size:130%;" >—metaphysics, astrology, mathematics, to name a few—from Imhotep to Lady Peseshet… Dr. Ben Carson to Ma’a Bowman, illumine and magnify one very pronounced truth.<span style=""> </span>We, African peoples, have an intrinsic propensity--from our spiritually formatted genetic legacy-- to hear, know and innerstand the multifaceted ways in which art expresses elements of our Divine Legacy.<span style=""> </span>In spite of systems created to disenfranchise, dehumanize and annihilate us, the spirit of our proclivity to traverse ALL challenges, is persistent and pervasive through our art.<span style=""> </span>We are the very breadth of our ancestors’ mastery, for their paramount intent functions as the core of our ingenuity as artists.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br /><br />We are all artists.<span style=""> </span>The question however is, what inspires you to create?<span style=""> </span>What catalyzes and</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > propels you to study, research, question, and acquire information?<span style=""> </span>What is the gravitational substance you, the artist, possess, that enables you to exemplify an aptitude of artistic creativity?<span style=""> </span>How does that artistic manifestation grandiosely resonate within the hearts, minds and spirits of all persons inhabiting this fertile, viable, enriching and nourishing earth?<span style=""> </span><br /><br />African persons throughout the world are like planets that give birth to immeasurable galaxies of viable procreating entities of light. In this lyrical collage, I am paying tribute to the womb—the loving, healing, birthing, homeostatic womb of African women artists—their challenges, their art, but more importantly, the wisdom embedded in their journeys…the wisdom within their cardiac rhythm, the wisdom of the spirit molecules of oxygenation that fuel their cerebral hemispheres, the sage-like wisdom that stimulates the pineal gland that clairvoyantly taps into their ancestral spheres…motivating them to persevere.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GkWrmrWtoPE/TdMvszcVLCI/AAAAAAAAABI/hN9YpA_lKss/s1600/Ruby_Dee"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 228px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GkWrmrWtoPE/TdMvszcVLCI/AAAAAAAAABI/hN9YpA_lKss/s320/Ruby_Dee" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607878407776185378" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style=""> </span><br />African women artists—Tamara Tunie, Ntozake Shange, Dr. Glory Van Scott, Carol Maillard, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, and the legendary Ruby Dee, are multifaceted artists with a collective purpose.<span style=""> </span>The sacred essence of their divine wombman-hood has led them up the path as artists whose mission has been to restore the true identities of African women.<span style=""> </span>Their voice, their presence in the global media, their fervor to exterminate stereotypes, has served as an ensemble that strive to keep us connected to our roots.<span style=""> </span>The activism entrenched in their artistic contributions, continues to perpetuate the fortitude of our ancestral legacy.<span style=""> </span>As a wombman of African origin, seeing representations of and studying the art of women who exude the sacred essence of my ancestral mothers, has nurtured, protected, and heightened my sense of self…my identity as a proud yet humble, brilliant and pioneering wombman.<span style=""> </span>They redeemed, resurrected and revolutionized African beauty, African Dance, African thought,<span style=""> </span>African literature, African values and principles through their creative arts.<span style=""> </span></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style=""> </span>In spite of the multitude of obstacles these phenomenal women have endured and continue to surpass, they are steadfast as uncompromising vessels of transformation and ascension—using their art to reinforce that we should never forget the greatness of who we are and from whom and where we came.<span style=""> </span></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style=""> </span><br /><br />In this intimate space at the Riverside Theatre in Harlem, the energy of this historic moment created a fusion of levitation beneath the soles of my feet as each sister artist expressed the relationship they shared with each powerful art form they have mastered.<span style=""> </span>Fortunately, despite several prejudices, their resilience and undeniable artistic power has successfully been exposed in mainstream media.<span style=""> </span>Legendary artist—actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist--Ruby Dee passionately and emphatically shared with us, as she does with such great poise, why art is the key to our liberation.<span style=""> </span>She emphatically stated, “is there any greater power than it is to BE? We have something we don’t quite yet know how to use—we come from that ultimate power!<span style=""> </span>Demons came in, subverted our attention—we forgot who we were—that we are somebody.”<span style=""> </span>Divine.<span style=""> </span>“The power is in each of us.<span style=""> </span>We started feeling our greatness instead of knowing WHY we were!<span style=""> </span>We are the stabilizers of the nation;” we are here “to balance” the scales from unrighteousness to righteousness.<span style=""> </span>Enthralling are mama Ruby Dee’s words because this wombman has lived through so many generations as an African in America where she, like we, have been subjugated by the “Demons” of masterful deviation.<span style=""> </span>Nevertheless, how can I resoundingly put forth the beaming radiance and joy my heart feels knowing our propensity to withstand so much grief, strife, insanity, disruption, corruption, demolition and still create the most brilliant, the most magnificent and astonishing art forms to grace existence?</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style=""> </span><br /><br />Ntozake Shange, playwright, poet, author of the renowned Choreopoem <i style="">For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf</i> explains that “struggle itself is the fulcrum of art—what you have to write about…” Sister Ntozake’s sentiments ring and reverberate out of the primordial waters of Nu because writing has been and will forever be my saving grace…from despondency, neurological dysfunctions, physiological diseases, the faith of Spirit to supersede the visage of a world of disillusionment.<span style=""> </span>Writing is the tool I use to communicate with my higher self.<span style=""> </span>The initial frenetic, neurotic, and exasperating symptoms I experience from discomfort, angst, and past traumas, transform my being into a state of stillness—I am able to deeply process my emotions, their origin, the stimuli, and profoundly resolve any crisis through my writing and deeply spiritual communion with the spirit world.<span style=""> </span>Writing is also expansive; I get to dive in to the most imaginative recesses of the universe within my mind.<span style=""> </span>It’s the due process that we all should, in one aspect or another, partake in.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />Ma’at’s symbol is a balance scale.<span style=""> </span>Whenever your equilibrium is out of order, you must consider utilizing a process that is effective and builds efficiency in order to deflect the potential for reacting in the same counterintuitive mannerisms to future situations—mannerisms that hinder and alter your progression to heightened spiritual ascension.<span style=""> </span>This mastery exemplifies the artist.<span style=""> </span>As sister Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, founder, artistic director, dancer and choreographer of Urban Bush Women, stated, “ when you fall down, you get up, <b style=""><i style="">learn</i></b> how to fall, <b style=""><i style="">how</i></b> to recover, and keep connected to the thing that’s driving you.<span style=""> </span><b style="">Focus</b> on your work; don’t get bitter or stuck ‘cause [your] creativity will [go] down…<b style="">LISTEN</b>…and keep going forward.”<span style=""> </span>Sister Ntozake Shange further stated, “Don’t let yourself scare yourself…don’t be afraid to [express] the ugly” because you “fear what [you] have revealed about [yourself].<span style=""> </span>Be aware…you have power over fear.”<span style=""> </span>You are in “control.”<span style=""> </span></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style=""> </span>Finally, Dr. Glory Van Scott—producer, dancer, performer, educator and civic activist—fervently explicated, “Whatever I’m doing, I can face it!<span style=""> </span><b style=""><i style="">Work</i></b> on it.<span style=""> </span>Make perfection by your work” for “when you <b style=""><i style="">sit and become quiet within</i></b>” yourself “ <b style="">answers come</b>.<span style=""> </span>It’s all about the <b style="">BREATH</b> and standing your ground.”<span style=""> </span>We must stand our ground and “keep courage high, our faith strong because the Most High “<b style="">dwells within us <i style="">AS US</i>”</b> echoed Carol Maillard—Actress, Singer, Songwriter of Sweet Honey in the Rock.<span style=""> </span></span> <span style="font-family:Constantia;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >Sitting in that audience, a powerful mystical force charged through the air and into me.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >I felt like the words of each of those prominent women were slingshots of Ra’s particles directly into the souls of every person in attendance.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >We need to be reminded to remember…to remember who we are from who we were because only then will we truly be able to move forward.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >As actress, Tamara Tunie stated, when you are “creating and bringing to a revelation” different aspects of your art which is <b style=""><i style="">your SELF</i></b>… “it never gets stale.”</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >When you are willing to “step out of your comfort zone” you will finally acknowledge…we, African peoples, are the finest art—our humility, compassion, formidability, wisdom…our Ma’atian ways… are the highest expressions of innovative, artistic invention.</span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span> <style>@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }@font-face { font-family: "Constantia"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Constantia;"><span style=""> </span></span></p>Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-88999647519944762332011-04-07T00:13:00.011-04:002011-04-07T10:56:57.560-04:00LIGHT SKIN VERSUS DARK SKIN: THE SELF HATRED MECHANISM IN BLACK PEOPLE<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEJJ7GsW5Ls/TZ08phQ975I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/_Gl_h2d60Gg/s1600/dark-skin-light-skin-pic_edited-321.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEJJ7GsW5Ls/TZ08phQ975I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/_Gl_h2d60Gg/s200/dark-skin-light-skin-pic_edited-321.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592692996265865106" border="0" /></a>On Saturday, April 2nd, a Worldstar Hip-hop video was posted to YouTube featuring a series of 14 consecutive short interviews of high school students voicing their opinions on light and dark skinned black people. The nature of many of the comments articulated was quite disturbing to hear. While some of the students had more neutral or enlightened statements to share, the opposing negative remarks expressed a level of self hatred which has become endemic among black people in many parts of the world. The voracity with which the students expressed their views of black people of different pigmentation is testament to the damage that has been done to the collective group historically. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">The video begins with a young girl of dark complexion explaining that “Even though, I’m dark skin, I’m not black. I’m Dominican and Cape Verdian.” She goes on to describe black people as “very ignorant people” also stating “I would never date a black boy. I would never have a black girlfriend, because they have that bad hair, both of them.” However, despite these comments among other denigrating and stereotypical remarks, she states she is not being racist. This is disturbing, especially since it is coming from the mouth of someone who looks like a Mini Me version of rapper Foxy Brown and former actress Maia Campbell. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gusxk-GbbNk/TZ07WzgoE6I/AAAAAAAAAPo/d2sfgWwX8P8/s1600/cape-verde-location.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 179px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gusxk-GbbNk/TZ07WzgoE6I/AAAAAAAAAPo/d2sfgWwX8P8/s200/cape-verde-location.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592691575234237346" border="0" /></a>For this young lady to deny her African ancestry because she is Dominican and Cape Verdian is erroneous. From 1455 to 1975 Cape Verde was a colony of Portugal. In an article on Cape Verdeans, the “Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia” says the following, “The Portuguese based their slave-trading economy on these islands in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Slaves worked on Cape Verdean sugar plantations, and they did general labor and household work. It was common for slave owners to have children with their servants. That is largely how today's native Crioulo (Creole) population evolved.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8CqNnJaycO4/TZ07vydrhmI/AAAAAAAAAP4/fAgzh7XlsaY/s1600/Golden%2BAge%2Bof%2Bthe%2BMoor%2BBook.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8CqNnJaycO4/TZ07vydrhmI/AAAAAAAAAP4/fAgzh7XlsaY/s200/Golden%2BAge%2Bof%2Bthe%2BMoor%2BBook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592692004450174562" border="0" /></a>It is also a historical fact that Africans and Arabs, referred to as moors conquered and ruled over Portugal, Spain, portions of France and Italy for approximately 700 years. During this time they intermarried with Europeans creating a very racially mixed population in those regions of the continent. Many individuals from that southern area of Europe have African ancestry which is depicted in the coat of arms of their families. Ivan Sertima’s “Golden Age of the Moor” and J.A. Rogers’ “Nature Knows No Color Line” are works which discuss in detail the African ancestry of Europeans in that area of the world. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Based on the facts above, this young woman’s lineage indisputably traces back to Africa, for even the Spanish who controlled the island of Hispaniola during colonial times mated and had children with the indigenous natives and African slaves under their domination. And as explained above, even the Spanish had African ancestry. It is thus saddening to see someone who exhibits the physical characteristics of black people deny her heritage. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">One catalyst of this situation is the character defamation to which African people have been subjected. The culture of Africans has been demonized to the world as well as Africans themselves. In addition to that psychological blow, their countless historical accomplishments and advancements have been ignored, suppressed and stolen by others. This ultimately creates within black people a negative perception of themselves and others in their group to the point where they evaluate standards of beauty based on the lightness or darkness of skin tone. For instance, in the third interview of the video a young dark skinned boy says, “When you see a dark skinned girl you think crusty. When you see a light skinned girl you think, Oh my God she’s beautiful.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jSolfraKdNM/TZ08Jw6SzKI/AAAAAAAAAQI/fRbb6TjmXL8/s1600/Tom-Burrell-Brainwashed-Cover.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jSolfraKdNM/TZ08Jw6SzKI/AAAAAAAAAQI/fRbb6TjmXL8/s320/Tom-Burrell-Brainwashed-Cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592692450709916834" border="0" /></a>Such statements are shocking and appalling. This color issue which is common in many black communities is historical residue from years of slavery and colonialism. Marketing guru Tom Burrell discusses this historical circumstance and the roll the media has played in perpetuating the problem in his monumental book, “Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority.” In a chapter titled “Uglified” he presents information about the conditions during slavery which reinforced the color prejudice among blacks such as “Division among slaves was aggravated by the privileges some slave masters awarded to their light-skinned offspring.” He presents the long lasting effects of such treatment with the 1954 black doll white doll experiment of Drs. Kenneth and Mami Clark which was duplicated in 2005 by Kiri Davis yielding the same results of black children choosing a white doll over a black doll. He further explains how media such as rap lyrics and videos exacerbate the color bias and friction among black people.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">It is obvious that the children making the disparaging remarks about other blacks in the WorldStar Hip-Hop video suffer from the ills presented by Mr. Burrell’s book. However, to correct such self destructive behavior, at the end of each chapter Burrell does offer solutions to each problem he presents. In addition to his suggestions, a careful study of the true history of African people all over the world must be conducted. Numerous Africancentered scholars will testify to the redemptive powers of learning one’s true history. These children need to be educated about the glories of Ethiopia, Nubia, Kemet, Monomotapa, Songhai, the Moors and others, as well as learning about the high value placed on blackness of all shades in the world pre-slavery. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqwHztEmshw/TZ09N3eQLYI/AAAAAAAAAQY/BqD2bGKtm8U/s1600/Journey%2Bof%2Bthe%2BSonghai%2BPeople.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqwHztEmshw/TZ09N3eQLYI/AAAAAAAAAQY/BqD2bGKtm8U/s200/Journey%2Bof%2Bthe%2BSonghai%2BPeople.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592693620702457218" border="0" /></a>"Session 3" of “Journey of the Songhai People” state the following: It was not until our degradation in America that our color was a badge of degradation. Down through the ages our color was a badge of triumph. Over twenty-five hundred years ago, Herodotus, the Father of Western History remarked in his chronicles regarding his visit to cities in Africa that those people had skin the glorious colors of the setting sun and that “truly the very gods must have made their homes among the Africans.”” </p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">It isn’t difficult to recognize that if African children such as the ones in the video knew the information above their behavior would be different. Resolving this color issue is of great importance due to the need to facilitate unity among black people. It is disunity which mainly prevents African people from advancing in the world. And it was partly disunity which placed them in the deplorable situation they currently occupy. However, without knowing their history they will not be able to know what is necessary to facilitate unity for any type of social, political and economic progression. An African proverb accurately states “"If you do not know that you are lost you will not seek a way home" and former Botswana president Seretse Khama says, “"A nation without a past is a lost nation, and a people without a past is a people without a soul." Thank you for reading.</p>Sources:<br />THIS IS SAD/Lightskinned Vs Dark Skinned: <a href="http://youtu.be/JwG5y7OY8Mw">http://youtu.be/JwG5y7OY8Mw<br /></a><br />Burrell, Tom, “Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority,” SmileyBooks, 2010<br /><br />Robinson, Clavin R., Battle, Redman, Robinson, Edward, “The Journey of the Songhai People,” The Pan African Federation Organization, 1987<br /><br />Rogers, J.A., “Nature Knows No Color-Line,” Helga M. Rogers, 1952<br /><br />Van Sertima, Ivan, “Golden Age of the Moor,” Journal of African Civilization, 1992<br /><br />Cape Verdeans: "Cape Verdeans." Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 6 Apr. 2011 <http: com="">.<p class="MsoNormal"></p> </http:>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-75928844395125864942011-03-27T20:50:00.008-04:002011-03-30T11:07:32.511-04:00CRISIS IN BLACK HIGHER EDUCATION AFRICANA STUDIES<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tsqnLKyXFR0/TY_dyVcl8lI/AAAAAAAAAO4/4s7w7exEbuQ/s1600/Cornell-university-logo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 181px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tsqnLKyXFR0/TY_dyVcl8lI/AAAAAAAAAO4/4s7w7exEbuQ/s200/Cornell-university-logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588929519410344530" border="0" /></a>For the past four months a critical battle has been waging on the campus of Cornell University. Faculty and students apart of the Africana Studies and Research Center have been at odds with the decision of university Provost Kent Fuchs to merge the center with the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2011. This decision came abruptly on December 1, 2010 during the week of class finals on the college’s campus. The announcement came as a surprise to students and faculty of the ASRC who were not consulted in the decision making process.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Reason for the change was stated by Kent Fuchs as followed, “I’ve done a thorough evaluation of the programs that report to me directly — Africana is one of those — and I’ve decided that some of those programs need better support than my office is able to provide.”…… “Therefore, they should be in a college environment where they have the support of the staff … and the support of the deans.” “Fuchs added that the move would allow Africana studies to add a Ph.D. program and double the size of the Africana studies faculty, though he said the majority of the increase would come from joint appointments with other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.”<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAOjAXBC_zI/TY_fCr8-SVI/AAAAAAAAAPA/YH22PJ4Jmqg/s1600/Harris.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAOjAXBC_zI/TY_fCr8-SVI/AAAAAAAAAPA/YH22PJ4Jmqg/s200/Harris.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588930899841272146" border="0" /></a>Upon hearing the decision, a statement was released by the faculty of the ASRC decrying the announcement and the manner in which it was carried out. Director of the center Prof. Robert Harris Jr. resigned from his position in protest, but later rescinded the decision and went on to lead a student and staff demonstration on the campus to publicly voice their disapproval. In their protest demonstrators labeled the decision “autocratic and symptomatic of institutional racism.”<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This event has drawn the attention of many individuals to decry the decision leading to the circulation of an online petition signed by “nearly 1,000 alumni, academics and others, started by two professors from institutions outside of Cornell. Organizations such as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and the National Council for Black Studies have written letters strongly criticizing the reorganization and requesting a reversal of the decision<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YClleEy3ESI/TY_fa4M6FlI/AAAAAAAAAPI/rBH6RnRIOnk/s1600/Don%2527t%2BFuchs%2Bwith%2BAfricana.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YClleEy3ESI/TY_fa4M6FlI/AAAAAAAAAPI/rBH6RnRIOnk/s320/Don%2527t%2BFuchs%2Bwith%2BAfricana.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588931315446191698" border="0" /></a>Since its creation the center has operated independently of Cornell’s seven undergraduate colleges. It has successfully done so since 1969, with an international faculty of scholars from the African, African-American, and African-Caribbean diaspora. Great scholars such as John Henrik Clarke and Yosef Ben Jochannan have respectively been visiting and adjunct professors at the center during the 1970ies and 1980ies. James Stewart, president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, in his open letter to President David Skorton states, “Cornell has one of the most highly regarded Africana studies/Black studies centers in the country,” and that “Many, if not most, departments would like to have the structural arrangement that has given it strength for the past 41 years.”<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The decision to reorganize the structure of the ASRC was supported by a 2005 Report of Visiting Committee to the Africana Studies and Research Center, written by professors outside the University. However, “according to Robert Harris, Provost Biddy Martin had said she would not use the report to pursue an examination of the Africana Center’s structure within the University at the time of its release.”” James Stewart called the members of the 2005 Visiting Committee”…….. “hand-picked consultants” with “limited knowledge of current trends in Africana studies.” Furthermore, it was established that when the center was created, the objective was that it should operate independently of other colleges at Cornell.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-72xZV6eD63s/TY_fqdH3COI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/AnVpHtZGnis/s1600/davidSkorton-210x275.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 275px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-72xZV6eD63s/TY_fqdH3COI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/AnVpHtZGnis/s320/davidSkorton-210x275.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588931583055169762" border="0" /></a>In a February 8th article in the Cornell Daily Sun, university President David Skorton responded to the backlash over the school’s decision in an interview. He defended the university’s move giving the same reasons Fuchs asserted as reason for the change. However, one interesting comment he made came when he explained that a student asked him, “What’s my vision for the future of Africana? What is it going to change?” He responded, “ I told him that the details are going to be worked out by the dean of Arts and Sciences, the director of Africana and the provost.” Such a statement is evidence that the university leaders had not fully developed a plan for the ASRC and that no careful thought was put into the decision.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">When any institution decides to undergo such organizational changes, advance planning must take place and the people affected must be included in the process. If the director of Africana is supposed to be included in the determining the future of the ASRC, why wasn’t Robert Harris consulted in the decision making process? Is it because the university understood that he would have out rightly objected to the change? Such decisions are dirty politics. Additionally, to use the desire to create a PHD program as motivation for the change is problematic because after a 2006 external review, the center was already developing such a program.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Such a change to the ASRC would ultimately weaken and minimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the institution. Instead of having scholars who are specialist and totally dedicated to Africana studies, you will now have professors and administrators from other disciplines affecting operations and the curriculum of the center. When such things occur, the quality and authenticity of the education provided will diminish in value and purpose, because of the increased potential for mis-education of the students.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wOMY5CacHzc/TY_f2zhuXtI/AAAAAAAAAPY/qwITWYmkGXo/s1600/Clarke.