BLACKEN LOVE

A letter from the heart can be read on the face. Love has to be shown by deeds not words. - Swahili proverb

Manifest Ra

There has to be a distinction in the definitions of love as it pertains to Africans and Africans scattered throughout our Diaspora. The concepts and the deep Earth centered concepts, and practices of marriage, family, and child rearing were brutally altered by the Fat Takers, the White race. On the other side of the centuries of stealing people, and fighting for freedom Black family's shattered remains are a legacy embroiled in controversy as more and more young and older men are sent to prisons, and under educated. Couple that with a sad unwillingness to unlearn and relearn the Grandchildren of ex-slaves will forever be Mouse on the treadmill.Who doesn't know the song; this song of woe? Let's snag a new energy and begin to dream of freedom, and this time be specific in the dream on the important and small points. Let us not allow new dreams of freedom to be clouded with slave songs, and dependent songs or blame songs, but songs in the key of Life as Stevie Wonder put it down in his music. 

Most have forgotten the liberation and the liberating theme of that album when it came out in the mid-1970's. They don't remember  the radio stations, and young people don't know this, around the globe stopped all programming and played the entire recording of SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE at the same time. That was two Lp's, and one .45 recording. It was the last time a musician had the stature, integrity, the strength of song and character to merit this level and kind of respect. The affect of his music prevailed across language and cultural barriers penetrating the soul, the spirits and emotional states of being elevating consciousness with exact precision. Very few prophets and healers who create and play their music are given access to millions, but thousands of gifted prophets, and healers who are musicians, singers, and crafts persons touch hundreds of lives in their circles of influence expanding the global effect of light upon darkness. 

Babies are born light carriers, and the process of religion and belief, and the other stories children are told to become adults shade the light, or close it into darkness. Slavery has such a power. It has such a darkness and its shadows are long and unregulated. Used to hard labor ex-slaves don't learn to work smart, only continually. Into these worldviews let us interject healing and restorative stories from other cultures who know a thing or two about healing a slave would not know. A bound man would not know the terms of freedom only the dream of freedom. Into that state of being light and the idea or concept of light catches the heart opening the eyes to hear the water carriers and the light carriers in a clear way. 

We show a man how to see, and remind a woman how to teach, and a man to learn, and a  woman to remember, and a man to forget certain things, and put all these elements together into a workable form serving everyone, and developing everyone. This would change the world around for an ex-slave, and a slave from the inside out could conceivably become whole. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8.23.12