Mpatapo is the Adinkra symbol that represents peacemaking

September 21 is the International Day of Peace. We all are encouraged to promote world peace both locally and internationally. There are many things we  can do individually  to support the PEACE movement.

Engaging with children and providing them with activities to express their wishes of peace is one of the most powerful means to promote peace. If the next generation understands that they have the power to make peace happen then they will actively work to create a peaceful world.

Chalk4Peace Art Work

One of the organizations that offers us a unique and  creative way to express our thoughts of peace is Chalk4Peace. This is a global art project for youth using sidewalks and chalk! This is a simple concept that is so POWERFUL! Chalk4Peace are events held around the world to offer youth the opportunity to creatively express their visions of peace. The children are able to proudly show off their beautiful creations to the world. This positive expression will be a part of their understanding of how important their view is.

Please drop over to visit the Chalk4Peace blog to list or find a Chalk4Peace event! Then be sure to share your beautiful creation here with me!

Take a moment to pray for peace today — then go out and make Mpatapo happen!

Related articles

• International Day of Peace (drmichaelanthony.wordpress.com)
• International Peace Day (msmousecleanshouse.wordpress.com)

Natural Hair Parade & Fesitaval Sept 3rd

Did you hear- Sept 3rd is the date  - Dallas is the place – Our Nations 1st Natural Hair Parade and Festival  WHOO HOO!  This is a beautiful event that is just making me smile from ear to ear!   ERYKAH BADU & INSTITUTE OF ANCESTRAL BRAIDING  have joined forces and are sponsoring a Parade to celebrate natural hair beauty on Sept 3rd – Labor Day.  They picked this day because it is a Labor of Love (so sweet)  I am just so excited to hear about this amazing expression of Duafe.  I wish I could be there to join in the warm and beautiful vibes  that are sure to be in the air  during the parade and festival!  If you live in the Dallas, Texas metro area I encourage you to join this Duafe Celebration.   One of the  goals of this event is to offer the community  an opportunity to come together in a positive and uplifting environment.  Local groups, churches and businesses are encouraged to participate.   Be sure to check out the video below from Ms Isis.  It is due to her dedication to continuing to broaden the horizons in natural hair care that this celebration is available to us!   I salute Isis and the amazing Ms Badu for bringing this opportunity to the people!

Are you planning to attend?  Please share your pictures and stories with me – right here!  If you tweet about the parade or festival pleass connect with me via twitter @kiarablu  or link up with me via Facebook  (Kiarablu)

Isis and Erykah  I wish you a beautiful day that exceeds ALL your Duafe dreams!  peace and love -Jaelma

Adinkra symbol Duafe means beauty

<—–UPDATE——>

Pictures from the parade!

At the Natural Hair Parade Sept 3

Adinkra symbol Duafe

The Adinkra symbol Duafe represents beauty and desirable feminine qualities.   Black Girls  Run is a national organization that is helping African-American women to develop  these positive qualities through running.  The founders of this fantastic organization are encouraging Black women to focus on making fitness and healthy living a priority.  Black women in the US have an extremely high rate of obesity, hypertension and diabetes.  Exercise and healthy diet changes are two  important areas that this organization is helping women to improve thus leading to lower obesity and poor health.  The Black Girls Run Website offers running resources, local contacts for BGR, great healthy recipes, “runspiration”  and so much more! It is truly a wonderful place for women just starting out in their running adventures and those who have an established “track” record! I applaud the ladies participating in these healthy endeavors for expressing their Duafe power!   Strong work girls – keep up the great work!

Running Shoes photo by Josiah Mackenzie via Creative Commons Licence

Related articles

• Sistas, Who’s Checkin For You? (ashy2classy.net)
• Adinkra Patterns as Educational Tools (africaunchained.blogspot.com)

The Africa Memory Game is  a wonderful way to learn about the  beautiful continent of Africa.  It offers players an opportunity  to test and increase their knowledge of the African continent while “traveling” through different

African Memory Game

regions answering questions.   The first player to reach the heart of Africa wins!   What a great way for families to spend time together enhancing their knowledge of Africa.  

Another game that I would recommend is Mancala or the African Rock game.  This is a traditional game from the African continent.  Two players challenge each other to empty their side of the board of stones.   This is a game that I have

Great Family Fun

played since childhood and recently pulled out for my children.  Many hot summer days were happily spent challenging my cousins again and again. What a nice feeling to pass on this traditional game to the next generation.  