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 295px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wOMY5CacHzc/TY_f2zhuXtI/AAAAAAAAAPY/qwITWYmkGXo/s320/Clarke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588931795227664082" border="0" /></a>One important lesson to be learned from this current battle is the importance for African people to have total control of the education they receive. This requires having jurisdiction over the institutions that provide the education they so earnestly need. No group of people who are being oppressed can realistically expect their oppressors to do what is right and provide them with education that will truly empower them. John Henrik Clarke accurately states, “Powerful people cannot afford to educate the people that they oppress, because once you are truly educated, you will not ask for power. You will take it.” So, until African people in the United States control their education system, or at least unify themselves in a way to exercise the power to influence the education system, situations such as what is occurring at Cornell will continue to repeat themselves. Thank you for reading.<br /><br />Sources:<br /></div><br />Africana Director Rescinds Resignation: http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2010/12/04/africana-director-rescinds-resignation<br /><br />Day Hall Merges Africana Center Into Arts College; Director Resigns in Protest: http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2010/12/02/day-hall-merges-africana-center-arts-college-director-resigns-protes National Organizations Oppose<br /><br />Africana Studies and Research Center Overhaul: http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2011/01/24/national-organizations-oppose-africana-studies-and-research-center-o Skorton<br /><br />Responds to Africana Backlash: http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2011/02/08/skorton-responds-africana-backlash<h2><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;"><a href="http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2011/02/08/skorton-responds-africana-backlash"></a></span></h2>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-79607978797092432752011-02-26T21:23:00.002-05:002011-02-26T21:28:58.077-05:00Morphic Resonance: What Did Our Ancestors Eat? Returning to Optimal Frequency With Bioelectric Cell Foods"<div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Papyrus, serif;"><span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Brother Garth Abaka Harvey—Geneticist, Artist, Sculptor—introduced two cosmically stimulating terms—</span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Morphic Resonance—</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">at the home and business of Alkaline Nutritionist and ‘The Fig Tree’ Co-Founder, Ma’a.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Every third Saturday, Ma’a—a brilliant, reflective, existentially experienced alkaline nutritionist and practitioner of ‘Dimensional Healing’—hosts health and healing oriented symposiums.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">During these rejuvenating and educational symposiums, exquisitely versed scholars present and communicate the profound research they have unearthed in their studies.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Papyrus;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At The Fig Tree’s most recent interactive seminar, Brother Harvey taught us why we must have a vital innerstanding of our bodies at a cellular level; and why awareness and knowledge of balancing our bodies with a ratio of seventy percent negative ionization to thirty percent positive ionization allows us to function at our optimal best.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Essentially, when our pineal gland, our DNA, and </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">all </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of our cells exist in a viscerally nutritive environment, the anatomical harmony we have cultivated allows us to emanate and to receive the Divine cosmic energy embedded in other structurally Divine emanations left for us by our ancestors.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The energy encompassed in these structures, but more so, the intensity of its intention, literally communicates with the Righteous, the ones devoted to the principles of Ma’at, consequently enabling us to Actualize our intent…Morphic Resonance.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Brother Harvey fervently reinforced that treating our bodies— the vessel that fortifies our Spirit—with love and respect, significantly relies on what we CONSUME.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For instance, whenever we consume highly acidic, hybridized (genetically modified), overly processed, i.e. denatured foods, our very act systematically undermines our DNA’s capacity to regulate its proper function…our holistic capacity to maintain Homeostasis (balance, equilibrium) within every sector of our lives.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Consequently, not only do we cultivate an internal environment vulnerable to dis-eases (heightened susceptibility to pathogens), toxins, digestive tract ulcerations from acidosis, organ system malfunctions due to mucous formations and conglomerations, we gravely diminish our propensity for being the receptors and transmitters of Morphic Resonance; we fundamentally stupefy our innate proclivity for intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and soulful clairvoyance and POWER.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Papyrus;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How can we create more of what has been deemed “the wonders of the world,” like our ancestors?</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our ancestors, they “built for eternity,” Jabari Osaze emphatically states, because they KNEW that we would forget who we are!!!!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We have to resurrect the spirit of our ancestors within us and leave marvelous erections behind for our future such that they too can REMEMBER who they are.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How can we achieve this degree of triumph, like our Ancient Ancestors, if our light vessels are clogged and downright contaminated?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Papyrus;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Morphic Resonance is the science and art of erecting and exemplifying structural formations—Great Mercooti (Pyramids), Collossi (Amenhotep III), Temples (Karnak and Luxor), Abu Simbel, Olmec Heads, to resonate with the power to transmit energetic intention to the practitioners of Ma’at—allowing us to master and to righteously execute the laws of the universe.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Many ancient indigenous civilizations—the Kemetians (Egyptians) aka Nubians, Mayans, Olmecs etc KNEW this TRUTH and thus created these monumental structures.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They knew the purpose of these vibrationally enthralling erections. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Papyrus;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How can we build an Internal state of Morphic Resonance? How can we EMIT the intention of our Divine Neters and Neteru?</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We can begin and continue to heal ourselves from false indoctrinations by purifying, cleansing, detoxifying, rejuvenating and revitalizing our physical vessels with “electrical cell foods.”</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today marks day twenty-four since I have consciously decided to stop justifying my attachment to addictive chemicals this society calls food. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have made a concerted effort to END the cycle of abuse to my body because I have acknowledged that foods that feed my emotions rather than my holistic being are as dangerous and neurologically depleting as narcotics.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Since the decision to live like my ancestors of the Hapi (Nile) River Valley and consume these alkaline-enriched herbal compounds, the muscle spasms in my right arm have deceased.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Electric Cell Food…</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SEA MOSS</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">—contains “92 of the 102 minerals” that constitute our cellular make-up.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sea moss is biologically rich with “the same minerals found in the earth and sea, which are also found within our bodies. Seamoss nourishes bones, thyroid and glands, pulmonary and respiratory illnesses, dissolves fat, calms appetite, is effective against cancer, ulcers, etc.”</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How do we cleanse our BLOOD—the life source that transports our life force—OXYGEN?</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Maya</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, a blood purifier, rich in iron, increases energy, relieves stress, headaches, calms nerves, and treats anemia.”</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Maya is so potently fertile, it has revamped my body.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For the fist time in years, I have not had any pre-menstrual or menstrual cramps, nor other symptoms we have been brainwashed to believe are naturally associated with a wombman’s cycle.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have always wanted to truly innerstand what our ancestors knew that enabled them to decipher the Secret messages of the universe… to precisely map the stars via astroprojection… transport granite rock weighing thousands of tons to construct the Great Mercooti… innerstand the laws of energy, physics, gravity, symmetry, angles, architecture, so succinctly, that today, thousands of years since its erection, Majestic Tekens (Obelisks) stand erect with their own base sustaining their upward posture.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our ancestors knew and lived by the principle of the symbolic structures they created, i.e. the Temple of Luxor’s chambers architecturally reflect the organs, systems, their functions—the physiological and metaphysical blueprint of the Divine Human being. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Papyrus;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our ancestors knew that Hekau, sacred words of wisdom, carried intention in their sound and frequencies, hence, they were able to commune with the Neters and Neteru.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They also knew that various structures embodied the capability to transmit energetic intention to persons whose lives synergistically aligned with Ma’at—Balance, Order, Harmony, Reciprocity, Justice, Righteousness, Truth—with nature, with the universe and galaxies.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They were true gatekeepers of our ONENESS.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Therefore, I “accept the call to higher consciousness”, like Brother Chike Akua, innovative entrepreneur, educator, author, motivational speaker, would resoundingly state.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Knowing that my intent is to attain the sacred knowledge of my ancestors, I am committed to vigilantly executing the will to harness my “Personal Power.” </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Personal Power, renowned scholar Dr. Edward Robinson educates, originates from one’s ability to clear their pre-frontal cortex, receive the cosmic particles of RA (NTU) and make their goals a reality.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I challenge you to energize and ACTIVATE the FULL POTENTIAL of your African Mind…to function as Symbols of Morphic Resonance, prepared to receive our ancestors’ Divine Transmissions. For More Information about Ma’a and The Fig Tree, visit </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">www.thefigtreeonline.com</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Papyrus;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-64252741293222794372011-01-31T20:55:00.004-05:002011-02-14T20:03:09.002-05:00Brazil, Land of The Oppressed<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"><!--StartFragment--> </p><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">BRAZIL, </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Rich and esteemed for her legacy, culture, enamoring beauty,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Artistic, spiritual and grandiose African genealogy </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Has been a downtrodden cesspool,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Saturated with poverty, violence, political disenfranchisement </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">For the “more than 90 million people of African [Ascent]” dwelling in the land</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Of their Enslaved Ancestors,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Tricked, Maimed, Sodamized</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Battered into this artificial society,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Involuntarily</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Solely to be Ruled and detested</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Exploited and manipulated</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">By the psychologically depraved</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Antics of European Hegemony </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Chattel slavery, </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Is not a story told of the past</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">It is still a sore and agonizing reality </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">It is a modern day NIGHTMARE </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">African Brazilians face</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">The approximate “3.3 million surviving the journey”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">From the “5.5 million” branded, sold, and shipped</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">By the lethal devices of 16<sup>th</sup> century Portuguese</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">“I’m not riding with a black!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">“The place of blacks is in the service elevator”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">These words, this stance </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Used by the aristocracy of White “Righteousness”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Used to demean </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">And antagonize </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Used to Traumatize…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">To Effectively and Efficiently </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Singe the wounds of Lashes</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Still felt </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">By the carcinogenic affronts</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Of Venomous Hatred Spewed from </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">The Hateful </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Is still very prevalent in the fertile womb of our Mother’s Earth</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Kemet! Kemet!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Ancestors of the Nile Valley Civilization</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Nubians! Maroons! Masons!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Ethiopians! </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Sistrens and Brethrens </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">How do we resurrect </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">King Narmer… Prophet Aha</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Who “unified the two lands of Upper and Lower”<a name="_ftnref"></a><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=5376838656266387155&postID=6425274129322279437#_ftn1" title=""><span style=""><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[1]</span></span><span style=""></span></a><span style=""> Kemet</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Clairvoyance, the seed of his pineal consciousness </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">To Smai Tawi the essence of Ma’at as the </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Foundation of ‘Political’ Morality?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Why have we been “poorer, less educated, less healthy, less powerful…</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">than Whites?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">The books we’re forced to read </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Penetrating us vilely</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Raping our emotional stability</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">With repetitive remarks of self-hatred </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Because we are taught White Lies</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Not of our ancestry</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Not of our elders</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Not of Predynastic Kemet</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">That had cultivated “The emergence of the earliest Nubian Civilization in 3800…</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[Or the creation of] the 1,460-year-Old Astronomical Calendar”</span></span><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=5376838656266387155&postID=6425274129322279437#_ftn2" title=""><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[2]</span></span><span style=""></span></a><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> in </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">4236 BC” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">“Affirmative-action bills?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">“Open college enrollment and government payrolls”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">To Africans in Brazil?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Really?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">When I process this statement</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">When I visualize the intent from their thought</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">A wave of hysteria collapses </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">My ability to breathe</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Because the ostentation of these political parodies</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Legitimizes</span></i></b></span><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> the very truth of our Grief</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">The very truth of their strategic oppression</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">To starve our souls </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">To maintain the plantation </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">We WERE</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Before they mastered mechanisms</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Of Division Amongst Us</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Unification is the call to ORDER</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Not egocentrism </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Nor Individualism</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">While, like in Brazil, and in most regions inhabited by Indigenous Africans </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">We amass “Two thirds of the country’s homicide victims” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">And our health is ranked 105<sup>th</sup> while Whites are ranked 44<sup>th</sup></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">By the U.N. Human Development Index</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Mama “Khepera!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Resurrect your children!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Baba “Djhuiti!”</span></span><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=5376838656266387155&postID=6425274129322279437#_ftn3" title=""><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[3]</span></span><span style=""></span></a><span style=""></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Bestow upon us</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Your “Crystal Clarity”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">We need to end this cycle</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Of purgatory </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">We need to restore what you have </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Taught the many</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">We need to realign with Ma’at:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Harmony, Truth, Justice, Law, Order,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Righteousness, Reciprocity</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">Will you heed the call?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> </span></p> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> <hr style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153);" align="left" width="33%" noshade="noshade" size="1"> </span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a name="_ftn1"></a><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=5376838656266387155&postID=6425274129322279437#_ftnref" title=""><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[1]</span></span><span style=""></span></a><span style=""></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization by Anthony T. Browder, p. 51</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a name="_ftn2"></a><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=5376838656266387155&postID=6425274129322279437#_ftnref" title=""><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[2]</span></span><span style=""></span></a><span style=""></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization by Anthony T. Browder, p. 63</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a name="_ftn3"></a><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=5376838656266387155&postID=6425274129322279437#_ftnref" title=""><span style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">[3]</span></span><span style=""></span></a><span style=""></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization by Anthony T. Browder, p. 83</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">4<i> Quotations not footnoted from article entitled <b><u>A Great Divide</u></b>—By Jack Chang, </i></span></p> <i style=""><o:p></o:p></i><div style=""><div style="" id="ftn"> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> </div> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-84955278285185058322011-01-16T05:34:00.006-05:002011-01-16T06:01:05.058-05:00THE RESURRECTION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLN2Hlqq4I/AAAAAAAAAOU/Wpaal7E1A4U/s1600/African%2BLeaders.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLN2Hlqq4I/AAAAAAAAAOU/Wpaal7E1A4U/s320/African%2BLeaders.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562734819389647746" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Africa is everywhere. From an extensive study of the global African presence it is easy for one to conclude that there are elements of Africa all over the world. Whether it is African people, its artifacts or various aspects of African civilization, countless parts of the Earth has pieces of the motherland. This dispersion is due to both the personal and forced migration of African people to other parts of the world and the destructive shattering of African civilizations. The subsequent result has been the dormant state of the African Diaspora which has prevailed for numerous centuries. However, as history has taught us many times, nothing lasts forever, and everything occurs in cycles. For this reason, without a shadow of a doubt, it is inevitable that the resurrection of African people will be seen again. They have done so many times in the past, and there are signs now that show that it will be so again.</span></div> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLOeCLkbgI/AAAAAAAAAOc/cpG0sLFYV6k/s1600/Tekken%2BCentral%2BPark.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLOeCLkbgI/AAAAAAAAAOc/cpG0sLFYV6k/s320/Tekken%2BCentral%2BPark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562735505132776962" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >On January 8<sup>th</sup> this year, the Middle Eastern news website ahramonline published the article, “Hawass fears for Cleopatra’s Needle.” The article discussed secretary general of the Egyptian Supreme Council for Antiquities, Zahi Hawass’ desire to have the Tekken of King Tuthmosis III restored after much weathering due to the Northern climate. If not restored, Zahi desires to push for its return to Egypt so that it can be restored and properly preserved. It is ironic that the restoration of this monument is at the center of an international discussion since it symbolically represents the Kemetic concept of resurrection. Dating back approximately 3500 years in history this monument has stood the test of time and is a testament to African ingenuity and the indestructibility of the African spirit and character.<span style=""> </span>African people all over the world can look to the Tekken as inspiration and to remember the great legacy in which they all share to resurrect themselves from the marginalization they currently experience. </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Resurrection is a concept that has been prevalent throughout African history. It can be seen in the multiple intermediary periods which occurred during the dynastic period of ancient Kemet which lead to four golden ages. It is also seen in the rise of West African kingdoms during the Common Era after the ultimate fall of Kemet. <span style=""> </span>After experiencing the world’s worst holocaust, African people fought for liberation from enslavement and colonialism to resurrect themselves at home and in foreign lands. The loss of great leaders such as Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr, Kwame Nkrumah and Cheik Anta Diop have not slowed the desire for progress so the flame still burns.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLPVLloCdI/AAAAAAAAAOk/WEOjSRDE4XU/s1600/world-festival-black-artPos.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 215px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLPVLloCdI/AAAAAAAAAOk/WEOjSRDE4XU/s320/world-festival-black-artPos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562736452550789586" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Many African nations have recognized the importance of working together in the fashion presented by Senegalese multi-genius Cheik Anta Diop so in existence are organizations such as the African Union and The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). In addition, this past December saw the culmination of the 3<sup>rd</sup> World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures in Dakar Senegal. “This celebratory event brought together people of different nationalities and generations with a common goal: to shed light on the struggle and persistence of black people in the face of colonization.” Its main focus was “Africa as free, proud, creative, and optimistic.” It was attended by scholars such as Dr. Theophile Obenga, Runoko Rashidi, Wade Nobles, Anthony T. Browder and many more. A meeting of such minds is important to continue the resurgence of African people on the world stage.