The Middle Passage, Gullah/Geechee, and SAV
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) leads the libation ceremony in honor of the Gullah/Geechee ancestors that built coastal Georgia and were sold at River Street in Savannah, GA where the ceremony took place.
Enslavement advertisements in Savannah marketed the "Black gold/Black cargo" to insure people were aware of the "superior attributes of African slaves from Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast, Angola, and New Calabar." The "slave trade" on River Street in Savannah began as "intercolonial domestic trade" with enslaved Africans being brought from South Carolina to be sold into bondage or to be rented out to clear the land that would become Carolina gold rice and Sea Island cotton fields as well as to be built up to become the city of Savannah.
In 1747 James Habersham and Francis Harris built one of several commercial vessels, the schooner Endeavour, to engage in the intercolonial trade. The Endeavour exported goods to South Carolina for reexport to Britain and imported enslaved Africans from South Carolina for sale in Savannah. From 1755 to 1767, approximately 63 percent of slaves imported into Savannah originated from the Caribbean, and approximately 24 percent came directly from the windward coast/rice coast of the Motherland. From 1768 to 1771, approximately 86 percent of the Africans kidnapped and brought to Savannah to enslaved came directly from the Motherland. St. James, Goree Island, Bunce Islands were major enslavement ports on the western seaboard of Africa from which Africans arrived in Savannah. 1766 the Liverpool, England sloop, Maryborow arrived in Savannah from Senegal with 78 enslaved Africans on-board.
During the early 1790s, Cyprian Sterry of Providence, Rhode Island delivered some 13 human cargoes of over 1,200 enslaved Africans to Savannah. Rhode Island played a major role in the enslavement traded that was taking place all along what is now the coast of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
Due to the fact that Gullah/Geechees built this port city by hand and with their blood, sweat, and tears, the Gullah/Geechee Nation has led multiple libation ceremonies on River Street in Savannah, GA and they continue to keep people aware of the four to six month Middle Passage journey that many of their ancestors had to take before they arrived on the coast of Georgia. The Gullah/Geechee Nation's legacy is still alive there in spite of this crime against humanity.
It is important to feed the spiritual energy that comes from offerings to your ancestors daily. In African tradition it is Ancestors/The Egun who answers the prayers of their descendants. Alaafin Sango, ancient Emperor of West Africa, called upon his family ancestors Oduduwa, Yemaya, Obatala to solve his problems, have victory over his enemies, and make Oyo Empire a success. Ancestors surround us, to shield us, protect us, guide us, and teach us lessons when they feel we are betraying our spiritual destiny. We are all alone sometimes, but never alone when we call upon our ancestors. But it is important to give them energy. This is the energy they will use to complete what you ask for. Its like giving someone your car to go to the store to buy your groceries. Without the car it would be very difficult for them to bring quickly all the groceries you wanted. Everything in life requires energy, including the spirit world is fused by and maintained by energy. Each time you pray you build energy. Each time you mediate you build energy. And each time you perform a ritual you build energy. People in the ancient made amulets, talisman, fetishes, had symbols, had calendars, and performed rituals, but they understood no greater force to call upon is greater than a spirit, especially an ancestor. You would be wise to locate your ancestors, think of good people in your family, who lived right, and were true and just. Always avoid negative ancestors who had morality issues, drunkenness, cruelty, ignorance, darkness, perversions, etc. Please tell them they are loved but not wanted in your altar circle or around you when you are calling upon your ancestors! They will obey your wish. It is important be careful in calling upon any spirit, make sure it is a good spirit. When you go into your ritual you enter a trance state, your body's channels upon, this is true with all spiritual practices, dances, signing and chanting, yoga, martial arts, stomping, drumming, etc. This is where spirit enters, when we have opened ourselves to receive them. Research your family history and find good souls from your family soul's group. Honor them, revere them, and feed them daily with water, fire, and their favorite foods, upkeep their altar and you will find your prayers are magically answered much quicker. Ase, ase, ase, ooo! Love, Sango.
IyaLe pours Libation, Honors the Ancestors and calls the Energies
LIBATION: AN AFRICAN TRADITION: A DOCUMENTARY BY ADHD FILMS
Dr Umar Johnson
Libations
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