Do you have a African centered or Traditional African game you love to play? Or maybe some great childhood memories  – Please share in the comment section below!

Miss Africa in China

Where beauty is defined!

Archlyn Bruce

Flag of Liberia

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FATOUMATA (FIFI) SOUMAH

Flag of Republic of Guinea

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Miss West Africa UK

Astrid Costa

Guinea-Bissau

]]> http://themochalife.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/sankofa-thoughts/ Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:35:53 +0000 Jaelma http://themochalife.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/sankofa-thoughts/

Sankofa- return and obtain what was left behind

Beautiful words to remind us about

the importance of embracing the concept of

Sankofa

“For Africa to me… is more than a glamorous fact. It is a historical truth

  No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been

and exactly how he arrived at his present place”

………Maya Angelou

Mmere Dane is the Adinkra symbol for Change

Just learned about a great organization  that is working to support positive change around the globe!!  Sevenly is a fantastic organization focused on supporting Charities that make a difference.  Each week Sevenly partners with one charity to raise funds thru the sale of a unique t-shirt design.   This week  (July 3) they have partnered with Hope International to offer families in Congo a chance to change their lives and escape poverty.   

Please consider supporting this organization with the purchase of a t-shirt!   For every shirt sold $7  is donated to the charity of the week. 

Also be sure to link up with them on twitter and facebook to see the new charity t-shirt each week!

Sevenly -t-shirts that make change happen

Creating Sustainable transportation in Africa

The Adinkra symbol  Asase Ye Duru represents the concept of the life-sustaining power of our Mother Earth.   This beautiful symbol came to mind when I discovered the Bamboo Bike Project. This  great group  is working to create sustainable bikes from bamboo. The Bamboo Bike project is  the non profit organization composed of scientist and engineers from the Earth Institute @ Columbia University.  The group is working to develop sustainable bikes from locally grown bamboo in rural areas of Africa. The goals of this amazing project include building  a better bike for rural residents of the African continent and to stimulating  a bicycle building industry  to satisfy local socioeconomic, health, and transportation needs.

Why Bamboo bicycles you ask?  Well the bamboo bikes will allow residents of the continent to develop  this vital form of transportation locally.  Currently there are no bicycle manufactures on the continent yet there are approximately 30 million bikes imported…..I find this almost unbelievable!!   The bicycles will be created using locally grown bamboo creating a supply demand chain that is totally reliant on residents of the area…..funds are recycled and this  allows for local growth.   And although there is maintenance and import issues associated with some parts like tires, wheels and brakes the bamboo frame will not require maintainance.  This potentially makes the product cheaper and also decreases  the unsustainable products being brought into rural areas.

Asase Ye Duru

I encourage everyone to support this great group of folks working hard to improve conditions for our rural African Brothers and Sisters!  

Find out more about this GREAT project : http://www.bamboobike.org

Wawa Aba remembering strength of Fathers

with some wonderful examples of good fathers in my life – men who stood and cared for their families each day without complaint. I have seen my own Dad, my uncles and grandfather take care of their wives and children in that strong, quiet way fathers do. My husband has also been a truly wonderful example of strong positive fathering. I salute all the men I have known who love and provide for their children no matter what the circumstances. They know that it is their job to support the family financially, emotionally and physically. My own Dad worked a full-time job and created supplemental income using his electronic skills – many weeks working well over 40hrs.

Fathers serve as a wonderful source of the positive power of male strength that children experience. It is something children will absorb and grow to respect if handled well and under the Grace of God!

Wawa Aba is the Adinkra symbol that immediately comes to mind when I think about fathers. This symbol represents strength. The seed of a Wawa tree is very tough – hard to crack. This is symbolic of the strength that fathers have to exhibit. We must continue to teach the next generation the lessons of strength and how to apply it. God has made men strong so they can protect and provide for their families…not hurt and harm them. The man of the family unit has the God-given responsibility to cover his family with his strength like the shell on the seed of the Wawa.

I wish a very Happy Fathers Day to all the strong fathers out there. Keep walking in God’s stength and taking care of your families…. it is your beauty!!