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLPrbFiQJI/AAAAAAAAAOs/kwaoLWezfB0/s1600/sudan.vote.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TTLPrbFiQJI/AAAAAAAAAOs/kwaoLWezfB0/s320/sudan.vote.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562736834668282002" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Currently the Sudan is undergoing a historic political vote to further a 2005 referendum which ended 50 years of civil war. The conflict pitted Muslim Arabs of Northern Sudan against the black Christians and followers of traditional spirituality in the South. The vote would establish Southern Sudan as an independent Nation if it is the desire of the voters and by July could be recognized as an independent nation. 80% of Sudan’s oil reserves are in the south so this vote could be the stepping stone to a bright future for the people. In ancient times Sudan was Nubia which gave birth to ancient Kemet making this event even more monumental. To see a nation that played a significant role in ushering civilization on the verge of reemergence is further evidence to the eminent resurrection of African people. </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >This reemergence could occur at a fast rate if Africans of the Diaspora recognized the importance of knowing their history. Too many great scholars have stressed this fact. Without knowing their history, it will be far more difficult for African people to resurrect themselves. Dr. Diop eloquently states, “A people who lose their historical memory becomes a very fragile people. They regress. It is historical memory that permits them to be a strong people!” And through a study of history one can conclude that the unity behind the political, social, economical and cultural movements in which African people are engaged, it is a spiritual connection that also drives this force. It is by recognizing the eternal connection that one has to all of humanity and specifically to his or her people that motivate the unity and desire for their resurrection. It is the constant cycle of life which African people have experienced throughout time. The repeated rise and fall creates new opportunities for the expansion of the mind and correction of past mistakes. As African people awake and rise once again, a new chapter in their great legacy will be written to change the course of history. Thank you for reading. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >SOURCES:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Van Sertima, Ivan, Williams, Larry Obadele, “Great African Thinkers: Cheik Anta Diop,” The Journal of African Civilizations, 1986</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Hawass fears for Cleopatra’s Needle: <a href="http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/2/3407/Egypt/Society/Hawass-fears-for-Cleopatras-Needle.aspx">http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/2/3407/Egypt/Society/Hawass-fears-for-Cleopatras-Needle.aspx</a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Third Ever World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures in Dakar this Month: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/09/third-ever-world-festival_n_793601.html#s201735&title=undefined">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/09/third-ever-world-festival_n_793601.html#s201735&title=undefined</a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Historic Vote on Whether to split Sudan Ends: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/15/sudan.historic.vote/index.html?section=cnn_latest">http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/15/sudan.historic.vote/index.html?section=cnn_latest</a></span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-58927085925233807422010-12-28T04:49:00.001-05:002010-12-28T04:49:33.553-05:00Power is Virtue<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Essence Magazine article entitled “Fighting Back,” by Lisa Armstrong, communicated very compelling arguments. “[Men] feel powerless?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How could so-called experts unabashedly and audaciously insinuate this asinine and erroneous proposition of powerlessness as a means to justify the revolting exploits of these rapists?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What’s even more unnerving is the reality that their horrendous violation was once referred to as a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“crime of passion.” Learning of the Haitian Government’s dismissive and misogynistic stance towards women did not quiet the exasperation and immense hurt I feel knowing that my sisters are forced to live in a society that blatantly trivializes an act that defiles and traumatizes them and all sufferers of rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The ravaging exploitation our Haitian sisters are forced to endure reverberates with an undercurrent that is all too familiar to African Wombmen throughout the Diaspora.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These Wombmen of Divine Quintessence, the inheritors of Ancient African wisdom, are gravely afflicted with disrespect and disregard; they are typically blamed for the violent acts they bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Displaced and desolate, rampaged by diseases, environmental catastrophes, poverty and hunger, our Haitian sisters still strive to live with a sense of gratitude, love, joy and peace in order to survive and build a future for their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Nevertheless, as if their predicament could not be more dismal, they have to face yet another slap in the face since “until 2005, rapists were not imprisoned, but instead” the government “simply offered monetary compensation or marriage as restitution.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Ancient Kemetic Spiritual Philosophy enlightened our ancestors and many of us today about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The Ten Virtues, </i>also known as<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> The Ten Soul Attributes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i>Many of us, as the eloquent and masterly scholar Ayi Kwei Armah, in his works of art, Two Thousand Seasons and The Healers states, have lost our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The egocentrism that has taken over many of us has dimmed our capacity to hear the call to higher consciousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Instead, many of us indulge in debilitating gratifications knowing of the irreversible consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Investing quality time to introspectively cultivate our selves and our livelihoods according to the principles of these univer-soul attributes—justice, fortitude, temperance, to name a few—is secondary to the enticing carnal delights the mind perceives for the body and abides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What the body desires, even if those desires stem from a deficient, unnourished mindset of decrepitude, many impulsively leap into because once more, we have forgotten “the way ” of our Ancient Kemetic Ancestors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Unfortunately, the choices these men have made to orient themselves with non-virtuous practices becomes compounded when they have a government that supports the peril they penetrate into the lives of their mothers, sisters, daughters, and significant others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Instead of being prosecuted for the wickedness they impregnate, they are rewarded with villainous capes that function as superconductors—essentially giving them permission, power, and an impetus to rape our women again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Who can measure the amplification of a woman’s trauma when she becomes the laughing stock of a contemptuous police force asserting that her genetic make-up caused her to be raped?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“[Her] behind is big” so she “must have provoked them.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Or, nudity, “having a shower in front of everybody…” is “like [you’re] provoking the men.” One word…ineffable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Educator and Holistic Wellness Coach Sandra Friday posed the following questions: “Where are the men—the fathers, sons, uncles, cousins— to protect their women—daughters, sisters, mothers, significant others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are they so excruciatingly mentally disabled that they cannot do anything to protect their families? How did the women become single and so severely abandoned?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s ironic that some ‘experts’ are quick to rationalize and perpetuate their virulent beliefs that “gender-based violence increases…three-fold… after disasters” without offering a complete analysis of factors that create this uncanny circumstance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have been so completely brainwashed, indoctrinated with dreadful statistics for so long, many of us do not question the fallacies embedded in the information implied by these ‘experts’ on the African mind, condition, and behavior.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Fortunately, authors like Tom Burrell of Brainwashed, and compilations such as the Willie Lynch Letter, have intelligently and scientifically deconstructed the crises manifests by many peoples of the Diaspora.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The brilliant, precise and strategic way these analyses trace the cause and effects of hundreds of years of slavery, offer tremendous insight into the behaviors that continue to plague African peoples like a malignant specimen of destruction, breeding within our psyches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Furthermore, the fact that a vast number of people not only accept but advocate that it is the nature of a man to behave like a stud, to be rewarded for his sexual prowess—procreating with different women, abandoning his children within fatherless homes—etc, has catalyzed horrific behaviors like that in Haiti and other areas of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Where did this sickness originate from, that some men could even think such perverse thoughts of being pedophilic, of molesting his and/or other children, of raping and running trains on women?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What were the factors that caused so many of us to lose our African Righteous Minds—minds that were holistically aligned, lives that were spiritually in sync with the essence and effervescence of righteousness, truth and justice—and repeat some of the same heinous crimes, assimilate with the same belief systems of the diseased, notorious, vile and hateful deviants that enslaved our ancestors?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Being who we are—creators of great Temples such as the Temple of Luxor –a temple that represents the blueprint of the Divine Human Being, seven Haitian men should not have had the opportunity to conceive the notion to rape a Haitian woman along with her two Haitian daughters at gun point—eight children in total, housed within this tent they called home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being who we are, luminous masons of every imaginable skill to be mastered, United Nations peacekeeping patrol officers could be relieved of night duty and our women could tend to their needs and the needs of their families; a parent would not have to fear that an “18-year-old man” who had previously “sexually assaulted a 1-year-old baby girl” would attempt to assault an 8-year-old girl; a mother would not have to experience having to “persuade police” to keep this perpetrator in jail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And, rapists who are arrested, would not be able to “walk in the front of the police station and right back out.”’</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Can one measure the damage a wombman—adult or child—has to surmount, subjected to the dire instance of being “infected with a sexually transmitted disease during her rape”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This same wombman, as if her life could not be ridden with more heartache—has to live in a cultural society that devalues women because “the courts will often negotiate a financial agreement between the rapist and the victim’s family, rather than prosecute the case?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I ask these questions to stimulate the mind because it burns my vascular system to know that so many of us have been conditioned to be so desensitized, some pompously ignorant, others utterly terrified, indifferent and void because of the pervasive acceptance and the pervasive silence regarding actions that should never occur amongst a people who can tap into the intuitive clairvoyance of Ancient Ma’atian Principles that will eternally resonate as our DNA?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Can we really excuse our men—any man—for these crimes because they claim to exhibit manifestations of “psychological strain of not being able to assume normal cultural and economic roles” so they <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“may become aggressive toward women” simply because they are angry, frustrated and plagued by the uncertainty of their future? ”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Never.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Power comes from within, from self-control, from knowing that you are accountable for being able to process the moral implications of your behaviors, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>from innerstanding the conveyances of our Udjat (third eye) that our proclivity to exist in the essence of Heru/Heru-em-akhet, lives within our ability to harmonize our internal state in a fluctuating external environment…that the stressors of your predicaments will never validate your regression to victimizing another. </p> <!--EndFragment-->Fatima Séba Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13807340854055943745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-91774673545755277462010-12-19T19:44:00.015-05:002010-12-19T22:40:26.093-05:00THE BIBILICAL EXODUS REVISITED<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6tzK6SdII/AAAAAAAAANI/qjQkiOmbMlo/s1600/Holy%2BBible.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6tzK6SdII/AAAAAAAAANI/qjQkiOmbMlo/s320/Holy%2BBible.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552566485208167554" border="0" /></a>For individuals who subscribe to the Christian faith, the account of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt (Kemet) is one of the most outstanding stories in the Christian Bible. We are taught that this event is a true historical occurrence and one of the many examples of the power of “GOD” on Earth! The Holy Bible is held as the supreme authority dictating this assertion and it is reinforced by spiritual leaders of the Christian faith. Since this Western religion is one of the three dominant spiritual forces in the world today, billions of people across the globe accept this teaching without questioning it. The end result of this belief is that Kemet has been demonized to the masses for centuries. However, anything that is asserted to be true should be put to the test, so for this blog entry I will be putting to the test the historicity of the Biblical Exodus, and presenting factual historical information along with questions that we should all consider regardless of background and spiritual affiliation.<br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>According to the Bible, the Israelites went into Kemet under their patriarch Joseph to escape a famine plaguing the land of Canaan. The famine subsequently passed, Joseph died at the age of 110 while the Israelites remained in Kemet. They multiplied exponentially, eventually outnumbering the Kemites, and a new King enslaved the Israelites out of fear that they would join with outsiders to oppress his people. They are ultimately liberated by Moses after God subjects the Kemites to several plagues including, turning the Nile into blood, calling forth infestations of frogs, lice, swarms of flies, hail, locusts, three days of complete darkness and the death of all of Kemet’s first-born sons. The Israelites leave the land but are pursued by Kemet’s army who are destroyed when they attempt to follow the Hebrews through the Red Sea which was parted by God for their safe passage and then closed on their pursuers. The Hebrews then travel for forty years in the land of Sinai where they also receive the ten commandments from God. (Note: 9 of the 10 commandments are also found within the 42 affirmations of Ma'at)</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6uffq3PvI/AAAAAAAAANY/JX0XUZiXcWs/s1600/Ramesses_II_in_the_Turin_Museum24.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6uffq3PvI/AAAAAAAAANY/JX0XUZiXcWs/s320/Ramesses_II_in_the_Turin_Museum24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552567246694858482" border="0" /></a><span><span>This story sounds fantastic and amazing, however, the only account of it exists solely within the Bible. As it currently stands, there is no historical record of it to be found anywhere in Kemet and they were a very literary nation having three writing systems. They documented their history in papyri, all over their temples and in their tombs, and to this date, no reference has been discovered detailing the occurrence of this enormous event. Scholars place the occurrence of the Exodus during the New Kingdom period of Kemetic history, based on information given in the Bible. While the Israelites do not give the name of the two kings who oppressed them, they are considered to be Seti I and his son Ramesses II.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>The reality which should be considered is the numerous plagues attacking Kemet would have affected other nations in the Nile Valley because they were so close in proximity, interacting with the Kemites regularly. The Nile is the longest river in the world, stretching 4,132 miles into the interior of Africa, comprised of the White Nile which originates in Rwanda, and the Blue Nile originating in Ethiopia. It flows from south to north through nine countries ending at the Mediterranean Sea in Lower Kemet. If this river was turned to blood, people from all these other nations would have been affected and as a result recorded it, either in their written documents or oral traditions. Exodus 7:20-25 explains that the Nile changed into blood for seven days, killing all fish in the river. The length of such damage would have been enough time for other nations to witness and take note of this event. In addition, all water tributaries on the planet are connected beneath the earth, so if the Nile changed to blood it can be argued that possibly, all water on the planet was changed to blood.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6vWqz5HgI/AAAAAAAAANg/dFZbZOEIYPw/s1600/KADESH%2BTREATY.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6vWqz5HgI/AAAAAAAAANg/dFZbZOEIYPw/s320/KADESH%2BTREATY.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552568194578324994" border="0" /></a><span><span>It must also be kept in mind that at this point in history, other African nations were under the rule of Kemet as their empire had stretched its tentacles to other parts of the continent, Western Asia and Europe. The Kemites were also engaged in on-going wars with the Hittite Kingdom for several years. At the battle of Kadesh, Ramessess with a force of 20,000 soldiers, the largest infantry in Kemetic history at that time, fought the Hittites to a stalemate, ending in a peace treaty of “mutual non-aggression and support.” Both nations have records of this treaty and a copy of it currently sits within the United Nations. If all these plagues struck the nation and all the first born sons in the land mysteriously died, the country would have been incapacitated and would not have been able to engage their enemies or defend its self from invasion.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>Exodus 12:37-38 states that six hundred thousand men marched out of Kemet on foot with all their belongings. If the women and children are counted in this movement, an estimated 2 million people would be the final figure. At this time the population of Kemet would have been between 3.5 million to 4 million people. Such a mass migration would have created a huge chasm in the political, economical and social structure of the nation! The empire would have ultimately collapsed!</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>Exodus 14:5-9 states the following, “And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.” Based on this information the question must be asked, realistically, if such a large population left the country after it was subject to so much devastation at the hands of the Hebrew God, how on earth can a force of 600 plus soldiers subdue and recapture 2 million people? It must also ask be asked, how can the Israelites have passed through such cities Pi-Hahiroth and Baal-Zephon when they were not in existence during the New Kingdom period of Kemetic history. Even if the Kemites had superior training and weaponry, such odds are just too great for such a small unite to overcome.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6wC2tg88I/AAAAAAAAANo/DPxgWHbFW40/s1600/DSC00845.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6wC2tg88I/AAAAAAAAANo/DPxgWHbFW40/s320/DSC00845.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552568953687045058" border="0" /></a><span><span>The Bible further articulates that this entire army was destroyed by the Israelite God when they attempted to pursue the Hebrews through the parted Red Sea. In regards to this event, consider the following facts about this body of water. In antiquity it was known as the Erythraean Sea; it is 1,450 miles long and approximately 225 miles wide. It is 7,000 feet deep and has dangerous coral reefs at the bottom. To cross such a long distance and overcome such obstacles while outrunning a pursuing army is an insurmountable task. However, according to Exodus 14:19-24, the Israelites accomplished this all in one night!</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>In this event the king and army of the most powerful nation in the world at that time drowned in the Red Sea. However, it is a historical fact that Ramesses ruled Kemet for 67 years and lived until 92 years old, fathering over 100 children and building numerous monuments during his reign. His mummy is currently on display in the Cairo museum for all visitors to see. In ancient times the Red Sea was an important trade route and the Sinai area was apart of the Kemetic kingdom. Since ancient times they excavated stones for the building of their temples and precious minerals for the making of their Jewelry. One such stone is turquoise which was used in the design of King Tutankhamen's gold funeral mask. The Kemites even built several temples dedicated to the Neter (diety) Hathor who was personified as a holy cow. With such facts presented, the Israelite destruction of Kemet and its army and migration to Sinai is equivalent to a group of people destroying the U.S. army and going to hide in Puerto Rico. It is just outside of rationale reasoning.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6wurrn40I/AAAAAAAAANw/c2NvR4-dfws/s1600/Phonecian%2BScript.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6wurrn40I/AAAAAAAAANw/c2NvR4-dfws/s320/Phonecian%2BScript.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552569706640565058" border="0" /></a><span><span>The fact that this momentous event was not documented anywhere at that time except within the Hebrew literature is one of history’s greatest mysteries. During this age, Kemet was engaged in trade with many other nations in the world and many of them were literary nations as well. The Phoenicians who were the sea merchants of Kemet had their own writing system and would have been able to learn about and document the events of the Hebrew Exodus. Kemet also was not a monolithic society and was populated by people from other nations and ethnic groups besides the pre-dominant, ruling indigenous Africans. This news would have spread throughout the Mediterranean world and Western Asia where nations such as the Hittites and the Indus Valley Civilization would have documented it.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6xSMXRnQI/AAAAAAAAAN4/pMBqKsaOCh0/s1600/merneptah-dsc01112.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6xSMXRnQI/AAAAAAAAAN4/pMBqKsaOCh0/s320/merneptah-dsc01112.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552570316709010690" border="0" /></a><span><span>It is important to keep in mind that while the Bible mentions Egypt or Mizraim some 700 times, there is only one reference ever made to Israel in all of Kemet’s documented history. A large stone tablet erected in the funerary temple of Ramesses II’s son Merneptah details a military campaign against Canaan listing the names of cities and people conquered. This document dates back to 1222 B.C. Line 27 at the bottom of the stele reads, “Israel is made desolate and no longer has any crops.” Senegalese multi-genius Cheik Anta Diop presents the entire text to this document in “The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality.” This stone tablet is also on display in the Cairo museum for viewing.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>Furthermore, there is no record of any people being enslaved in Kemet for 400 plus years. The institution of slavery is foreign to the social and political construct of quintessential African civilizations which shared a cultural unity with Kemet. In “Introduction to African Civilizations” John G. Jackson addresses the subject of slavery in Kemet by quoting European scholar W. M. Flinders Petrie who states the following in his “Social Life in Ancient Egypt,” “Slavery never attained the serious and infamous proportions that it had in Greece, or in Italy. The serfage, which probably continued throughout the history, prevented the requirements of slave labor on large estates. It was a mild and comparatively harmless obligation, which did not prevent ability from rising, and it saved the land from the ruin which slavery brings.”</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6zo-CcLxI/AAAAAAAAAOI/5PFCFymKCAY/s1600/chronicle-of-the-pharaohs.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 238px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6zo-CcLxI/AAAAAAAAAOI/5PFCFymKCAY/s320/chronicle-of-the-pharaohs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552572907023773458" border="0" /></a><span><span>An ancient Kemetic proverb states, “Popular beliefs on essential matters must be examined in order to discover the original thought.” Since historical evidence contradicts the Biblical account of the exodus, an examination of the text must be done to ascertain if what has been presented to the world is accurate. In “Chronicle of the Pharaohs” author Peter Clayton discusses the Exodus during the Reign of Ramesses II. He states the following, “when all the first born Egyptian children mysteriously died in the night, Ramesses took fright and expelled the Hebrews. But on hearing of their actual flight, he regretted the loss of his work-force, and set out to recapture them. With a vast army, he caught up to them by the “<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sea of Reeds</span>” (perhaps one of the inland lakes between the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Suez.)”</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>The encyclopedia Britannica corroborates Peter Clayton’s assertion in an entry discussing the life of Moses in a segment dedicated to the Exodus. It states, “The Egyptian army cornered them at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sea of Reeds</span> (papyrus), which barred their exit to the east. Later Jewish tradition understood the body of water to be the Red Sea, and this erroneous interpretation persists today, even in some of the most recent English translations of the Bible. Scholars disagree as to the precise location of the Reed Sea, but, since papyrus grows only in freshwater, it was most probably a shallow lake in the far northeastern corner of Egypt.”