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Feature 8.7
By Zemoonitah, on June 16th, 2010
 The idea of the proud single woman and mother is new to humanity and was introduced as a divide and conquer tactic
In today’s society, women have come to the conclusion that they have made a big accomplishment by being single and independent. It is as if we hold trophies to our single status and are proud when we can pay bills, run a home and raise children without the assistance of a man. Colonial society has done a good job convincing women that we are somehow much stronger without men playing major roles in our lives.
It is important to understand that the goal of this system is to maintain control over the masses. I am sure that the message I’m trying to convey is no secret, but we as women need to start connecting the dots in order to see the full picture. Although we’d rather be perceived as a woman who has everything under control, the reality is, we as women need to depend on someone. But take a look at the society that you turn to when you finally need some assistance. Whether we need a career, pay raise, bank loan, food stamps, etc., when we need help we turn towards the same system that controls us.
If you listen to popular culture songs on the radio and see the average sitcom, you’ll begin to see how much aspiring to being an independent woman plays a big role in the attitudes of women today. Okay, you may have a nice home, car, bank account, designer clothes and all the “finer” things in life. Once you have accomplished the goal of spending all your money for material gain and making the same ones who control you richer, how do you sleep at night? Do you snuggle up with your cuddly fur coat or your Fendi bag? Certainly it should make us women think about what our goal is and what is really important.
Continue reading ALL THE SINGLE LADIES…
Feature 8.7
By Baashu, on June 16th, 2010
 The Nuclear arms race was justified as a way to protect America and keep peace, but how can an arsenal of weapons capable of destroying all life on Earth Guarantee peace? It is no secret that a strong bond among family and community members provides a very stable foundation from which an individual can utilize and build their life. These bonds transmit the values which define the culture and the person. The more people sharing your values, the more people can depend upon each other for assistance. An extended family is what the community becomes, and it plays a fundamental role in the development of a quality human being. It is summed up in the proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. While shared values and strong bonds are one aspect of a stable community, it is the values that determine a civilized community from a barbaric one. It is interesting, though, how a community may become more or less civilized through the bonds that connect them.
Our words and our actions affect our families, our communities. When a rock is tossed into the water it creates a set of waves rippling out in every direction. This can be seen as the physical representation of how our actions go on to affect everything around us. That which is closest to us is affected first, and so on, until things that we can’t see, think of, or things we haven’t perceived are being affected by our actions. Over the bonds shared by family or community members goes the wave of our actions, our behavior and our influence. It is on a daily basis that the improvement or degeneration of the individual, and the society, happens. That means we are either upholding or letting go of our values whenever we think, speak or act. In this way, our behavior can serve to inspire others toward improvement or degeneration.
Continue reading Love, Hate and the Nuclear Solution
On the Ancestral Path 8.7
By Bikbaye, on June 16th, 2010
 The only way to know where to step is by knowing not only which path to follow, but also who set the path for you. If survival is your goal, then you will do things that lead to survival… it’s that simple. I can imagine that this statement is a very simple one to understand. There is no hidden meaning behind these words. There is no hidden agenda behind me writing these words. The purpose is to show the reader how simple it is to comprehend this logic regarding survival. Even the most closed minded individual cannot deny this logic even if he chooses to involve his emotions as a way of trying to complicate it. Now comes the difficult part that I will put here for you in the form of a question… Is survival your goal?
This may appear to be a simple question, but really it is not if you choose to answer it honestly. Because if you say yes to this question, you will be forced to first look into your life, to look at your lifestyle, to look at your habits, to look at the vices you are attached to, to look at your health and so on and so on… Only then will you be able to answer this question honestly. Even after this self inventory is done, many of us will find it difficult to admit that we are not doing things that will lead to survival individually or as a people. It is a sort of mental defense mechanism that will keep one in a state of denial concerning this topic, as if admitting this failure will leave a scar on the image we feel the need to portray to the world, a world that does not care whether you exist or not, a world that sees you only as an object to be exploited and thrown away when you are no longer useful in carrying out the plan it had for you since your birth. Ironically, it is because of this same “plan” that we were not taught or exposed to the things, ways, and means that will ensure our survival. This is another aspect that makes my initial question difficult to answer, even honestly, because if we only know what we are exposed to and we have not been exposed to what will allow us to have a future, then how can we know whether we are doing things that will lead to our survival?