Sankofa - Patriotic thoughts of WW I 369th Infantry

This beautiful photo was taken of the families celebrating the return of the brave soldiers of the 369th Infantry as they marched uptown  in NYC! The soldiers were returning from their service in France. I love the smiles on the faces…so proud of these brave men! The African-American community has offered many citizens who served bravely in all the wars this nation has engaged in. We must continue to remember ALL  the men and women who have served bravely to defend this nation. Sharing these old photos and stories with the next generation will give them a clear picture about the contributions many Black men and women have made to US history! I believe this is the spirit of SANKOFA….helping the next generations reach back and hold onto their history.

I have been privileged to have many stories and pictures passed on to me throughout my life.
Who are the people who have served our great nation in your family?  Do you share stories with the youth? 

Do you have a member of the family serving now?   I would love to hear about them!!

Dedicating this post to the celebration of Women during the Month of March!   Ladies we all must remember that Duafe is a special thing !  We know that being a woman is so much more than wearing a skirt or curing our hair!   As women  God has given us very special gifts!  We nurture  the world and make it beautiful in sooo many ways…..THIS is OUR POWER!  Remember that anything that interferes with your ability to nurture self and those you cherish ……it is wrong!   Stay positive, peaceful and beautiful!

Are you planning anything special this month to celebrate women?  I would love to hear about it ….pls share here!

Also – Get your own copy of this Sisters design here –>

http://www.zazzle.com/sisters_mug-168950139092428477?gl=KAMAU66&lon=0

Adinkra symbol - By God's grace all will be well

ONYANKOPON ADOM NTI BIRIBIARA BEYE YIE

This is the Adinkra symbol that represents hope providence and faith.

I came across this beautiful video for the song “Somewhere in Heaven”  by the Master Musician SANTANA which I think could be looked at as a  musical interpretation of the symbol.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

There are no longer laws  that confine or restrict the places  where African-Americans can go……

so many people ask the question……”Why do we need Black History Month”?

Adinkra symbol Wawa Aba

I believe we MUST continue to remember, celebrate and pass on the legacy of resilience that Africans  in American have lived.   Understanding the difficult past of our African ancestors and how they stood strong, believed in God for their freedom and never gave up is extremely important as we look to the future.   Our children need to understand that they are free because their ancestors NEVER gave up or gave in. Despite the evidence of any chance that things would change …….they continued on with the belief that if not their children, then their children’s children or great-grandchildren WOULD BE FREE!   And here we are …….their beliefs realized…..how beautiful!!!

The Adinkra symbol WAWA ABA  means seed of a wawa tree and represents hardiness, toughness and perseverance.   Black history month is a salute to our ancestors who kept these principles in their heart and minds.   We have to continue the walk ….standing just as tall and strong!   Celebrate Black history month this year with a vision of Wawa

Wawa Aba embroidered cap from Kiarablu

Be Strong…….Be Proud…….Always Remember!

Adinkra symbol Duafe

Recently I have enjoyed surfing the web looking for unique and culturally expressive Christmas gifts!  Wanted to take some time  to share some Adinkra Love  with these offerings  of  afrocentric beauty I have discovered.  I think you will find them to be wonderful expressions of  Duafe as I did!  Hope you enjoy!  If you have some examples of Christmas Duafe PLEASE share them with me below!

One of my first Duafe finds was over at Spoonflower where kkitwana has a wonderful collection of  African inspired fabrics!

Adinkra Bandanas by KKitwana

I was so excited to find her Sankofa bandana fabric. I  plan to create several of these for my daughter as Kwanzaa gifts….what a perfect gift for my lil princess!  I am even more excited because Kkitwana has an amazing array of fabrics she has designed.  Drop over to her fabric shop on Spoonflower and see for yourself.  If you love fabric, love to sew, craft or create this IS the place to visit!!

Speaking of Christmas Stockings……I came across the cutest Christmas Stockings over at Tea Cake Kids! This site features  clothing and accessories for children of color. The owner, Jonquil Akhir,  has designed her products to promote positive images for African-American children.   Her Christmas stocking will add to the duafe of the season for sure!

CUTE!!!