</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>The online Jewish encyclopedia validates both of the above arguments in an article discussing the Red Sea. It states, “References to the Red Sea under that name are not found earlier than the Apocrypha (Judith v. 12; Wisdom x. 18, xix. 7; I Macc. iv. 9). The name refers to the body of water, termed "Yam Suf" in all other passages, crossed by the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt (Ex. xiii. 18; xv. 4, 22; Num. xxxiii. 10 et seq.; Deut. xi. 4; Josh. ii. 10; et al.). It denotes, therefore, the present Gulf of Suez, which at that time extended considerably farther north, reaching, according to Greek and Latin authors, as far as the city of Hero (= Pithom), in the Wadi Tumilat. The meaning of the word "suf" in the name is uncertain, although it appears from Ex. ii. 3, 5 and Isa. xix. 6 that it meant "reed." According to Ermann and others it is an Egyptian word borrowed by the Hebrews, although the Egyptians never applied that name to the gulf. While it is true that no reeds now grow on the salty coast of the gulf, different conditions may have prevailed along the northern end in ancient times, where fresh-water streams discharged into it. Other authorities translate "suf" as "sea-grass" or "seaweed," which is supposed to have been reddish and to have given that body of water the name "Red Sea." Seaweed of that color, however, is seldom found there.”</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>This revelation that it was in fact the Sea of Reeds and not the Red Sea which was crossed by the Israelites gives us a better understanding of the original text. However, since this body of water is in the north of Kemet, it is still questionable how the Hebrews could have taken that route without being spotted by the Kemetic army? All along the northern border stretching through Sinai to Western Asia, were garrisons set up for the protection of the nation. The temple of Karnak in Kemet has reliefs indicating the existence of these garrisons. In their flight the Israelites would have most likely been spotted by soldiers at one of these locations.</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6x_pjiDvI/AAAAAAAAAOA/sRc8YzS-BP8/s1600/egypt%2Brevisited.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TQ6x_pjiDvI/AAAAAAAAAOA/sRc8YzS-BP8/s320/egypt%2Brevisited.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552571097639161586" border="0" /></a><span><span>With so much damaging evidence to the historicity of the Biblical Exodus, the only two conclusions that can be drawn is that the event did not occur or did not transpire in the fashion presented in the Bible. In the reading of history one will come to realize that fact is stranger than fiction. One would be amazed to find that many events from the past did not transpire the way presented to us, or that people are not who they have been presented to be historically. Such comments relate to this topic in that in Ivan Van Sertima’s “Egypt Revisited,” Wayne B. Chandler sheds light on the Israelite presence in Kemet. He states, “Josephus, (37-100 A.D.) Jewish statesman and historian commented that the Hyksos were the ancestors of the Israelites, “The Egyptians took many occasions to hate and envy us: in the first place because our ancestors, the Hyksos, or shepherds had dominion over their country…..” As modern historians will now attest this fact is undoubtedly true. The Hyksos invaded Lower Egypt following the Thirteenth Dynasty. They pillaged and destroyed thousands of statues, maimed and killed an undisclosed number of Egypt’s inhabitants and mercilessly raped the women of the kingdom. This domination of Lower Egypt persisted for two centuries! How ironic; the Jewish people identify themselves as he former slaves of Egypt, when in fact their ancestors, the Hyksos, ruled and enslaved Egyptians for 200 years.”</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>Now, many cold, hard, painful and shocking facts were just shared and individuals will find them difficult to manage if they subscribe to Christian theology. This revelation shakes the foundation of the core beliefs of such teaching. However, it is important to learn to live in historical reality. As stated in the beginning of this article, anything asserted to be true must be put to the test. If something that is believed to be true is proven otherwise, it must be discarded or subject to its proper interpretation if possible. As Dr. Leonard Jeffries states, “we must learn to follow the truth wherever the truth may lead us.”</span></span><br /></div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>Even though we can no longer believe that the Biblical Exodus is an historical event, and thus falls into the category of a myth, the story can still be interpreted to teach a positive lesson from which many can learn. To do so, one must understand that the ancients dealt with the esoteric, and told stories from a metaphorical point of view. While myths are not historically true, they convey a universal truth that can transcend time. To understand many of the ancient myths and the purpose they served requires a certain level of spiritual maturity. When this is achieved the individual will be better prepared to deal with reality. The Kemites recognized this importance and it was infused into all aspects of their culture. For them, all of humanity was an extension of the creator and thus served a higher purpose, but to achieve that purpose individuals had to be able to understand and deal with all aspects of the reality in which they lived. And according to the late Dr. Ishakamusa Barashango, “Whether that reality is pleasant or unpleasant, we must be able to deal with reality in order to be rational and sane and to reach that place for which we are being called to go.” Thank you for reading.</span></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" ></span></p>SOURCES:<br /><br />Holy Bible: King James Version<br /><br />Clayton, Peter A., “Chronicle of the Pharaohs,” Thames & Hudson, 1994<br /><br />Van Sertima, Ivan, “Egypt Revisted,” Journal of African Civilizations, 1989<br /><br />Jackson, John G., “Introduction to African Civilizations,” Citadel Press, 1970<br /><br />Diop, Cheik Anta, “The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality,” Lawrence Hill Books, 1974<br /><br />Beegle, Dewey M. “Moses,” Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/393555/Moses<br /><br />Hirsch, Emil G., Benzinger ,Immanuel, “Red Sea” Jewish Encyclopedia http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=158&letter=R&search=red%20sea#ixzz18b6t828S<br /><br />How the Nile River Works by Alia Hoyt: http://history.howstuffworks.com/african-history/nile-river.htm/printable<br /><br />McArthur ,Tom, "Alphabet,” Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language 1998: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/alphabet.aspx#1-1O29:ALPHABET-full<br /><br />"Red Sea." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 17 Dec. 2010: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Erythraean_Sea.aspx#1-1E1:RedSea-full<br /><br />Bible: History or Hoax II – Moses & "Exodus" From Egypt – 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrrzzHOhr8Y<br /><br />Bible: History or Hoax II – Moses & "Exodus" From Egypt – 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1eO5Dd6WgY&feature=related<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1eO5Dd6WgY&feature=related"></a></span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-3362714027951139022010-11-18T11:47:00.012-05:002010-11-18T12:37:55.723-05:00THE DEVELOPMENTAL POWERS OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN EDUCATION<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TOVfgNNBy9I/AAAAAAAAAMw/cNG0Ln3WI_4/s1600/Egyptian%2BScribe%2Bwith%2BPapyrus%2BScroll.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TOVfgNNBy9I/AAAAAAAAAMw/cNG0Ln3WI_4/s320/Egyptian%2BScribe%2Bwith%2BPapyrus%2BScroll.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540939923454020562" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span>The acquisition of knowledge is an endeavor which has been a part of African tradition since humanity developed the capacity for thought. This has led to the development of both informal and formal ways of acquiring the desired knowledge sought. Education at various stages of life facilitated the imparting of knowledge necessary for the development of the individual on various levels. This cultural norm was the rich heritage of many African societies going back into antiquity up to the pre-colonial age. It is thus sad to see the present depressing performance of African Americans, and specifically young African American men in the country’s school system. The low performance rate calls for a serious look at the way Africans in the United States are educated and compare it to how they were originally developed when they operated under their own cultural paradigm. </span></span><br /><span><span></span></span><br /><span><span>On Tuesday, November 9, 2010, CBS published on its web site an article titled, “Shocking School Achievement Gap for Black Males.” The author Bill Whitaker discussed the details of a new study showing that African American male students “languish at the bottom of every educational category.” Painful statistics were presented displaying the low performance of black males at multiple educational levels. When compared to that of white males, their aptitude level was depressing. It was stated that, "Researchers call these dismal numbers a call to action for scholars across the country to study this problem and come up with real solutions." </span></span><br /><span><span></span></span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TOVix-PzcjI/AAAAAAAAAM4/rFhR-qyGDGI/s1600/up100grads_Podium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 275px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TOVix-PzcjI/AAAAAAAAAM4/rFhR-qyGDGI/s320/up100grads_Podium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540943527211659826" border="0" /></a><span><span>Surprisingly, one Chicago school seems to have found a way to get teenage African American males to excel in academics. In June of this year Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men had its first graduating class of 107 seniors get accepted to college. The school was opened as an experiment to cater to the scholastic needs of African American boys in Englewood, one of Chicago’s roughest neighborhoods. The students at the school predominantly come from economically disadvantaged households but have performed exceptionally well in this unique academic environment. “Urban Prep's mission is to provide a comprehensive, high-quality college preparatory education to young men that results in graduates succeeding in college.” The school has three campuses, Englewood, East Garfield Park and South Shore which were respectively opened in 2006, 2009 and 2010. Urban Prep’s success this year is reaffirmation that African people can rise again if the right circumstances are facilitated. </span></span><br /><span><span></span></span><br /><span><span>Sadly, there just aren’t enough Urban Prep’s all around the nation and it is still uncertain if it will stand the test of time. It is thus important to look at the deficiencies in the current education system by comparing it to that which existed in Africa before its many societies were interrupted. When we look at the education system of ancient Kemet, you will find that it is the foundation of western education. Within the walls of its many temples students were educated in areas such as “(1) Mystery Teachers of Heaven (Astronomy and astrology); (2) Mystery Teachers of All Lands (geography); (3) Mystery Teachers of the Depths (geology); (4) Mystery Teachers of the Secret Word (philosophy and theology); and (5) Mystery of Pharaoh and Mystery Teachers who examined words (law and communication).” In addition, the Kemites had simple and practical ways of calculating advance math problems without the use of a multiplication table. This method is known as Relational Mathematics and Jabari Osaze does a phenomenal job explaining the concept in his lecture titled, “Echoes of the Ancient Mind.” Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan also discusses this mathematical method in “Black Man of the Nile.” </span></span><br /><span><span></span></span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TOVi7Fv8I5I/AAAAAAAAANA/p2DuQ5NJuJw/s1600/Tehuti.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TOVi7Fv8I5I/AAAAAAAAANA/p2DuQ5NJuJw/s320/Tehuti.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540943683844318098" border="0" /></a><span><span>Kemetic education was a system focused on wholistically developing and transforming the pupil into a God-like being. It was a combination of theory and practice which fostered progressive growth through successive stages. This education system had open admission for all students which meant that the king’s child and the pauper’s child were subject to the same rigorous training. Their education system truly left no child behind because they believed everyone was a reflection of the creator and thus all are destined to serve a higher purpose. Students began their formal education by training as scribes where from the outset they were exposed to copying serious text of the mdw ntr which detailed the nation’s great historical and spiritual tradition. Challenging and development of the mind was imperative for the Kemites. Dr. Na’im Akbar presents this information in a lecture titled, “Ancient Kemetic Science of the Mind.” </span></span><br /><span><span></span></span><br /><span><span>This tradition of human development for the benefit of the individual and the society prevailed throughout Kemetic history as well as other African nations up to the pre-colonial era. In “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa,” Walter Rodney states the following about Africa’s educational system, “The following features of indigenous African education can be considered outstanding: its close links with social life, both in a material and spiritual sense; its collective nature; its many-sidedness; and its progressive development in conformity with the successive stages of physical, emotional, and mental development of the child. There was no separation of education and productive activity or any division between manual and intellectual education. Altogether, through mainly informal means, pre-colonial African education matched the realities of pre colonial African society and produced well-rounded personalities to fit into that society.” </span></span><br /><span><span></span></span><br /><span><span>With all this information on the table, we can now see what important elements Africans in America are missing in the current education system. They are not being wholistically developed, not being given skills that benefit them or their communities and not being taught history and theology to which they can relate. In an interview with Listervelt Middleton, Dr. Asa G. Hilliard states, “If we always read the history of someone else, we will become psychologically imbalanced.” This is all a fall out of the destruction of black civilization and the historical amnesia from which the African population suffers. It is thus urgent that an education system be created that can provide the type of development to resurrect the excellence of African people. This is a responsibility which must be taken up by African people themselves because no one else will do it for them. It is dire that this is done to restore the balance of Ma’at to the world. An ancient Kemitic proverb states, “Social good is what brings peace to family and society.” An empowering education system is a social good that no civilization can live without if it hopes to achieve higher levels of development and greatness. Thank you for reading.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></div><h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span> </h3><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></p>Sources:<br /><br />Shocking School Achievement Gap for Black Males: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/09/eveningnews/main7038804.shtml<br /><br />100 percent of school's first class college-bound: http://www.urbanprep.org/media/apArticle_June2010.pdf<br /><br />Rodney, Walter, “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa,” Howard University Press, 1982<br /><br />Van Sertima, Ivan, “Egypt: Child of Africa,” Journal of African Civilizations, 1994<br /><br />Ancient Kemet Science of The Mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToqxoWXLdBE<br /><br />Free your mind, return to the source, African Origins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhenAPlY4Ek<h3><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhenAPlY4Ek"></a></span><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:12pt;" > </span></h3>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-422596056614110542010-11-06T18:48:00.021-04:002010-11-06T22:02:44.711-04:00AFRICAN POLITICAL TRADITION<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNYIuD2S-tI/AAAAAAAAAL4/uSiQelj4JfI/s1600/Black+Voters+2.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 234px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNYIuD2S-tI/AAAAAAAAAL4/uSiQelj4JfI/s320/Black+Voters+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536622379298650834" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Tuesday, November 2<sup>nd</sup> was a huge election day for us living in the United States. Many political offices were up for reelection while others were open to elect new officials. Dependent on the political affiliation of the candidate elected meant that different groups of people would be affected in distinct ways. African Americans or more specifically, Africans in America played a vital role in this year’s election process. Many petitioned others to vote because they recognized the significance of the election. Such political activism and involvement is nothing new to African people and has always been a part of their tradition. This tradition has been forgotten by many Africans and needs to be remembered for the sake of their social, political and economical advancement in the world.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" > </span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNXeHwfxynI/AAAAAAAAALQ/McLz0LcKW6I/s1600/respect+my+vote+8.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNXeHwfxynI/AAAAAAAAALQ/McLz0LcKW6I/s200/respect+my+vote+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536575541780531826" border="0" /></a></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >Now while many African people were heavily involved with the election process this year, there were many others who wanted nothing to do with it. Their reasons for being bystanders in this event were understandable and justifiable. For the many centuries that Africans have been in this country, they have been subjected to harsh circumstances due to the legislation of politicians. The United States constitution in its original form before the many subsequent amendments is testament to this reality. The legally enforced segregation, black codes and Jim Crow laws that prevailed post slavery is further evidence to this truth. The Three Strikes laws that became popular in many states in the 1990ies additionally support the aversion of many blacks to politics because they adversely affected the African community. However, it is the prevalence of racism throughout all chapters of American history and the lack of change after so many years of voting that is the biggest fuel for the avoidance of many blacks to politics. With so much historical information and memory available, it is easy to see why so many African people avoid the election process all together.</span></p> <div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">However, for an oppressed people trying to change their standing in the world, is this the correct course of action? If we take a look at other ethnic groups within the country, you will find they have no aversion to politics and have used the system to obtain what they want socially, economically and politically. The modern day Euro-American Jewish people are a good example of this. While not at a level comparable to African people, they have been subject to a holocaust and discrimination, yet they wield tremendous power in this country and have achieved a significant level of opulence despite being a very small minority in the United States. Why have they been able to achieve such things and not African people in the country? </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNXfugM3vxI/AAAAAAAAALY/Dz0dl-inPeo/s1600/Black+Voters.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNXfugM3vxI/AAAAAAAAALY/Dz0dl-inPeo/s200/Black+Voters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536577306932789010" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">While their Caucasian heritage plays a large role in this circumstance, they also recognize the importance of unity/kinship, knowing the law, understanding the political system and taking advantage of it for their own benefit. They also recognize that economics and politics are very closely related. As a result the financial power you wield can also be used as an implement to influence political decisions. The larger population of Africans in the U.S. fails to realize this reality. Your vote should come at a price, and a very high one that will lead to decisions from which your people can benefit. On election day I spent much time contemplating this issue, and via Facebook I observed arguments for and against getting involved with voting and America’s political system. I came to the conclusion that voting is one thing, but influencing political officials to do as the people desire is another thing. All tools available must be implemented to further the status of African people in the country and in the world.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNYCs4KYdfI/AAAAAAAAALw/iO7xEIeG4gs/s1600/Destruction+of+Black+Civilization.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNYCs4KYdfI/AAAAAAAAALw/iO7xEIeG4gs/s320/Destruction+of+Black+Civilization.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536615761912034802" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">If we now go back in time to quintessential Africa, you will find that political involvement by the people was a natural way of life. Political decision making and democracy was engrained in the culture of the many societies that existed, and that power flowed from the bottom upwards to the leaders. In “The Destruction of Black Civilization,” Chancellor Williams details how these societies were stratified into political groups according to age range for governance. Such organization meant everyone had to be involved in decisions that affected their immediate circumference and the nation on a whole. Dr. Williams gives an example of such decision making by relaying the experience of a European who visited an African nation and wanted to be granted access to tour the various regions of the land. He complained that he had to wait several weeks before the king would agree to meet with him while other Africans who arrived after he did, met with the leader immediately. What this European failed to realize is that, those other Africans were the king’s advisors who had to get the people’s approval to allow the explorer to tour the land. The king could not grant an outsider the right to tour the nation without the population’s consent. Such political involvement in all aspects of government is a tradition African people have forgotten and need to remember. In kingdoms such as ancient Kemet, kings were supposed to carry out the desires of the people. If they didn’t they would be removed. This holds true for modern society so political involvement is something that “must” be actively practiced because it is the common sense and African thing to do. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNYCW1lzdfI/AAAAAAAAALo/daoX2OYzUBA/s1600/ivanvansertima.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TNYCW1lzdfI/AAAAAAAAALo/daoX2OYzUBA/s320/ivanvansertima.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536615383264622066" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">It is thus important to know history, one’s own and that of others, because those memories serve as learning tools that can be used for political action. I will close with the following excerpt from Ivan Van Sertima’s essay on “History as a Guide to Modern Political Action.” “We should drink deep from the well of our history but in a way that nourishes rather than simply titillates us, poisons us, or divide us. History is a critical complement to contemporary reality and it is particularly helpful to those who have lost their way in the world because the footprints of their past have vanished or been erased……….It should be a dynamic beam of light in daily motion across the sky of our minds. It should charge us not only with a surge of new pride but the electric energy of creative action.” Thank you for reading.</span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-7921608674289815402010-11-01T23:03:00.004-04:002010-11-01T23:07:37.906-04:00My Divine Reflection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PHouhFXvt5U/TM-AUwSL8VI/AAAAAAAAABE/vkirafw5-wo/s1600/amenhotepandqueentiye1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PHouhFXvt5U/TM-AUwSL8VI/AAAAAAAAABE/vkirafw5-wo/s320/amenhotepandqueentiye1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534783561108549970" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(187, 187, 187); line-height: 18px; font-family:'lucida grande', serif;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;font-size:16px;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;">I</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">s infinite patience for Black men an irrational postulation? I have asked myself this question innumerable times whenever the epiphany of being in a degenerating relationship became impossible to neglect and/or justify. Recently, I had had an opportunity to thoroughly reflect on this question with keen depth and truthful introspection when I had almost diverged into the grips of victimization, despondency, and anger. Before my sudden and final realization that my relationship with my former love would never work, the power of these extraordinary emotions had invaded my being like a viral plague. The aggravation, despair, hurt, doubt and betrayal so many Women of African Descent (Black Women) experience, besieged my heart because this was not the first time that I have been mistreated and lied to by someone I’ve loved. The consistent and persistent battle for harmony, reciprocity and truth Black women seek, is voided, exploited, misinterpreted and manipulated by societies and mindsets cajoling us to forget that we were and still are the source, fortitude, intuitive third eye, the backbone of every civilization—and the intelligent civilizations, like that of Ancient Kemet (Egypt), honored and respected the Divine essence of Wombmen; men within these societies were so knowledgeable of the divine reflection and compliment of a Black Wombman, their powerful and magnificent colossi—Queen Tiye and Amenhotep III—was constructed to impart one of Ancient Kemet’s most profound teachings—Isosephile: Eye to Eye, Soul to Soul. Men chosen to serve as the Nsubit (King/Pharaoh), through a Matrilineal order, in Ancient Kemet, knew that aligning with the soul of the source from which all of life emanates is the key to his enlightenment and the substance of their infinite, holistic union.