Differences between the African and the Euro-American

Abby Parece ,by the way in jeans, makes the light look better back in 2015!...

Abby Parece made a statement in 2015: "If you keep looking back you might miss what is standing right in front of you!" "What would Sankofa say?" would be the question to ask, not being a white man. I am an African First Nation man.

Sankofa affirms the spiritual practice of looking backwards to better see the present and the future. It is distinctly Akan, from the Adinkra system of writing in present day Ghana and the Ivory Coast. In Colonial times European countries after slaughter and subjugation the continent of Africa was divided amongst the war participants against African rule, thus becoming countries with multi-linguistic groups, and cultures living in new circumstances.

The immediate task to maintain cultures and rituals throughout the continent of Africa was, and to this day difficult because Europeans as Colonial powers are extremely brutal. There are quite a number of West African authors, from the 1960's onward who have critiqued this time and illustrated detailed stories of that initial period, and how it moved through the decades. In these struggles, Sankofa was the appropriate technique amongst others to maintain the ancient cultures as France, and England, in particular thrust their nasty spirit into daily life!

In the United States, white Americans have inflicted themselves with gross contradictions to live by as they spread dark forces upon the people indigenous to this land, and the enslaved Africans they kept alive to copulate bringing forth more 'property' to bear upon their individual, and collective wealth. This system of manipulation for financial gain and cultural dominance to this end slaughter ancient ritual practices of the many African traditions that survived the Middle Passage. The Church, the educators, the business men, and the Department of War were the high priests of this orgy of dismantling the soul of people, Red and Black.

The 20th century bore fruit from this violence in both of our communities. Sankofa became more of a presence in the African spiritual communities in major cities as more and more Black American's struggles brought them closer home to who their ancestors prayed better understanding of self over mere survival. Washington DC's African spiritual communities are 'houses'.

There are eleven (11) houses: Yoruba, Akan, Ausar Auset, and one house of Voudoun. Each employ Sankofa in the practicality of unlearning what white people poured into our souls, as bowel. It is safe to say, and accurate to say the Sankofa presents itself to need, and is indifferent to being disregarded the way whites like to overcome their dichotomies with denial insisting upon other ethnic groups to simply get over whatever they (we) think they did to us!


Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
March 7, 2018

Abby Parece by EASPHTOGRAPHY in October of 2015.