ANANSI

Anansi  folk tales originated in Ghana, West Africa.   Parents have used the humorous stories to teach their children life lessons for many, many generations.    Today we can find Anansi, his wife Aso and their  children,  happily tucked  into the memories of folks all across the African Diaspora.  From Ghana, to the Caribbean, to the South  Eastern  US,  you will get a wide smile and pleasant reminiscing eyes upon the mention of the  humorous trickster  named Anansi.
During the fall months of October and November, we  see many exhibitions  and inclusion of  spiders.   This is in part because spiders  become more active and visible to us.     It is also a great time to  re-tell and celebrate the adventures of the original Spiderman – Anansi !   Many people  today are looking to find alternatives to  scary,  shadow filled  Halloween parties.    An Anansi  celebration  can provide families   with a fun and healthy  alternative  that even includes stories that teach  life lessons.
There are many activities that you can include in an Anansi  celebration.    My first suggestion is to obtain  a book of Anansi stories.   This will allow you to choose several Anansi folk tales to  read and enjoy during the celebration.   The stories are easy to  read and share,  and they offer plenty of room for  embellishment .  You can  keep the celebration  a simple family affair  or invite friends and  extended family to join in the fun.
Including a karamu  (feast)  will make your celebration extra special.   Because the  Tricky spider is known throughout the  African Diaspora,   there are  a wide range of  foods you can  include.    Black Beans with rice (Anansi LOVES beans) ,  sweet potato biscuits,   and gumbo are just a few yummy ideas that come to mind.   On the sweeter side of things,  you can help the kids to create  Anansi  cupcake pops,  design  spider web cupcakes  or cookies.   Of course  the focus should be on the  FUN so be sure to  use all the creativity you can muster!
Crafting might also be a great way to celebrate the tricky little arachnid.    Girls can create an Anasi/Aso hair clips while the boys  work on  Anansi  knapsack  clasps.   Placemats featuring Ananai  are quite inexpensive when you use  recycled/up cycled materials.

Our Anansi t-shirt featuring Ananse Adinkra symbol

Last but not least be sure to take loads of pictures to remember all the beautiful smiles this little spider will bring you.  Be sure to share them with us via email or face book!  His antics are a really fun way to spend  one evening this fall.

Related articles

• How Anansi Bring the Drum (tillahwillah.wordpress.com)
• Oakland Freedom School encourages literacy in Black youth (redantliberationarmy.wordpress.com)

Spa Hotel built by Bob Johnson

Here is a link to a July  CNN interview with Bob Johnson:

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=international/2010/07/15/mpa.johnson.africa.hotel.bk.b.cnn

Peace - Adinkra style

peacemaking  - Mpatopo!   I find it so beautiful that there are so many symbols for peace around the world in every culture and nation. What puzzles me is why we can’t find this beautiful thing called PEACE?

What are you doing to extend peace?

HBCU t-shirt "Educating Future Leaders"

I am truly thankful for the encouragement I received from family and friends while I worked to obtain a higher education degree.  I challenge each of you to encourage and support the young people in your life to aim high and pursue not just an undergraduate degree but also a graduate level education.

The adinkra symbol Nea Onnim No  Sua A Ohu  represents knowledge & life long

HBCU s are shining a bright light on life long learning

learning. HBCU s have offered students a fantastic educational foundation for their life journey  since 1837, when Cheyney University was founded.  The importance of life long learning was not lost on the Akan nor the original students of HBCU s. It is our job now to continue to support these institutions in their mission and encourage our youth to learn as much as they can everyday!

Did you attend a HBCU ?  Please give a shoutout here!

Show your little ones they are headed for greatness!

Today is our first Sankofa Saturday Sale!  We have connected with Central Apostolic Faith Mission (CAFM) to support their Youth Conference!  The Youth Dept at  this  church supports and educates youth in the Charlotte Metro Area.  The ministry is dedicated to providing youth with a positive, supportive and encouraging Christian environment where they can grow  and develop into  productive adults, that will positively influence the community.   Some of the youth activities at CAFM include princesses of Love, monthly Male Symposium, annual cultural education trips and  liturgical dance.   The Youth Conference being held this weekend is offering the kids information they can use as they return to school to stay focused on their faith and education.   The goal continues to be to offer them practical faith-based information that they can apply in their day-to-day activities!

Help us to support the community!  The Sankofa tee shirts and Wawa Aba knit cap will be the products featured  for this Sankofa Saturday!

And don’t forget  use coupon code strength10 to recieve 10% discount  – Aug 28 and 29 only

Wawa Aba -symbol of strength and toughness

Youth Conference Aug 28 and 29

Gye Nyame Khaki Cap

KiaraBlu is offering FREE ground shipping ($50 or more)  on our entire embroidered  collection!

Aug 17th 2010 thru Sept 17 2010

Adinkra design Sankofa

Our Adinkra  t-shirts and caps make great gift items for  all your Afrocentric friends that love to make a  positive statement !

USE COUPON CODE: blackstar