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Unfortunately, though I’d parted the Red Sea, unclothed my vulnerabilities, inhibitions, and fears, compromised clairvoyance for reigning self-doubt, and accepted callous words, accusations, and behaviors by my Black Man, the soul-shattering depletion and frazzled state of which I’d become was a clear sign that I had to let go. I felt that, in spite of all of the head-way my former love and I had apparently made, he still did not get it; he did not get me and the level of his immaturity, egotism, underdevelopment, and pride was too immense for me to withstand; I could not bare to sacrifice the Ma'at I unrelentingly cultivated in my life simply because, I thought, this brother showed promise. The voice of my Divine Ancestors, Neter, Neteru aided my realization that although I should always love and remember the phenomenal and magical moments I’d shared with this person, compromising who I am, my values is equivalent to the death of my soul. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Many of us are familiar with the science of Dr. Joy DeGruy's Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, The Willie Lynch Letter, Brainwashed, to name a few, but when does recognition of the heart-wrenching reality of the Black woman’s plight, our ability to surmount vast catastrophes, and our victory over stupendous tribulations acknowledged? When can the mechanisms of our resilience serve as the blueprint for Black Men? When will exclamations of the unparalleled affronts imposed on Black Men no longer function as a viable excuse for the behaviors they justify and are justified for them? Recently, a very wise elder who is a studious traveler, martial arts practitioner, initiate of Ancient Mysteries Systems, historian and researcher, proposed a thought. He brilliantly contended that everyone, within the cosmic scheme of things, has their turn. We African people attained self-actualization thousands if not millions of years ago, yet here we are. How we got here is significant. What we are doing to resurrect self is paramount? </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Fortunately, my cognitive awareness of the pertinence of holistic metamorphosis enables me to recognize that we exist to be challenged. These existential experiences, whether we perceive them as catastrophic or exhilarating, construct the very fiber of our physical and esoteric beings and consequent manifestations. </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Although African peoples are bombarded with an onslaught of negativity from nearly every societal compartment—personal, familial, political, social, and so forth—it is up to us, right here, right now, to choose to instigate or to eradicate the crises we have been subjected to and tend to perpetuate. Instead of harboring anger and resentment towards the men who have been grave disappointments, I am refining myself; I am cultivating the sacred and inherent prowess of my entire being; I am recognizing the reasons why I attract negativity and challenging myself to courageously move away from counterintuitive thoughts and actions; I am radiating love because I am constantly affirming my passion to learn, grow, develop, transcend and ascend as an enlightened being. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> To conclude, I have no intention to denounce Black Men in spite of current and dire circumstances. To me, the connection and procreation between a Black Man and a Black Woman is the epitome of perfection. The vibration of a Black Man’s tone, the power of his touch and the gravitational magnetism of his soulful eyes, thoughts and mind, supersede common understanding. Black Women knows of his intrinsic capacity to be whole, so it is not that we are emotional whenever we see and experience discontinuity, as if we are merely having a carnal response; we, the progenitors of life manifestations, feel incomplete because the spirit our divine compliment is dim and lost in darkness. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#99FFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span><p></p></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-91165253480878477482010-10-27T10:24:00.011-04:002010-10-31T21:21:58.115-04:00GENDER WARS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY: A CALL FOR PEACE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhAFG2xr7I/AAAAAAAAAKI/Mu9jKpvKvgM/s1600/Angry_Black_Couple.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhAFG2xr7I/AAAAAAAAAKI/Mu9jKpvKvgM/s320/Angry_Black_Couple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532742598708539314" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >“The union of man and woman is like the mating of Heaven and Earth. It is because of their correct mating that Heaven and Earth last forever. Humans have lost this secret and have, therefore, become mortal. By knowing it, the path to Immortality is opened.” The preceding quote comes from Chapter 5 of Wayne B. Chandler’s phenomenal work, “Ancient Future, The Teaching and Prophetic Wisdom of the Seven Hermetic Laws of Ancient Egypt.” In just three sentences it encapsulates ancient perception of gender relations, humanity’s fall from such profound wisdom and the benefits of remembering</span> <span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >it. From observing the current landscape in regards to the relationships of men and women in modern society, it is easily discernable that countless people are negatively affected by the loss of this knowledge. It can be argued that of that group, African people are the most adversely affected. </span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Along with the rest of the world, the African man and woman have been placed in adversarial roles instead of the complimentary ones that existed in ancient times. Evidence of this can be seen in the various articles and videos that have gone viral all over the Internet the past four weeks. It all began on September 27<sup>th</sup> with an article on madamnoire.com by LaShaun Williams titled, “8 Reasons to date a White Man.” There was then a response to LaShaun’s article by Boyce Watkins titled “8 Reasons you might consider dating a White Woman.” The November issue of Essence also features an article by Demetria L. Lucas titled “Us VS Them” which also addresses interracial dating and the friction between black men and women. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Following the articles were several cartoon satires of black male and female relationships. There was Black Marriage Negotiations, Black Marriage Negotiations (Women’s Perspective), Black Marriage Negotiations Pt II (With a white woman in the mix), The Miseducation of the Black Man: What do women want?, Dating the Modern Mid-Twenties Black Man and Black Dating in a Hip Hop Society. This has got so out of control that last week I practically saw a new video every day!!! There’s probably someone putting the finishing touches on another one right now. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Sadly, this gender war reached a new high on October 20<sup>th</sup> when AOL Black Voices’ entertainment reporter Jawn Murray tweeted the following, “All those militant-nappy headed Angry Black Women who didn’t think Tyler Perry was worthy of doing For Colored Girls can kick rocks.” When black women responded in uproar he followed up with, “So a few militant-nappy-headed angry black women are mad I used nappy headed earlier. Do me a favor = get a LIFE & get a PERM! How’s that?” With so much venom being spewed back and forth between both sides, it can be said that the animosity and friction is reaching critical mass.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhAtIvk5bI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/0hUSoGr7ci0/s1600/Black+Woman+%26+White+Men.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhAtIvk5bI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/0hUSoGr7ci0/s200/Black+Woman+%26+White+Men.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532743286409979314" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >When I first read “8 Reasons to date a White Man” I thought the author lacked a full knowledge of her history and suffered from serious hate for black men.<span style=""> </span>She indicated that physical beauty is the best thing that today’s black man has going for him. As a result she gives her eight reasons to date white men, and they go as followed:</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">1.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Gay white men are more open about their sexuality compared to all the down low black men</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">2.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men are not looking for someone to take care of them</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">3.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men attend and graduate college</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">4.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men at least attempt to marry before making babies</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">5.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men don’t glamorize ignorance</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">6.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men make better decisions when it comes to managing money</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">7.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men have the ability to look beyond your past and have no problem turning a hoe into a house wife</span></p> <p class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">8.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >White men don’t take everything as a challenge to their masculinity. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Now, everyone is free to date whomever they please, and I understand that we all have no control over who we like or love, but to choose to date outside of your race for such stereotypical reasons is quite disturbing. It is not necessary for me to refute each and every single one of LaShaun’s assertions here because they have already been bludgeoned into the ground by individuals such as Boyce Watkins, Lydia Cotton and Tariq Nasheed. However, I will say that LaShaun is being unrealistically critical of black men without considering the circumstances that contributed to the present situation.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> </span>There is an ancient Kemetic proverb that states, “Judge by cause, not by effect.” Focusing on causes provides solutions that can permanently eliminate problems that plague us in the present.<span style=""> </span>If African people were not uprooted from their homeland and had their African character ripped out of them, would black men be in their present state? This question along with others should be the focus of LaShaun’s investigation instead of spewing negative racial stereotypes about black men. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhBctYVbzI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Lll0lKivlIY/s1600/aidaLO.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhBctYVbzI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Lll0lKivlIY/s200/aidaLO.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532744103698460466" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Her assertions are just as offensive as the premise of the Broadway musical Aida, which tells a love story between a “white” Kemite and a black Nubian. The hidden message of LaShaun’s article parallels this play in that it conveys the idea that there aren’t any black men good enough for black women so a white man must come to their rescue. We’ve seen this theme played out in literature and in films countless times and it is damaging to the psyche of all who buy into it. For this reason and numerous others, such messages stigmatizing black men and women need to stop.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Unfortunately they aren’t, because following LaShaun’s article came numerous black relationship cartoons appearing all over YouTube. However, the difference in the messages of these videos is that they mostly demonized the characters of black women with few shots also taken at black men. They painted black women as demanding, unrealistic, overbearing, hostile, gold-digging individuals who make extremely bad decisions when it comes to their partners. While the cartoons are hilarious to watch, they can serve as thought provoking educational tools to foster positive dialogue between the sexes in the black community. Sadly, I feel they do more harm than good because the subject matter of many of these videos opens painful old wounds for many viewers and are just too offensive on many other levels. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhF9OYuJAI/AAAAAAAAAKw/oxjEONDQJ9o/s1600/Jawn+Murray+Headshot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhF9OYuJAI/AAAAAAAAAKw/oxjEONDQJ9o/s200/Jawn+Murray+Headshot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532749060360774658" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhGKZ-z1RI/AAAAAAAAAK4/Id0qUKFFW6U/s1600/Willie+Lynch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhGKZ-z1RI/AAAAAAAAAK4/Id0qUKFFW6U/s200/Willie+Lynch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532749286811620626" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >To add more fuel to the gender war bonfire, Entertainment reporter, Jawn Murray escalated the attack on black women with his Don Imus like comments about black women. As a black man I am ashamed of this journalist. How can black people improve their social, economic and political standing in the world if the males in the group are degrading the females? Such actions are becoming so prevalent in the black community that women from other races are placed on much higher pedestals than black women. This was the main focus of Demetria Lucas’ article in the November issue of Essence. Boyce Watkins fed into this circumstance in his response to LaShaun’s article. Such disrespect for black women by black men opens up the gates for other ethnic groups to do the same. This friction among black men and women perpetuates the social engineering of “The Willy Lynch Letter” to which enslaved Africans were subjected for hundreds of years. If black men don’t defend and value black women, then who will? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >This present circumstance is a far cry from the way the ancient Kemites viewed the relationship between men and women. For them, males and females were divine compliments that could not exist without one another. They recognized that all things in creation had both male and feminine aspects which provided the balance that governed the universe. As a result, it was important for man and woman, who were the microcosmic reflection of the macrocosm (the creator) to work together in harmony. This understanding is something that is easily recognizable in studying the social order of ancient Kemet. The roles served by men and women in the society and within the family were interchangeable and at times the same. This order fascinated visitors to ancient Kemet such as the Greek historian Herodotus. In her essay on women’s rights in ancient Kemet, in “African Women in Antiquity, Beatrice Lump quotes Herodotus stating the following, “The Egyptians themselves, in their manners and customs seem to have reversed the ordinary practices of mankind. For instance, women attend market and are employed at trade, while men stay at home and do the weaving.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhG7H2jpgI/AAAAAAAAALA/tHCZJJvj_1U/s1600/osiris-and-isis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TMhG7H2jpgI/AAAAAAAAALA/tHCZJJvj_1U/s320/osiris-and-isis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532750123758757378" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Even during times of war the African man and woman of ancient Kemet supported each other to the very end. During Kemet’s revolutionary war to oust the invading Hyksos from the land, it was Queen Aahotep who fought with her husband and even after he was killed on the battlefield, she still continued the fight until her people were liberated. Such love and devotion between men and women were prevalent throughout ancient Kemet. The love that Ramessess II had for his chief wife Nefertari is testament to that. He loved her so much that he built a temple dedicated to her, and the tomb were she was buried was so lavishly decorated that it is considered the most beautiful one in Kemet today. This template of how African men and women can relate to one another is currently missing from the historical memory banks of the vast majority of the population. As indicated by Wayen Chandler in “Ancient Future,” the rise of male patriarchy has played a detrimental role in the friction that plagues gender relations today. However, if the lessons left by the ancient Kemites are remembered and adopted to modern times, then the relationships between African men and women can be repaired and shared with the entire world to create societies where egalitarianism or Ma’at dictates the social order. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >In closing I would like to share the final remarks of Dr. Ivan Van Sertima in a 1991 interview conducted by Dr. Kwaku Lynn, “One has to see in what way the new historical information that can heal or help heal the black psyche can be used to help the family……To think this historical information stands as a separate area of knowledge and that it can only peripherally impinge on relationships is not true. It’s just that nobody could come and map out your relationship for you. They can give you certain information that can change your consciousness. A changed consciousness automatically remaps its relationships.” Thank you for reading. </span></p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Sources:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >“8 Reasons to date a White Man,” <a href="http://madamenoire.com/22660/8-reasons-to-date-a-white-man-30188/">http://madamenoire.com/22660/8-reasons-to-date-a-white-man-30188/</a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >“8 Reasons you might consider dating a white woman,” <a href="http://madamenoire.com/23370/8-reasons-you-might-consider-dating-a-white-woman-22222/">http://madamenoire.com/23370/8-reasons-you-might-consider-dating-a-white-woman-22222/</a> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Reporter Jawn Murray Calls Black Women Militant and Nappy Headed: <a href="http://www.forharriet.com/2010/10/reporter-jawn-murray-calls-black-women.html">http://www.forharriet.com/2010/10/reporter-jawn-murray-calls-black-women.html</a> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Lucas, Demetria L., “Us vs Them,” “Essence,” November 2010</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Chandler</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >, Wayne B., “Ancient Future, The Teachings and Prophetic Wisdom of the Seven Hermetic Laws of Ancient Egypt,” Black Classic Press, 1999</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Van Sertima, Ivan, “Black Women in Antiquity,” Journal of African Civilizations, 1984</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Van Sertima, Ivan, “Egypt Child of Africa,” Journal of African Civilizations, 1994</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Black Marriage Negotiations: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb3XLBKq4NE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb3XLBKq4NE</a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Black Marriage Negotiations (Woman’s Perspective): <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oXsUVWnrTQ&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oXsUVWnrTQ&feature=related</a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Black Marriage Negotiations Pt. II: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mHoTmSdrkY&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mHoTmSdrkY&feature=related</a> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Miseducation of the Black man – What do women want?: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBhz1cK_f9A">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBhz1cK_f9A</a> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Dating The Modern Mid-Twenties Black Man: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFneIlFXPEk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFneIlFXPEk</a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Black Dating in a Hip Hop Society: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uehF-S5UB_g">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uehF-S5UB_g</a></span></span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-52947182777536538232010-10-09T00:34:00.009-04:002010-10-09T12:27:15.486-04:00Footage from Kemet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TLCWZbeIuuI/AAAAAAAAAKA/UxeezwMiUYY/s1600/DSC00692.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TLCWZbeIuuI/AAAAAAAAAKA/UxeezwMiUYY/s200/DSC00692.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526082106398653154" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">In my previous post, I discussed my experiences during my first trip to Kemet.<span style=""> </span>I was able to take video footage of some very enlightening things. Since one of my reasons for going there was to bring back as much knowledge as possible, it is my objective to share it with everyone. Below are the videos which need no explanation. I will let them speak for themselves.</p><br /><br />Visit to a Nubian Village<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kJaA5ASgqTQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kJaA5ASgqTQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Visit to a Nubian Village Part II<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zuNriye76do?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zuNriye76do?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Luxor Temple<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UbA17ezc5Lo?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UbA17ezc5Lo?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Luxor Temple Part II<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DWxfKsbw0sU?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DWxfKsbw0sU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Luxor Temple Part III<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vBKRO13Wuoo?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vBKRO13Wuoo?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Karnak Temple<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6AXxPxyftX4?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6AXxPxyftX4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Karnak Temple Part II<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R5Qw8MWxA9w?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R5Qw8MWxA9w?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Karnak Temple Part III<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gDDxZptnaqU?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gDDxZptnaqU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />"Each truth you learn will be, for you, as new as if it had never been written."XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-18096666753588760392010-10-05T01:04:00.030-04:002010-10-05T11:33:01.086-04:00My First Trip to Kemet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrEcXgWr7I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/13oHM0gk9iY/s1600/DSC00202.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrEcXgWr7I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/13oHM0gk9iY/s320/DSC00202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524443884548435890" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Before I begin my latest offering, I would like to apologize to all the Udjat readers for my long hiatus. The desire and the topics to write about was there, but the time wasn't. Unfortunately, heavy traveling this past summer kept me too busy to write as often as I would like, hopefully this latest offering makes up for that. I hope you enjoy.<br /><br />For students of African history, a trip to ancient Kemet is consider a holy pilgrimage back to the land of their mothers and fathers. This past August I had just that opportunity, and it was as if I had traveled back in time. While your scholarship may have educated you tremendously about ancient Kemet and its great accomplishments, personally witnessing what is left behind is the ultimate capstone to one’s studies.<span style=""> </span>After journeying through the land, visiting all the monuments and interacting with the local people, I feel that I have garnered an invaluable multi-dimensional education that expands and reshapes my consciousness. With much conviction, I can assert that all people of the diaspora should one day make a pilgrimage to Kemet, the home of their ancestors. </span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >For me, this trip was the culmination of a year’s worth of planning. I delved deep into my study of African history and learned a great deal about the significance of ancient Kemet. I then decided that I had to see all that I read for myself because my world view and core values were being reshaped and I needed to confirm all that I was learning. I initially planned to make the journey alone, but my younger sister, Cheryll, was interested in going to Kemet as well, so she assumed the tedious task of planning the trip. LOL. The plan was to spend two weeks in the country and see as many monuments as possible.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq7bVke8ZI/AAAAAAAAAHY/xv_oC9J1hQA/s1600/DSC00027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq7bVke8ZI/AAAAAAAAAHY/xv_oC9J1hQA/s320/DSC00027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524433971244364178" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >We left New York on Friday, August 13<sup>th</sup> and arrived the following afternoon. After resting for the first day, the next morning our adventure began with a visit to the Egyptian museum. Touring this site first was a great way to begin the trip because the information our guide provided served as a brief overview of Kemetic history. While it was great to see so many beautiful pieces, we were disappointed that visitors weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the museum. Our next stop on the tour was visiting the pyramid tomb of King Teti, the founder of the 6<sup>th</sup> dynasty from the Old Kingdom. We subsequently saw the tomb of his wife Queen Ipwet. While her tomb was better preserved, his pyramid looked more like a mountain of sand and rubble because it has deteriorated after its limestone casing was removed. We then closed out our first day with trips to a papyrus shop and an essential oil shop to see how these products were made. Sales pitch accompanied the lessons which we rejected since we realized that these stops were tourist traps.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq8UBPaXdI/AAAAAAAAAHg/aJ__uk_-o2c/s1600/IMG_0625.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq8UBPaXdI/AAAAAAAAAHg/aJ__uk_-o2c/s320/IMG_0625.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524434945039818194" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >On day two of the trip, we went to visit the Giza Plateau to see the Mrkhuty (pyramids). While I had done substantial reading about these structures, nothing prepared me for the imposing monuments masterminded by these ancient architects. The exposed inner blocks of the structures served as a testament to the ingenuity and the advance engineering of the ancient Kemites. This statement is also applicable to the Sphinx (Hor-Em-Ahket) which is a living example of negative architecture. After spending the majority of our day in Giza, we made our way to Saqqara to visit the Imhotep Museum and King Djoser’s step pyramid. It was surreal to witness the world’s first stone skyscraper and the template which led to the great pyramids we saw earlier that day.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq8nTuLORI/AAAAAAAAAHo/65c7c2nKogQ/s1600/DSC00283.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq8nTuLORI/AAAAAAAAAHo/65c7c2nKogQ/s320/DSC00283.