The only way to know where to step is by knowing not only which path to follow, but also who set the path for you. In other words, the way to know if you are doing things that will lead to your survival is by first learning the ways, wisdom, and knowledge of your ancestors and compare that to the lifestyle and goals that were set for you by the society in which you now live. When we look back at the history of people of color, we will not find most of the societal ills that plague the world today. You will find the difference, by comparison, shocking if nothing else. Our history does not reveal that hundreds of thousands of our people were dying from heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. Our history does not reveal that we were committing massive acts of suicide. Our history does not reveal that we were killing our unborn children because we were not willing to do whatever it took to raise them. Neither does our history reveal that we murdered and slaughtered others to steal the resources of their lands. Additionally, although many of the drugs that are destroying the lives of millions are naturally grown around the world (heroine, cocaine, marijuana), I have yet to discover a history of drug addiction, being that most of these “drugs” are considered to be medicines that were used ceremoniously by our ancestors. These are just some aspects of our culture that clearly show the difference between what we have become now and what we come from. The determining factor simply relies on the goal that the society sets for us.
So what is the goal of this current society here in America? Is it set for its people to survive? The implications are truly staggering. But what is even more profound is the fact that we, as a people, can clearly see the traps that have been set for us, but we still choose to take the bait. Basically, we have a reactionary tendency to justify our own destruction. Although this behavior can honestly be seen as a mental retardation, it stems from the absence of a culture that was suppressed many generations ago by the hands of colonialism.
To say we have been lucky to survive all that has been aimed at us to bring our demise will be an insult to our ancestors, because it is only the powers of the ancestral spirit that has allowed us to endure these atrocities that we face. We cannot take credit for our lives, being that we are being made weaker on a daily basis by our society. I can only imagine then the effect it would have on our lives and what it would mean for our future survival if we acknowledged and honored our ancestors for the role they have played in our survival. Through building and strengthening our relationships with the ancestors, we are then able to give our children and grandchildren the opportunity to be survivors as well. This concept of the ancestral spirit is a very real one. If you, the reader, are unaware of this aspect of your culture, then you will not know how to benefit from the same blood that is flowing through your veins. Take the time to investigate the content within these words. Doing so may entail going outside of what your current values are, but unless it is the same values of your ancestors, you truly have nothing to lose. But if you choose not to investigate… you have already lost.
Graduation 8.7
By Irita, on June 16th, 2010
 Herpw Bikbaye (center) welcomes the Bakiou Generation Sahtehuti (left) Iritmaat (right)
An ancient wisdom says “Little by little the bird builds its nest”. If you have ever been given the opportunity to touch your fingers to a bird’s nest, you understand the profundity of this proverb. Even more, if you will challenge your logic to understand how the bird is able to realize such a feat, you will be impressed by the patience shown by the bird to ensure its survival as an entity of the cosmos in which everything is subjected to the principle of perpetual transformation. Unlike this tiny bird who, like so many others, has understood that patient, harmonious work will contribute to the perfection of this existence, it is the supposedly intelligent humans who, of all species, still think we control this world. However, time and time again our patience and commitment can be seen but not towards our own survival; instead it is put to work for the ambitions and future set for us according to the utopia of our leaders in a world where reality is constantly challenging us. We have become the only species to believe that we will gain our freedom by ignoring the natural wisdom of traditional culture in order to invest in the propaganda of what we want to see in the illusions set by colonialism. Modern man is now left confused in his delusions, only because he is led to reject his ancestors and their traditions in order to embrace the empty rhetoric of leaders promising a bright future. Until the moment the individual realizes that his leader has only set him towards self-destruction by asking him to ignore or forget what has given him life and ensures the perpetuation of that life, he is doomed…. as it has always been said in Kem (Black) civilisation, “The branch who wants to flower learns to honor its roots.”
Continue reading Reconciling with Tradition
Cover 8.6
By Barkanitah, on June 8th, 2010
The gift of pregnancy and the ability to endure childbirth inspires mankind to celebrate and honor our women. This marvelous ability is recognized by people of all cultures and traditions as a great responsibility that women hold, distinguishing a woman as the bearer of life, the unconditional care-giver, and mankind’s very first teacher. From traditional spiritual practices to modern religions, women are identified as upholding the beauty and esteem of a culture, and are worthy and deserving of protection and adoration. In Kem culture, we know that the woman is responsible for the destiny of her children, and the well being and maintenance of her household and her community. Some of the duties and abilities that women carry are even exemplified by female deities. Pregnancy and childbirth are associated with practices and traditions that reflect just how important they are to a culture and how very connected the process of childbirth is to spirituality. Even in modern cultures, we can see remnants of practices coming from traditions that recognize the significance of the natural pregnancy and birthing process. While human beings come from a long history of acknowledging, respecting, and enduring the natural process of bringing life into the world, the ways of the modern system have managed to twist our views and encourage us to stray from practices that have worked for our ancestors for hundreds of thousands of years.
Continue reading Natural Childbirth Part 1
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The Sidereal Calendar
Year 410
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Philosphy Podium
Volume 1:
A Dogon Perspective
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