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524435276418201874" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Day three was the last of our stay in Lower Kemet, so we spent the day visiting Coptic Cairo where we visited The Hanging Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the Monastery and Church of St. George. These buildings had exotic sculptures of saints and Christian paintings. We wanted to visit some of the early Islamic mosques in the area, but due to Ramadan they were all closed to tourists as well as the Coptic Museum. One interesting thing we learned from visiting this area is that Christians and Moslems coexist peacefully. This shattered my assumption that followers of Islam were intolerant of Christianity. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >At the close of our last day in Cairo, we traveled south to Aswan but made a brief stop in Luxor to meet Kemetologist, Anthony T. Browder, for a private tour of newly discovered tombs from the 25<sup>th</sup> and 26<sup>th</sup> dynasties. Earlier in the year, I donated to the Asa Restoration Project which is why I was granted a private tour of the site. It was fascinating to learn about the discovery of the tombs yet upsetting to see the destruction perpetrated by the tomb robbers. Seeing the type of painstaking and tedious labor it takes to restore the site really put in perspective how much this effort needs to be supported. <span style=""> </span>Anthony did a great job of explaining the significance of the find and how important it is to African people that the excavation be financed. We met several African American members of the team and heard their testimonials as to what brought them Kemet. In sharing my testimonial, Atlantis Browder asked me what I was doing with all the knowledge I was accumulating on African history. I explained my involvement with the Center for the Restoration of Ma’at along with my support of other African centered organizations. However, after meditating on that conversation later on, I realized that the most important thing anyone regardless of background can do with this knowledge is change one’s self. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq9Heh6_OI/AAAAAAAAAHw/kgpmKBbCLXU/s1600/DSC00322.JPG"><br /></a></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrCJK2EtfI/AAAAAAAAAJI/Ng0wWp5tDYw/s1600/IMG_0745.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrCJK2EtfI/AAAAAAAAAJI/Ng0wWp5tDYw/s320/IMG_0745.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524441355709101554" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrCZnWZoFI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/uxlhz58Ry2c/s1600/IMG_0747.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrCZnWZoFI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/uxlhz58Ry2c/s320/IMG_0747.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524441638238789714" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >After leaving the excavation site in Luxor, we arrived in Aswan late that night and started early the next day at 3:00 a.m. to visit Abu Simbel three and a half hours away. On that ride, we witnessed a beautiful sun rise which the Kemites would have classified as Khepera on the rise. Like The Sphinx and the pyramids, the two temples at Abu Simbel were monumental and imposing structures. However, they were much more lavishly designed and decorated with beautiful inscriptions. It was easy to see the progression of Egyptian art from the Old Kingdom to that of the New Kingdom during the time of the eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq9kKQfBbI/AAAAAAAAAH4/5JOmclBy9_4/s1600/DSC00375.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq9kKQfBbI/AAAAAAAAAH4/5JOmclBy9_4/s320/DSC00375.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524436321849771442" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrCudi38nI/AAAAAAAAAJY/UXcLc-m0N0s/s1600/DSC00374.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrCudi38nI/AAAAAAAAAJY/UXcLc-m0N0s/s320/DSC00374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524441996384006770" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >We left Abu Simbel and later on that day visited the Aswan market to shop for souvenirs. Although the vendors were very friendly and hospitable, we quickly learned that you must vigorously negotiate every transaction to avoid being ripped off.<span style=""> </span>Majority of the vendors offered us hibiscus tea once we walked into their shops.<span style=""> </span>They asked us where we were from, and joked with us about any and everything. It was interesting to learn that Aswan was populated predominantly by Nubians. They were much darker, looked more like us, and they therefore assumed that we were natives.<span style=""> </span>Their temperament was much more laid back and easy going compared to that of the modern day Egyptians we interacted with in the north. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq-EryJ3UI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QNGowqh8a50/s1600/DSC00427.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq-EryJ3UI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QNGowqh8a50/s320/DSC00427.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524436880605175106" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >On our second day in Aswan, we visited Philae Island to see the Temple of Aset (Isis). Its location out on the Nile (Hapi) added a serene effect to its beautiful design. Sadly, it was upsetting to see how the site was vandalized by early Christians. We later learned this was the norm during the rise of early Christianity as it began sweeping through ancient Kemet. Later we capped off our day with a Faluka boat ride and visited several islands on the Nile. Our Faluka boat captains actually knew Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannan and Ashra Kwesi. We had an enlightening talk about how they met each of them and all the times they visited Kemet with study tours. The final stop of our ride was a tour of a Nubian village. It was a phenomenal experience walking through the area and seeing how the people lived. While the prevalence of poverty was very apparent, the people appeared very happy and at peace. We met a Nubian brother who had a beautiful spirit, and he allowed us to interview him on camera to learn more about Nubian culture. Although these Nubians live a simple life, it is quite remarkable how happy they are compared to us Westerners who have so much but are far more miserable. This encounter served as a great reminder that we should not take the comfort and luxuries we have for granted. <span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrC_x85G1I/AAAAAAAAAJg/mg2A-BeaHrg/s1600/DSC00519.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrC_x85G1I/AAAAAAAAAJg/mg2A-BeaHrg/s320/DSC00519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524442293919619922" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrDQgKj5iI/AAAAAAAAAJo/dVsXIkZ8mBs/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrDQgKj5iI/AAAAAAAAAJo/dVsXIkZ8mBs/s320/IMG_0826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524442581202888226" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKq-jVsfJVI/AAAAAAAAAII/VeZqsQ807w4/s1600/DSC00519.JPG"><br /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >The following day we left Aswan early in the morning to return to Luxor. We arrived early and made the best of our time by visiting both Luxor and Karnak Temples. Since so many different rulers built expansions to each of these temples, our tour was like a walk through several different eras of Kemetic history. We were able to see monuments at each site from the nation’s imperial age to the Greco-Roman and Christian era to the Moslem period. Subsequently, it was easy to see the marks left by each foreigner whether it was constructive of destructive. One of the most surprising things I learned was that early Christians at one point lived in the temples and later turned them into churches. They also began covering up the Medu Neter with plaster and painted their own images on the walls and even began building their churches in the same fashion as Kemetic temples. Both temple complexes had numerous examples of vandalism perpetuated by early Christians and early Moslems. This information was relayed to us in great details by tour guides at each site. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrAYzvoTgI/AAAAAAAAAIo/tB8CZm7ZK7o/s1600/DSC00746.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrAYzvoTgI/AAAAAAAAAIo/tB8CZm7ZK7o/s320/DSC00746.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524439425362710018" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrDtjVH_QI/AAAAAAAAAJw/o0cy3GxKQZs/s1600/DSC00565.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrDtjVH_QI/AAAAAAAAAJw/o0cy3GxKQZs/s320/DSC00565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524443080268709122" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >On our second day in Luxor, we visited the Valley of the Kings. There we entered the tombs of two of the Ramesides and Tuthmosis III. The grandeur with which these tombs were decorated evidenced the spirituality of the ancient Khamites and the high regard they had for the afterlife. Vibrant, colorful images covered almost every inch of the tombs, leaving you in a state of awe. We then visited Queen Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple which was built with the same flamboyance. It was so finely constructed that it looks as if it was built just yesterday, and this is after it was vandalized and robbed. Throughout its chambers, it was clear to see the vandalism that might have taken place under Tuthmosis III. <span style=""> </span>This was a sad reminder that for all their greatness even the ancient Kemites had problems and internal strife. Hatshepsut’s temple turned out to be the final site we would see during our trip. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrAqbtqa-I/AAAAAAAAAIw/Q_UQWmSmc24/s1600/DSC00788.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrAqbtqa-I/AAAAAAAAAIw/Q_UQWmSmc24/s320/DSC00788.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524439728149654498" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrA8JouCQI/AAAAAAAAAI4/iIi5tCXAJ6Q/s1600/DSC00789.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrA8JouCQI/AAAAAAAAAI4/iIi5tCXAJ6Q/s320/DSC00789.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524440032534726914" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >I wanted to visit the temples of Eduf, Abydos and Denderah, but my sister was burned out and asked “how many temples can I look at?” LOL. We decided to go to the city of Hurghada on the Red Sea to finish our vacation in a more relaxing fashion. To get to Hurghada, we took a bus ride through the desert which made for a very interesting and thought provoking experience. The vastness of the desert made it seem like an ocean of sand, yet there were times our bus drove through very intimidating and eerie mountainous areas. However, the view was so divine and magnificent that my sister said she could feel the presence of God. Seeing the vastness of the desert and the mountainous regions put me in a state of deep contemplation. I thought, “ancient Kemet was so great that despite these obstacles many nations from Western Asia still invaded them for what they had.” </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrBccn7gzI/AAAAAAAAAJA/r6Y1TIr3m_w/s1600/DSC00845.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TKrBccn7gzI/AAAAAAAAAJA/r6Y1TIr3m_w/s320/DSC00845.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524440587387503410" border="0" /></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >In Hurghada we stayed at a hotel directly on the beach front of the Red Sea. It was shocking to find that the entire beach front was owned by Russians and that we were the only black people staying in the hotel. Surprisingly, that was to our benefit because the Egyptian staff treated us exceptionally well because of our skin color. How ironic that my first week back in the states, I was pulled over by police officers in my own neighborhood in front of my own house for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Nevertheless, even though the atmosphere made us feel like we were no longer in Africa but rather somewhere in Europe, we had an enjoyable stay. It was interesting swimming in the Red Sea after reading about it in the Bible as a child growing up. My sister then asked, “Isn’t this the sea that God parted?” I was awed by its vastness which made me ask, “How could thousands of people have crossed this on foot and outrun an entire army.” Upon my return to the states the latest book I read answered that question. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Now, it is often said that visiting Africa and Egypt in particular changes you forever. I can testify that this is an accurate assertion. While reading about the nation can educate one’s mind a great deal,<span style=""> </span>seeing the monuments built by the Kemites in person is the only way to fully understand their greatness. To paraphrase Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, you learn that these are a people who did not settle for mediocrity. As a result, since we are their descendants, neither should we. For me, this realization reinforces the understanding that Africans still have much work to do to resurrect themselves and regain their place of prominence on the world stage. Subsequently, you also learn that people such as the modern day Egyptians are just as miseducated about their true history as Africans of the diaspora. From speaking with many of the guides and the locals, you understand that they believe their ancestors are responsible for the splendors of ancient Kemet. You then recognize that the other daunting task to accomplish globally is getting the colonizers to admit that the ancient Kemites were “black African people” and our black brothers and sisters to accept this fact with pride rather than shame. </span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: times new roman;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:times new roman;">This reshaping and reawakening of consciousness is an important step for the preservation and improvement of especially black people across the globe. By living within the context of truth and historical reality, humanity can work towards being the divine vessels of the creator. Since returning home I have been in a state of slight depression due to the realization that we should not be living life the way we currently are. I also feel that I have graduated to a higher state of consciousness. I am now able to interpret certain scenes and imagery from Kemetic art on a level that I was not able to do before.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">It is as if a third eye has opened within me. This is what my trip to Kemet has done for me. It has provided knowledge, insight, and lessons that none of my readings could accomplish. An ancient Kemetic proverb states it best, “True learning is not an accumulation of knowledge; it is an awaking of consciousness which goes through successive stages.” Thank you for reading.</span><br /></span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-84834881217799158342010-09-26T21:07:00.003-04:002010-09-26T21:13:51.022-04:00Burial Chamber Discovered by 1st American African Egyptology Expedition!<p><strong>African American Involvement In The Recent Discoveries Of An Egyptian Tomb</strong></p>*The following blog/press release was published on Sept 17, 2010. It was forwarded to the Udjat by <span class="email">Jonathan Pourzal of the ASA Project*</span><p>September 17, 2010 / I-Newswire</p> <div id="attachment_570" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px;"><a href="http://asaprojectblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC00613_.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-570" title="DSC00613_" src="http://asaprojectblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC00613_-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Anthony and Atlantis in Karakhamun’s burial chamber. </p></div> <p>On September 15, the Egyptian Minister of Culture announced the discovery of an Egyptian tomb “found by Egyptian-American team” <em>(www.dr.hawass.com).</em> The discovery of the burial chamber of a 25<sup>th</sup> Dynasty priest named Karakhamun was lead by Dr. Elena Pischikova As with any archeological discovery, one often has to dig deep in order to find hidden treasure.</p> <p>The hidden treasure in the announcement of this discovery is that the one of the American members of the “Egyptian-American team” is noted African American historian and author, Anthony Browder, who has financed the excavation of the tomb since 2008.</p> <p>Mr. Browder met Dr. Pischikova in Egypt in 2008 while he was conducting research for a new book. She gave him a private tour of the tomb and discussed its historical relevance to African Americans. Dr. Pischikova said that she may have to end the excavation because of a lack of finding and lamented the fact that traditional funding institutions were not interested in the 25<sup>th</sup> Dynasty because it was black African.</p> <p>Understanding the historical significance of this discovery, Mr. Browder made a commitment to assist Dr. Pischikova. In 2008, Browder founded the <em>ASA Restoration Project</em>, a non-profit corporation, to raise funds for the continued excavation of the tomb and to promote awareness of Karakhamun and the 25<sup>th</sup> Dynasty. <em>The ASA Restoration Project</em> is named in honor of noted African American psychologist and historian Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, III.</p> <div id="attachment_571" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 260px;"><a href="http://asaprojectblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/TonyElena.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-571" title="TonyElena" src="http://asaprojectblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/TonyElena.png" alt="" width="250" height="187" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Anthony and Dr. Pischikova discuss the importance of their find.</p></div> <p>In 2009 and 2010, the Asa Restoration Project sponsored three teams of African Americans to work at the excavation site during the summer excavation season. Dr. Pischikova has acknowledged that without the support of Mr. Browder and the <em>ASA Restoration Project</em> this year’s discoveries would not have occurred.</p> <p>Anthony Browder has made 45 trips to Egypt since 1980 and has been conducting study tours there since 1987. He is the author of 6 books, including <em>From the Browder File </em>and<em> Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization</em>. In 1989 Browder took his seven year-old daughter Atlantis on one of his study tours and they co-authored her first book <em>My First Trip to Africa</em> when she was eight. In August, Anthony and his daughter became the first African Americans to enter the burial chamber of Karakhamun where they spent a week excavating and photographing the contents of the burial chamber.</p> <p>For more information on Mr. Browder and the ASA Restoration Project visit <a href="http://www.ikg-info.com/">www.IKG-info.com</a>.</p><p><span class="email"><br /></span></p>Nfr Ka Ma'athttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09632245027677559308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-10208700751696083622010-08-14T10:23:00.000-04:002010-08-14T10:23:46.799-04:00I am Egypt: The Ankh Ceremony<a href="http://iamegypt.blogspot.com/2010/07/ankh-ceremony.html?spref=bl">I am Egypt: The Ankh Ceremony</a>: "Yesterday was a day to remember. I feel privileged to have been invited to my friends' Ankh Ceremony where they received their Priesthood A..."Nfr Ka Ma'athttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09632245027677559308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-26850879669073881312010-07-15T21:39:00.006-04:002010-07-15T22:06:10.652-04:00NEW KEYS TO KEMET’S HISTORY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TD--eQ9MNNI/AAAAAAAAAG4/ZpGAYQnMbts/s1600/Kemet+Trinity.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TD--eQ9MNNI/AAAAAAAAAG4/ZpGAYQnMbts/s320/Kemet+Trinity.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494319497572267218" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Last month the BBC reported advancement in radio carbon dating which aided in verifying the historical chronology of ancient Kemet. The process showed the accuracy of the Old, Middle and New Kingdom’s timelines. This development is monumental since the dating of events is a problem of great controversy in Egyptology. This improvement in radio carbon dating will hopefully settle disputes over the Genesis of dynastic Kemet’s history and other points of contention. <o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-family: times new roman; text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >For readers not familiar with radio carbon dating, it is the “method of determining the age of organic materials by measuring the amount of radioactive decay of an </span><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-isotope.html"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none;color:#000000;" >isotope</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > of carbon, carbon-14 (C14).”<span style=""> </span>This method of dating objects from ancient Kemet has been implemented for a long time but it has been plagued with many errors. However, with the efforts of </span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >researchers from the UK, France, Austria and Israel, a very precise statistical technique was used to improve the process. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman; text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >Some of the oldest writings cataloguing ancient Kemet’s history are the Tablet of Karnak, the Tablet of Abydos, the Tablet of Saqqara, the Papyrus of Turin and the chronology of the famous African scholar-priest Manetho. Under the Greek ruler Ptolemy I, Manetho was commissioned to write a complete history of Kemet which was titled Aegyptiaca. It was Manetho that divided the various rulers of Kemet’s history into thirty dynasties. Unfortunately, much of this work was lost and only fragments of it have survived in the writing of classical writers such as Jewish historian Josephus and Christian historian Julius Africanus. Contemporary scholars have aimed to detail Kemet’s history, however, </span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >depending on what publication one reads, numerous dates will be presented as the beginning of Kemet’s dynastic era. T</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >he new carbon dating process can now be used to put everyone on the same page and help fill in the gaps when it comes to Kemet’s history, drawing us closer to viewing its astounding legacy in its totality.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman; text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TD-7fmJbv0I/AAAAAAAAAGg/2kLPwX3nZGM/s1600/step_pyramid.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 130px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TD-7fmJbv0I/AAAAAAAAAGg/2kLPwX3nZGM/s200/step_pyramid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494316221905747778" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >The BBC report gave specific examples of the accuracy of the new discovery. 211 diverse samples were accurately dated from multiple museum collections.<span style=""> </span>Samples from the tomb of Tutankhamun were accurately dated along with “seeds from a room underneath the Saqqara step pyramid dated to a specific year of the reign of King Zoser.” It was even calculated that Zoser’s reign on the throne of Kemet lasted from “2691 to roughly 2625 B.C.E.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman; text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TD-8OJqtm_I/AAAAAAAAAGw/nsR_MR8Q7_I/s1600/Sphinx.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TD-8OJqtm_I/AAAAAAAAAGw/nsR_MR8Q7_I/s200/Sphinx.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494317021714553842" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >While this development is new excitement for students of Kemetic history, I am curious as to what else can it confirm for us? One issue of contention that also needs clarification is when was Hor-m-akhet (The Sphinx) built. Some scholars argue that it was constructed by Kufu or Khafre during the fourth dynasty around 2500 B.C.E.<span style=""> </span>Others argue that it was built long before the dynastic period and is actually 10,000 years or more old. In Ivan Van Sertima’s “Egypt Child of Africa,” there is an essay by historian Manu Ampin titled “Redating the Sphinx.” Here, the author presents several arguments by multiple researchers calling for an earlier dating for the creation of Hor-m-akhet. Based on the erosion of the rocks that comprise the monument, it is possible that it was built prior to a time when the Giza area was subject to much precipitation. This hypothesis has yet to be confirmed but hopefully the new advancements in radiocarbon dating can verify its validity. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >This discovery would give us a greater view of the scope of Ancient Kemet’s history and development. It would also allow us to view the evolution of Kemetic philosophy and spirituality. Since Hor-m-akhet is as a symbolic structure, knowing when it was built provides clarity on ancient Kemetic thought.<span style=""> </span>In an interview African-centered scholar Asa G. Hilliared explains that the further we look back into Kemet’s history, the better are its philosophical and spiritual thoughts. It is thus imperative that we continue to get as close to the original concepts as possible to perceive Kemet’s many concepts in their proper context. After all, even the Kemites recognized this fact and left us with the proverb, “Popular beliefs on essential matters must be examined in order to discover the original thought. “ Thank you for reading.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><o:p></o:p>Sources:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Radiocarbon dating verifies ancient Egypt's history: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10345875.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10345875.stm</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Egypt: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2008: <a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Egypt.aspx#1E1-Egypt">http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Egypt.aspx#1E1-Egypt</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Carbon Dating: <a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-carbondating.html">http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-carbondating.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" ><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Van Sertima, Ivan, 1994 “Egypt Child of Africa,” New Brunswick, NJ, Transaction Publishers</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-25484155317527497542010-06-13T19:10:00.013-04:002010-07-08T23:31:22.639-04:00DISTANT RELATIVES: A CALL TO AFRICAN CONSCIOUSNESS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVpTvzwMxI/AAAAAAAAAFI/Vs4Wka1-oX8/s1600/Damian-Marley-Nas-Distant-Relatives.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVpTvzwMxI/AAAAAAAAAFI/Vs4Wka1-oX8/s320/Damian-Marley-Nas-Distant-Relatives.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482403909365412626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:";" >Historian John Henrik Clarke says as an artist, you are supposed to use your art to change the world. Throughout their musical careers Rap artist Nas and Reggae artist Damian Marley have used their craft for that purpose.<span style=""> </span>Being two men concerned with the upliftment of their people and the betterment of the world, it is quite logical for them to unite for their common cause. The duo first worked together on the track “Road to Zion” for Damian’s 2005 album “Welcome to Jamrock.” Because of the success they had with that record they agreed to team up for a full length studio album. After a year and half of recording, they offered the world the phenomenal “Distant Relatives” On May 18<sup>th</sup> this year.<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVp7G42mgI/AAAAAAAAAFY/lB9ukM9hb5M/s1600/KNAAN.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 172px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVp7G42mgI/AAAAAAAAAFY/lB9ukM9hb5M/s200/KNAAN.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482404585575717378" border="0" /></a><span style="">This monumental work can be viewed as a continuation, synthesis and or amalgamation of their previous albums. The LP is a conceptual recording centered on issues and information pertinent to African people of the Diaspora. The production of the album was primarily handled by Damian who created head-nodding instrumentals that truly captures the sounds of Africa. This album is significant because here we have two high profile artists presenting information to the world that is not really discussed in mainstream media. For instance the second track of the album “Tribes at War” discusses the intra-racial friction amongst black people all over the globe. Fueled by the heavy drum samples of the beat Nas opens up the track with the lines “Man what happened to us?/ Geographically they moved us from Africa/ We was once happiness pursuers/ <span style=""> </span>Now we backstabbing. Combative and abusive.” This track also features Somalian rapper K’naan who offers an impressive verse on his understanding of the root of the problem.</span><br /><span style=""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVrDoNRF4I/AAAAAAAAAFg/F9IxdQhP5oU/s1600/stephen+marley10617.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVrDoNRF4I/AAAAAAAAAFg/F9IxdQhP5oU/s200/stephen+marley10617.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482405831470290818" border="0" /></a><span style="">The follow up to “Tribes at War” is the high energy and adrenaline pumping “Only the Strong will Continue.” This track is one of the many high points of the album and one of my personal favorites. Damian and Nas each perform two inspiring and powerful verses that motivate listeners to be their best selves no matter the challenges faced in life. Damian gives such profound advice as “The victory is found in truth/ Like innocence found in youth/ Self defeat is your own dispute/ And when you put yourself in your own shoes/ It’s either you’re winning or losing/ Don’t get it confused/ cause you’re starring inna your own movie.” This track is ideal for fueling the revolutionary spirit in anyone motivated to change the world for the better. The ideal follow up to this song is “Leaders” featuring Stephan Marley. Here Nas discuss the prominence of various types of leaders that exist in the black community. From famous street hustlers, to gangsters such as Bumpy Johnson to revolutionary messiahs Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X, Nas points out their importance while Stephan sings the chorus calling for our leaders to change the world.</span><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="">To continue the inspiration and positive energy that motivates the album songs such as “Friends” and “Count Your Blessings” respectively discuss the challenges in maintaining trustworthy friendships and keeping a positive world view regardless of one’s unfortunate circumstances. The song “Dispear” (yes that is the actual spelling of the song) which follows is another highlight of the album. The topic at hand is the role of supremacy played by the world’s wealthy elites and the role of servitude or the exploited played by the general masses of the globe. Nas and Damian explain that this arrangement leads to despair among people in the so-called lower classes and that the mind is a modern day spear or weapon to combat these circumstances. <span style=""> </span>Nas drops thought provoking lines such as, “The Masters/ The Wall Street War Chiefs/ The Elitist Groups/<span style=""> </span>The Masses/ They pray Jesus/ Saying he will see us through/ The masters are the aristocratic/ The masses/ ask if the Most High is on his way here/ I’m trying to stay clear/ My mind is my modern day spear.” This song is then closed out by Damian with a very impressive verse detailing the destructive behavior that is a direct result of life’s despair.</span><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVsfYTYFUI/AAAAAAAAAFw/TzQhZX0zU-Y/s1600/RBG_Africa.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVsfYTYFUI/AAAAAAAAAFw/TzQhZX0zU-Y/s200/RBG_Africa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482407407748912450" border="0" /></a><span style="">The duo subsequently follows “Dispair” with the imaginative “Land of Promise.” In each of their verses Damian and Nas share their fantasies about a prosperous and developed Africa and comparing this vision to different parts of the United States and the affluence of its people. Damian sings “Imagine Lagos like Las Vegas/ The ballers dem a ball/ Angola like Atlanta/ A pure plane take off/ Bush Gardens inna Mali/ Chicago inna Chad/ Magic Kingdom inna Egypt/ Philadelphia in Sudan.” Nas compliments this vision with lines such as “Promised Land I picture Porches/ Basquiat Portraits/ Pinky Rings/<span style=""> </span>Realistic princesses/ Heiresses/ Bunch a Kings and Queens/<span style=""> </span>Plus I picture fortunes for kids out in Port-Au-Prince.” Such imagery is great motivation for Afrocentrics who are working to restore Africa to its position of prominence in ancient times. Nas lets us know that this goal is definitely attainable.</span><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="">Damian and Nas take their creativity further with the spiritual “In His Own Words.” Here they tackle the way the creator works in our lives from an African-centered perspective. Throughout the song they present African philosophy which teaches that the essence and power of the Creator resides in all things in existence and the importance of living in harmony and balance with all of creation. Damian drives these points home with the lines, “Help who help themselves/ Jah no raffle dream/ That’s why me chubby with Jah Jah like a Cherubim/ Keep me strong through the winter like an evergreen/ And all of us are more connected than it ever seemed/ All things are related/ And creation is a package/ Generate together/ And we increase the wattage.” Such lessons are important for all people to know because this understanding is essential to putting a stop to the self-destructive course the world is currently on.</span><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVtsO6hC7I/AAAAAAAAAGA/2KXjly-RgWE/s1600/nas-damian-marley_distant_relatives.jpeg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 182px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVtsO6hC7I/AAAAAAAAAGA/2KXjly-RgWE/s320/nas-damian-marley_distant_relatives.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482408728078650290" border="0" /></a><span style="">The album progresses to its climax where Nas and Damian present more insightful lessons with the skills of master teachers on the powerful “Patience.” Infused with emotional and soulful production the song’s lyrics deliver the most thought provoking and beautiful poetry of the LP. Here they cover a lot of ground as they discuss hypocrisy in the world, pointing out the misuse and abuse of funds by world governments, the raping and exploitation of Africa, media bias and the miseducation of the masses. Damian stands out on this track with his best performance sharing pungent lines such as “Some of the smartest dummies/ can’t read the language of Egyptian mummies/ An a fly go a Moon. And can’t find food for the starving tummies/ Pay no mind to the youths/ Cause it’s not like the future depends on it / But save the animals in the zoo/ Cause the chimpanzee dem a make big money/ This is how the media pillages/ on TV the picture is/ Savages in villages.” The words of this song can be viewed as controversial or radical however it addresses topics that are being ignored on the world; and these are issues that need to be discussed and acted on to improve life for everyone on the planet.</span><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-family: times new roman;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVwLuQ3K4I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/Pdu27Mvuhus/s1600/lil-wayne-bm01.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/TBVwLuQ3K4I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/Pdu27Mvuhus/s320/lil-wayne-bm01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482411468093074306" border="0" /></a><span style="">After such a profound performance the album concludes with “My Generation” and “Africa Must Wake Up.” “My Generation” serves as a message to the current generation that they will be the ones to change the world. This track features singer Joss Stone and LiL Wayne who is leader of the new generation of rappers and a favorite of the current generation. In his performance Wayne exhibits a level of worldly consciousness and positivity never before seen in his music. On “Africa Must Wake Up” Nas performs both verses of the song calling for a reawakening of African consciousness. He gives an abbreviated history lesson of African people and even mentions Kemet by her proper name while pointing out great accomplishments of black people throughout time. Asking the younger generation to define African people today, Damian sings “Africa must wake up/ The Sleeping sons of Jacob/ For what tomorrow may bring/ May a better day come/ Yesterday we were kings/ Can you tell me young ones/ Who are we today?”</span><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >This album in its totality is five stars. The quality of the production and lyrics gives it tremendous replay value. The more I listened to it the more I liked it and each time you hear it, your favorite song may change. It is a perfect addition to anyone’s music collection and people from all walks of life can listen to it. While it is centered on things concerning Africa, it is important for all people regardless of race, ethnicity or social status to know the information Damian and Nas presents. For African people to achieve equality in the world they need to change the way they look at themselves and the world must also change the way it views them. Damian and Nas are doing their part to further this effort by proclaiming our true history to the world. It cannot be stressed enough how important history is. Scholar Howard Zinn accurately explains this fact by stating, “History is important because if you don’t know history it is as if you were born yesterday.” When you know history your have greater intellect, you have a better understanding of the world, where you came from and how you got to your present position. This is a principle important for the restoration of Ma’at. To live in a world that is fair and balanced all of humanity must live in truth. The Khamites accurately stated thousands of years ago, “The key to all problems is the problem of consciousness.” It is therefore essential that we elevate our consciousness to solve our problems. Thank you for reading.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-63198970651071296022010-05-23T01:27:00.014-04:002010-05-30T08:07:27.657-04:00REFUTING AN APOLOGIST<div align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jDockb2aI/AAAAAAAAAD4/qwbS-Yto-HU/s1600/gates.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 238px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474340446700034466" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jDockb2aI/AAAAAAAAAD4/qwbS-Yto-HU/s320/gates.jpg" /></a>On April 22 the New York Times Op-Ed column published an article by Harvard University professor, Henry Louis Gates titled, “Ending the Slavery Blame-Game.” Professor Gates argues that Europeans and Africans are equally responsible for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, both sides profited from the arrangement and as a result the African American call for reparations isn’t workable. He believes since the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> now has an African American president, this debate can be properly put to rest. Such arguments are quiet disturbing, need to be challenged and require the many pointes made by Mr. Gates to be placed in proper perspective.</div><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">Professor Gates asserts that 90 percent of the blacks shipped to the new world and sold to Europeans were Africans enslaved by other Africans. However, he fails to mention that the institution of slavery was introduced to <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> by Asiatic and European people. Before the intrusion of these groups slavery in its contemporary definition did not exist. What could be classified as slavery in ancient <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> actually was indentured servitude. The people subjected to this circumstance were either imprisoned criminals, individuals who were being punished by requirement to perform menial tasks, prisoners of war and individuals working to pay off a debt. These people were not separated from their families, were allowed to marry within the family and society where they worked and could graduate through the social strata to become chiefs and kings. They were not dehumanized and were eventually released from this arrangement. This is a practice that goes back to ancient Kemet and Dr. Ivan Van Sertima explains that even the ruler of Kemet would spend one day during the year working with the indentured servants building the temples. For African people there was nothing demeaning about labor.</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jFqKNr97I/AAAAAAAAAEA/U-m1NgQ0JHk/s1600/CW1975.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 242px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474342675155777458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jFqKNr97I/AAAAAAAAAEA/U-m1NgQ0JHk/s320/CW1975.jpg" /></a>Many African centered scholars have conducted extensive field research on African civilizations and arrived at the same conclusion about slavery. Chancellor Williams for example spent 15 years doing research for his monumental work, “The Destruction of Black Civilization.” He traveled to North, South, East, West and <st1:place st="on">Central Africa</st1:place> gathering data and learned that indentured servitude was practiced throughout the continent. In “Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust,” Dr. John Henrik Clarke relays similar findings in his travels and research specifically on slavery in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>. In “Afrikan Theology, Cosmogony & Philosophy,” author Ekow Butweiku I explains that in his research conducted in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> he learned that a system of wageless labor was practiced known as panyarring. Africans captured in wars were also subject to panyarring however, “they could move about freely and acquire property.” Thus, it can be concluded with much certainty that African people did not engage in the dehumanizing chattel slavery that Europeans instituted.</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">A friend of mine participated in an exchange program in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Ghana</st1:place></st1:country-region> for several months while in college. In her interactions with the Ghanaians they expressed anger that they and their ancestors were being blamed for the African Slave Trade. They explained that in the traditional Ghanaian language, there is no word for slave and that no such system existed there. It is quite surprising to hear that in this nation where the slave trade was initiated, there is no word to even describe the system on which it is based. However, the pre-existence of slavery on the African continent has often been used as justification for the holocaust implemented against people of that world. In actuality, the word slave is of European origin. According to the Miriam Webster Dictionary, the word slave comes “from the frequent enslavement of Slavs in central Europe during the early Middle Ages.” We must therefore recognize how problematic it is to use terminology from a European culture and understanding to define a system in Africa which has a totally different connotation. These are points that Professor Gates fails to take into consideration in his piece.</p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jMgLASi_I/AAAAAAAAAEI/cVsjX7vH3L4/s1600/Christianity+%26+Slavery.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 232px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474350200150723570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jMgLASi_I/AAAAAAAAAEI/cVsjX7vH3L4/s320/Christianity+%26+Slavery.jpg" /></a>Slave raiders such as John Hawkins learned about the African system of wageless labor and decided that it could be exploited to enslave these people in the new world. Through guile and cunning actions Europeans instigated rifts between African nations and when the groups went to war with each other, captives would be purchased from the winner for transport to Europe and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The number one weapon in their conquest was religion in the form of Christianity. Missionaries were often the first people sent in as spies in various African nations to befriend and convert African kings. The nation would subsequently convert after the king and then European mercenaries would commit their raids once the people had been subconsciously and spiritually conquered.
<br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">Sadly, there were Africans who got involved in slave raiding but such cases were manipulated by Europeans through force and the use of intoxicants. Enslaved Africans captured by the Europeans were used for the capture of additional victims. There were very few cases of independent slave raids by Africans for sale to Europeans. This circumstance clearly proclaims the so called slave trade as commerce purely instigated by European people because it was a demand driven business. Enslaved Africans were not just sitting on the shores of the gold coast waiting to be sold to the highest bidder.
<br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, if there were Africans benefiting from the slave trade as professor Gates asserts, what happened to the wealth they amassed from this commerce? The revenue generated during the African slave trade catapulted Europe and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> into the industrial age!! If Africans took part in this industry, the logical outcome should be that they would have advanced economically and technologically as well. The reality of the situation is that they didn’t and the entire continent was subsequently underdeveloped due to population loss, the decimation of agriculture and an epidemic of wars.</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jNjUQ1urI/AAAAAAAAAEg/BipYHkcs4cs/s1600/nzinga.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 250px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474351353687292594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jNjUQ1urI/AAAAAAAAAEg/BipYHkcs4cs/s320/nzinga.jpg" /></a>While Professor Gates articulates the role Africans played in the slave trade, he doesn’t mention the resistance to the system on the continent. Individuals such as Queen Nzingha pioneered wars of defense and national solidarity against the Portuguese occupation of her land. She was able to gain the loyalty of Africans who were being used by the Portuguese as slave holders and waged guerrilla warfare with the enemy. While she had converted to Catholicism, she did so to use it as a means to empower herself and used it as a political tool when it suited her unlike many other Africans who became spiritually enslaved by the religion. Later on in life she even renounced her Christian name Anna and only went solely by Nzingha. Based on the facts presented, it is quite befuddling that Mr. Gates would accuse this African Queen of selling the very people she fought to liberate to the invading enslaver.</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jNBsDAW7I/AAAAAAAAAEY/zWfFROdZcnM/s1600/triangulartrademap.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 262px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474350775956167602" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jNBsDAW7I/AAAAAAAAAEY/zWfFROdZcnM/s320/triangulartrademap.gif" /></a>In his article, professor Gates also asserts “the African role in the slave trade was greatly reduced after 1807, when abolitionists, first in <st1:country-region st="on">Britain</st1:country-region> and then, a year later, in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, succeeded in banning the importation of slaves.” However, all the slave trading nations were doing the same thing during this period. At this point in time revenue from the slave trade in the <st1:place st="on">Caribbean</st1:place> was either static or in decline with the exception of a few islands. Furthermore, while abolitionists were fighting to stop the trade, they weren’t in support of emancipation for the slaves. Men like William Wilberforce who championed dissolving the slave trade in Britain opposed emancipation with the following argument, “Our object and our universal language was and is, to produce by abolition a disposition to breed instead of buying.” It wasn’t until 1823 that the idea of emancipation was adopted by abolitionists.
<br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jO2RALKgI/AAAAAAAAAEo/L_4MgZK8bhc/s1600/Toussaint_Louverture2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 230px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474352778741230082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jO2RALKgI/AAAAAAAAAEo/L_4MgZK8bhc/s320/Toussaint_Louverture2.jpg" /></a>Another rationale for the cessation of the slave trade was international and inter-colonial rivalry. Upon investigation Britain learned that French and Spanish colonies were benefiting from the re-export of slaves shipped into British territories. This circumstance gave <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> more reason to abolish the trading system in hopes of slowing the progress of its rivals. Subsequently, the elevation of revolts also made the slave trade no longer profitable. The successful Haitian revolution led to an escalation of insurrections that spread fear throughout the colonies which further supported the movement towards abolition.</p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" equiv="Content-Type"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CXWILLI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CXWILLI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CXWILLI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><span style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman;font-family:';font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman;font-family:';font-size:100%;" >With the above facts inconsideration, the origin, nature and rationale for the African slave trade should place in its proper context that is truly responsible for its perpetuation. What Professor Gates has done in his piece is inadvertently or intentionally placed the blame on the victim for their enslavement, subsequently vindicating the enslaver. Europe and the U.S. still owe the descendants of enslaved Africans a great deal of reparations. This fact is something that is being ignored because the payments would be so vast that it would bankrupt and cripple so many of these nations. When high profile individuals in the African community such as Skip Gates comes out and makes such remarks, it gives these former slave masters reason to not entertain the reparations issue. The record must be set straight and thankfully many African scholars have organized themselves to address Professor Gates’ piece and continue the argument that justice is due to the former enslaved Africans of the world. It is the only way we can ever create a better world and live within the divine principle of Ma’at. The Kemites said it best, “Qualities of a moral order are measured by deeds.” Thank you for reading. </span>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jQ4bDPu2I/AAAAAAAAAE4/Y4hk1MYgYsg/s1600/maat-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474355014821460834" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S_jQ4bDPu2I/AAAAAAAAAE4/Y4hk1MYgYsg/s320/maat-1.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<br /></div></div><p class="MsoNormal">SOURCES:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Slave: Etymology. <a href="http://www.britannica.com/bps/dictionary?query=slave">http://www.britannica.com/bps/dictionary?query=slave</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Did We Sell Each Other into Slavery?: <a href="http://www.africawithin.com/maafa/did_we_sell.htm">http://www.africawithin.com/maafa/did_we_sell.htm</a> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Williams, Chancellor. 1987, “The Destruction of Black Civilization: Great Issues of Race from 4500 B.C. to 2000 A.D.,” Chicago, Third World Press</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Clarke, John Henrik. 1993, “Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust: Slavery and the Rise of European Capitalism,” Brooklyn, NY, A&B Publisher Group</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Butweiku I, Ekow, 1999, “Afrikan Theology, Cosmogony & Philosophy,” Hampton, VA, The Lumumba Book Printers & Co.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Van Sertima, Ivan, 1984. “Black Women in Antiquity,” Piscataway, NJ, Transaction Publishers </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Williams, Eric. 1970, “From <st1:city st="on">Columbus</st1:city> to Castro: The History of the Caribbean,” <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>, Random House, Inc.</p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-75290073989654135652010-05-02T22:24:00.013-04:002010-05-04T22:58:24.860-04:00King Tut Unwrapped: A Critique<div align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S941SGqLrSI/AAAAAAAAAC4/QRw_FiYY8M4/s1600/tutankhamun-golden-mask.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466865582815816994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S941SGqLrSI/AAAAAAAAAC4/QRw_FiYY8M4/s200/tutankhamun-golden-mask.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">In November 1922, English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Since the discovery much information about Tut’s life has been a mystery. In February this year previously unknown information about Tut was unveiled which culminated with a two part program that aired on The Discovery Channel. While the discoveries presented were quite enlightening, much of it is still questionable while additional information is desirable.<br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9411-ZH9EI/AAAAAAAAADA/LjqE84iwvfg/s1600/Zahi-Hawass1.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466866199072076866" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9411-ZH9EI/AAAAAAAAADA/LjqE84iwvfg/s200/Zahi-Hawass1.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">The program had several objectives including establishing who were the parents and grand parents of Tutankhamun, identifying the cause of his death, and providing new details on his reign. Overseeing this production was Zahi Hawass, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. To ascertain all the desired information Zahi and his team investigated various tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on">Queens</st1:place>. Two to four DNA samples were taken from several mummies, Tut being the first of them. By matching several DNA markers, the researchers were able identify Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye as Tut’s grandparents, and an unidentified mummy as Akhenaton who they also confirmed as Tut’s father. A third mummy was identified as his mother but her name still remained anonymous. </span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Further DNA analysis also identified genes specific to malaria parasites in Tutankhamun and three other mummies. The research team “</span><span class="blogpostwords" style="font-family:arial;">infer(ed) that Tut suffered from a vascular bone necrosis, a condition in which poor blood supply weakens or destroys an area of bone, plus malaria.” CT scans of the mummies also concluded that Tut’s royal family didn’t suffer from a hormonal disease which gave them a feminine or androgynous appearance. This idea was assumed due to the depictions of the family in art from their time period.<br /></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S942SykTIKI/AAAAAAAAADI/sFGDkDq_Qk4/s1600/amenhotepandqueentiye1.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466866694113927330" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S942SykTIKI/AAAAAAAAADI/sFGDkDq_Qk4/s200/amenhotepandqueentiye1.jpg" /></span></a><span class="blogpostwords" style="font-family:arial;">While these discoveries are a welcomed bit of education, many issues still weren’t addressed in the investigation. For one, the ethnicity of the mummies was never addressed. There DNA studies revealed so much vital information about the Tut family, however, their racial make up was left out of the picture. It is indisputable and irrefutable that the ancient Kemites were indigenous African people. However, throughout the program several reenactments of the Tut family and other Kemites were portrayed by people of Arab descent. At certain points in the program while Zahi is investigating the tombs, the drawings on the walls around him clearly depict the people of the land as being African.<br /></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S942m_nRCVI/AAAAAAAAADQ/jYoOJgGvUjs/s1600/Tiye2.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 195px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466867041213417810" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S942m_nRCVI/AAAAAAAAADQ/jYoOJgGvUjs/s200/Tiye2.jpg" /></span></a><span class="blogpostwords" style="font-family:arial;">Now, there are several ways to prove that the ancient Kemites were African people. For one all the major golden ages of dynastic Kemet were initiated by kings who originated from the south in Upper Kemet closer to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Nubia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. There is no way for one to argue that Arabic people originated in the South of Kemet, closer to the heartland of <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>. Another way to prove the ethnicity of the Kemites is to collect as many pictures of all the rulers of the four golden ages, and sit them and their family members side by side. It will be clear to the eye that these people depict the phenotypical traits of African people. A third way to prove the race of the Kemites is to show that there is a cultural, political, linguistic and spiritual unity between it and all other kingdoms in Africa. The combination of these three points and others prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, the ethnicity of the Kemites.</span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><span class="blogpostwords" style="font-family:arial;">Furthermore, Arabic people didn’t gain control of Kemet until 651 A.C.E. when they invaded the land. It was then that the cultural and racial make-up of Kemet changed. This era ushered in an influx of Arabic people from <st1:place style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" st="on">Southwestern Asia</st1:place>. It is thus quite baffling that Zahi Hawass and the producers of his program did not present the ancient Kemites as African people. However, this is what happens when a people don’t know their history or lack the means to present it to the masses. Noam Chomsky says, “He who controls the media controls the minds of the public.”<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S944zTu-5BI/AAAAAAAAADg/X7FJONAPS1M/s1600/Akhenaton_01.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 234px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466869451796177938" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S944zTu-5BI/AAAAAAAAADg/X7FJONAPS1M/s320/Akhenaton_01.jpg" /></span></a><span class="blogpostwords" style="font-family:arial;"> From this assertion we can understand how devastating it is for African people to not be identified as the creators of one of the greatest civilizations in history. Without the world universally recognizing Kemet as an African nation creates a negative perception of African people and a misinterpretation of the culture. Many Egyptologists from other cultures in studying ancient Kemet come to wrongful conclusions about various aspects of the nation. One example of this is the assumption stated earlier that the Tut family had an androgynous appearance. Individuals who are truly knowledgeable of the culture understand that such depictions were purely symbolic. This bit of information I learned myself from attending guided tours of Kemetic exhibits with the Center for the Restoration of Ma’at at the <st1:placename st="on">Brooklyn</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:placetype> and The Metropolitan Museum here in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">New York City</st1:city></st1:place>.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S945VK1LVWI/AAAAAAAAADw/eS20pZm0aJA/s1600/asa4.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466870033521792354" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S945VK1LVWI/AAAAAAAAADw/eS20pZm0aJA/s320/asa4.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Jabari Osaze (</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01314565879460084110"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;font-family:arial;color:windowtext;" >DjedenMa'at Aten-Ra</span></a><span class="blogpostwords"><span style="font-family:arial;">) and the late Dr. Asa G. Hilliard both do impressive jobs of explaining symbolism in Kemetic culture. The writing and art of this civilization is purely metaphorical and convey messages and lessons for the people of the land to learn from. If one conducts a study of Akhenaton and his reform of Kemet’s spiritual system, it will be easy to understand how his philosophy influenced the art at that time and what message he was trying to convey.<br /></p></span></span><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span class="blogpostwords">It is therefore essential that the rightful owners of Kemet’s legacy reclaim it so they may properly present it to the world. The Center for the Restoration of Ma’at is committed to this effort. The Center will conduct at least two tours of the Tutankhamun Exhibit currently at New York City's Discovery Time Square Exposition in order to provide an African centered explanation of who Tutankhamun was and the mystery surrounding his death. In closing I will state an ancient Kemetic proverb, “</span>To know means to record in one's memory; but to understand means to blend with the thing and to assimilate it with oneself.” Thank you for reading.</span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class="MsoNormal"><span class="blogpostwords"><span style="font-family:arial;">Sources:<o:p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"></o:p></span></span></p><h4><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:arial;" >Begley: King Tut's DNA Reveals a More Manly Pharaoh: </span><a href="http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/02/16/begley-king-tut-s-dna-reveals-a-more-manly-pharaoh.aspx"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/02/16/begley-king-tut-s-dna-reveals-a-more-manly-pharaoh.aspx</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></h4><h4><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:arial;" >The Master Keys to the Study of Ancient Kemet: </span><a href="http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/kemet.html"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/kemet.html</span></a><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-family:arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></h4><h4><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:arial;" >Kemetic Chronology: A Summary: </span><a href="http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/Baffour-chart.pdf"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/Baffour-chart.pdf</span></a><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-family:arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5376838656266387155.post-90690891691370797602010-04-25T14:00:00.021-04:002011-01-04T15:39:11.321-05:00HAITI: MOTHER OF AFRICAN LIBERATION<div align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SG1pKBn2I/AAAAAAAAABY/wBziDO4xQZE/s1600/haiti_flag.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px; float: left; height: 191px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464140504046346082" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SG1pKBn2I/AAAAAAAAABY/wBziDO4xQZE/s320/haiti_flag.gif" border="0" /></a><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> is hurting. <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> has been hurting for a long, long time. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated the nation in January this year has consequently brought its suffering to the attention of mainstream media. For a long time <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> has repeatedly been referred to as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Its deplorable social and economic climate has sparked much dialogue and has been sensationalized all over the world. However, mainstream media has failed to articulate the circumstances which brought <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> to its current state. </div><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">To understand why so many brothers and sisters are suffering in this nation we have to look back in history at the Genesis of it all. This is <st1:country-region st="on">Spain</st1:country-region>’s conquest of the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">island</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Hispaniola</st1:placename></st1:place> at the hands of Christopher Columbus. The Taino people who originally inhabited the island were being annihilated by the Spanish. To their rescue came the Spanish priest Bartolome De Las Casas. He was educated at the <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Salamanca</st1:placename> in the field of law and years after completing his studies he took up Holy Orders of the Catholic Church and migrated to <st1:place st="on">Hispaniola</st1:place> . There he was given some of the best land along with Taino labor for the purpose of agriculture and mining.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SI67RRX_I/AAAAAAAAABo/0WPxqei7jRo/s1600/bartolome.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 150px; float: right; height: 200px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464142793831178226" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SI67RRX_I/AAAAAAAAABo/0WPxqei7jRo/s200/bartolome.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">Las Casas later changed his heart in regards to the punishment perpetrated against the Tainos. He gave up his lands and became the “apostle” of the natives. He worked to have laws passed to preserve their lives but was defeated by the greed of Spaniards who felt they “had come to take their gold, not civilize the aborigines.” To spare the natives from suffering further atrocities, Las Casas agreed to sacrifice the well-being of African people. At the suggestion of Dominican monks he consented to the importation of African slaves, “as the labor of one negro was more valuable than that of four Indians, every effort should be made to bring Hispaniola many negroes from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Guinea</st1:place></st1:country-region> .” This rationalization became justification for what eventually led to <st1:place st="on">Europe</st1:place>’s African slave trade. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">The Spanish however, did not immediately turn to African labor. They first implemented white labor in the form of convicts, white slaves and foreign immigrant labor. Since this did not meet their ultimate need, the African slave trade was initiated in September 3, 1501 by the king of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region> . When Las Casas saw that the Africans suffered the same fate and died in the same fashion as the Tainos, he felt remorse and realized that it was the brutality of the Spanish which is to blame for the premature death of the people. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SKcDjjapI/AAAAAAAAAB4/nYeCpTl7qrs/s1600/haiti-map1.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px; float: left; height: 221px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464144462502652562" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SKcDjjapI/AAAAAAAAAB4/nYeCpTl7qrs/s320/haiti-map1.gif" border="0" /></a>Flash forward to the 17th century and at this time the French have established settlements on the western side of the island. The Spanish later concede the western third of the island to the French in 1697 and it becomes known as <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> . The colony goes on to generate immense wealth for the French empire while the Africans who performed the labor are subject to inhumane brutality. This all comes to an end with the Haitian Revolution lead by Toussaint L’Ouverture. In 1804 <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> became the first black republic to declare independence after defeating the French army and fighting off a subsequent British invasion. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">The French had hopes of reacquiring <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> but gave up such thoughts and all claims to the former colony with an agreement for the payment of 150 million Francs in gold. The funds were to cover damages and the loss of land due to the Haitian revolution. This debt was forced on <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> by the French through the taxation of shipping imports and exports. To payoff this debt <st1:country-region st="on">Haiti</st1:country-region> had to acquire loans from the <st1:country-region st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region st="on">Germany</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region> which only exacerbated the situation. The original debt to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region> was eventually paid off in 1947 but by that time the nation was financially crippled. This resulted in additional loans being taken out under corrupt Haitian dictators such as François Duvalier. These funds were misused and as a result the country is still indebted to the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the IMF, the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> and France.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SLCfAMAGI/AAAAAAAAACI/WyZlTsGB7nc/s1600/CaptureofFtRiviere.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px; float: left; height: 226px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464145122705539170" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SLCfAMAGI/AAAAAAAAACI/WyZlTsGB7nc/s320/CaptureofFtRiviere.jpg" border="0" /></a>To make matters worst, <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> has been plagued by political instability and violence throughout its history. Between 1843 and 1915 the country experienced 22 changes in government. Since its independence several colonial powers aspired to gain control of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> for financial investment and because they felt the “negroes” of that nation were incapable of governing themselves. The nation has been subject to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> invasions and occupations in 1915-1934, 1994 and 2004. During these occupations U.S. citizens obtained rights to key wealth building resources in the country while native Haitians were left empty handed. They lost their lives in rebellions in the thousands and were exploited for free labor. Regime change at the hands of the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> was also an automatic outcome. At the end of each occupation the country was only left in worst shape than it was before the invasion.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SMhXTcDeI/AAAAAAAAACY/De6_aNrl20A/s1600/Haiti+Deforested.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px; float: right; height: 212px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464146752726371810" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SMhXTcDeI/AAAAAAAAACY/De6_aNrl20A/s320/Haiti+Deforested.jpg" border="0" /></a>The amalgamation of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s national debt, political imbalance, and foreign invasions leads to the nation’s problem of deforestation. The nation has insufficient capital and has been unable to fully develop its energy sector. In 2006 only 10% of a <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s population received electricity while the rest are left to seek alternative sources of energy. For this they turned to wood and consequently cut down numerous trees throughout <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s history. The country is currently 98% deforested and this promotes soil erosion which is exacerbated each time they are hit with a hurricane. The land is subsequently damaged affecting agriculture which means less food available to feed the overly populated country.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SN-lfnNsI/AAAAAAAAACo/tGriarXUAZk/s1600/haiti_mud_pies_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px; float: left; height: 205px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464148354263365314" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-Y8U6fxYORM/S9SN-lfnNsI/AAAAAAAAACo/tGriarXUAZk/s320/haiti_mud_pies_2.jpg" border="0" /></a>With so many problems plaguing the nation it is easy to see why it is in such a deplorable state. This is a nation so poor that people eat mud pies to survive. In addition to that, massive poverty leads to widespread violence and corruption. All of this is not by chance but engineered as history teaches us. Since its liberation, <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> has been subjected to nothing but punishment by the world’s colonial powers. In a recent trip to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the historian Runoko Rashidi explained a conversation he had with a group of Haitian students. They asked him if the Haitian people were wrong for liberating themselves from the French. They had been subjected to so much punishment that they believed, possibly if they had remained enslaved for a longer time they would not be suffering so much today.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:country-region><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> and other developing countries around the world only know of negative relationships with these imperial nations. Examples of this can be viewed in the documentary “Life & Debt” which details the exploitation of my native country of <st1:country-region st="on">Jamaica</st1:country-region> by the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>, IMF and World Bank. There is a case in the film where the undermining of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jamaica</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s meat industry is discussed by a native. This person explains a situation where a local businessman thought it would be a good deal if he could purchase some chicken cheap, and they came up with the idea that they would import it from the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>. After examining the shipment it was discovered that this chicken was about 20 years old!! This meat was determined to not be fit for human consumption. However, the person that provided the chicken tried to convince them that it only came to <st1:country-region st="on">Jamaica</st1:country-region> accidentally, and that the shipment was in fact for <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> and it should be released back into his custody so that he could send it on to the correct destination. Such business practices are shocking and sadly this is only a case of which we know. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">With so much despair afflicting this nation, it is alarming to hear the reasons people give to explain its situation. Individuals such as Pat Robertson assert that the people of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> sold their souls to the devil to liberate themselves from the French and this is why they are suffering and being hit with so many natural disasters. Others declare that it’s their practice of voodoo and devil worship to explain their situation. All of these rationales are disturbing. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">Their religion of Vodou is totally misunderstood by the Western world and only presented negatively by mainstream media in films such as “The Serpent and the Rainbow.” To truly understand this spiritual system one must engage in some sort of scholarship. The Haitian Vodou priest Houngan Aboudja provides great information about this religion in the article, “The Cultural Setting: Morality in Haitain Vodou.” This religion’s roots go back to the African <st1:placetype st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Dahomey</st1:placename> which is modern day <st1:country-region st="on">Benin</st1:country-region> and according to Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, in studying Vodou he realized it is more well preserved in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> than in its native land. It is monotheistic, communal and ever evolving in tradition. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">Aboudja makes several important comments about Vodou. “Haitian Vodou is a religion that was born out of struggle and revolution, a religion of resistance that gives collective strength and identity to the disenfranchised………Through a complex set of myths and rituals, Vodou relates the life of the faithful to the spirits (called lwa) who govern that life. It instills in its devotees the need for good character and self-examination, and it uplifts the downtrodden who have experienced life’s misery and misfortune. It provides an explanation for death, which is treated as a spiritual transformation, a portal to the sacred world beyond, where productive and morally upright individuals, perceived by devotees to be powerful ancestral figures, can exercise significant influence over their progeny. ..... Here it is important to note that, what is meant by Vodou culture is not necessarily the same concept as the current social politic found in the country of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> today. In many ways, these two are in conflict and the current political climate, however corrupt, exists due to reasons having nothing to do with traditional spirituality and culture. No, it exists due to other forces, foreign and domestic, socio-economic and geo-political. It has nothing to do with those values prescribed by Vodou culture.” </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">With so many facts placed on the table, it is clear to see that <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s suffering has nothing to do with its spiritual practices. It is all a result of politics and economics. It is important for all people of African dissent to recognize this fact. They also need to recognize the significance of the Haitian Revolution and what it represents. While there were numerous revolts occurring during slavery, <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s liberation served as a great inspiration to all other Africans in bondage at the time. Their fight for freedom sent shockwaves over the world at the fact that this small nation of Africans were able to defeat the greatest army in the world. This monumental event was a huge turning point in the history of African bondage making slavery ever more expensive for the colonial powers and instigating the abolitionist movement. However, it must be noted that abolitionists were first hired by imperialists solely for economic reasons and not out of guilt or a new development of morality. They were just transitioning from direct slavery to its more advanced form which is colonialism. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify">Nevertheless, all Africans are indebted to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> for the role it has played in our liberation, for it is the starting point of our march to freedom. It is therefore essential that we all come to the aid of this nation, especially in its time of need. As it can be said that Africa is the mother of humanity and civilization, it can be said that <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region> is the mother of African liberation. Thanks for reading. </p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><strong>Sources:</strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">Williams, Eric. 1970, “From <st1:city st="on">Columbus</st1:city> to Castro: The History of the Caribbean,” <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>, Random House, Inc.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">“<st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Haiti</st1:country-region></st1:place>: The Land Where Children Eat Mud. The Times Online, The <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> Edition -</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6281614.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1" target="_blank">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6281614.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">CIA World Factbook - <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html" target="_blank">https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">“Why <st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region> Invaded <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>: Wilson Sends in the Marines,” Associated Content -<a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/904437/why_america_invaded_haiti_wilson_sends.html" target="_blank">http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/904437/why_america_invaded_haiti_wilson_sends.html</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">“Deforestation in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region>” - <a href="http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/haitidef.htm" target="_blank">http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/haitidef.htm</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">“<a title="Permanent Link: Haiti’s Poverty is Directly Linked to Deforestation and Habitat Loss" href="http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/05/10/haitis-poverty-is-directly-linked-to-deforestation-and-habitat-loss/" target="_blank">Haiti’s Poverty is Directly Linked to Deforestation and Habitat Loss</a>” - <a href="http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/05/10/haitis-poverty-is-directly-linked-to-deforestation-and-habitat-loss/" target="_blank">http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/05/10/haitis-poverty-is-directly-linked-to-deforestation-and-habitat-loss/</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">“The Cultural Setting: Morality in Haitian Vodou” - <a href="http://africawithin.com/religion/cultural_setting.htm" target="_blank">http://africawithin.com/religion/cultural_setting.htm</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left">“More About Haitian Vodou” - <a href="http://www.erzulies.com/site/articles/view/6" target="_blank">http://www.erzulies.com/site/articles/view/6</a></p><a href="http://www.erzulies.com/site/articles/view/6" target="_blank"><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><br /></p></a><p class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><o:p></o:p></p>XavierStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145977614135839992noreply@blogger.com1