Spiritual Healing and Renewal Ceremony at the Anacostia River, Washington, D.C., June 20, 2015

When we got to the River, the healing ceremonies began in earnest. After the libations and the practitioners
healing rituals, the priestess in the center left the altar and began to bless the drummers. She later told me she hadn't planned to do what she did. The ancestors called her and so she answered.

Master Drummer Sidiki Paul Lancaster is given a ritual cleansing.

Eurika Huggins Axum with poet and special guest, Nana Farika Berhane,
VP World African Diaspora Union. She shared lovely poetry.

Oso Tayari Casel, Founder, African Martial Arts Academy,
gave the keynote address at the River. He told us the adults were the ancestors our children
would be consulting, so we needed to get healthy and strong for the task.

Oso Tayari Casel bows to Iya Motilewa Osunniyi

Mrs. Eurika Huggins Axum presents the 2015 Walking in the Footsteps of Our Ancestors Award to Denise Rolark-Barnes, Publisher, Washington Informer, Editor, National Black Newspaper Association. He husband accepts the award on her behalf. She is in Detroit that morning. 

Libations are poured into the river.

ADACI Washington, DC, June 20

After the libation, we formed a line outside, and led by the drummers and an Egungun we walked to the River, where healers were given ablutions, prayers were offered, songs to Oshun sang, and words of encouragement offered. Community members were also honored with the ADACI Award for Service. People danced to the drumming. We were all given two stones at Union Baptist, which we blew our desires into and tossed into the water, while keeping the other.

It was really warm, so when we got back to the church, the cold water for sale was quite welcome. Power Talk 2 continued from the evening before that afternoon from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. There was intermittent rain, but the powerful speakers presented to a full church. It was really nice that the presenters hung out in the social hall selling books and videos and chatting with the public.

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing was the honoree, she and her sister were there both days. She had just been honored last year at Florida A&M University, but Washington is her town. She had tee-shirts for sale, and it was announced that her monthly talks at Howard University would resume. Friday evening, Juneteenth, she spoke at the end of a great presentation by Merira Kwesi, "Sistahs In the Struggle: A Tribute to Black Women Liberators Ancient & Modern. In her presentation, Dr. Cress-Welsing shared stories of her childhood and how she became a doctor. Her sister had supplied Mrs. Kwesi with lots of photos from their childhood, so we were treated to an intimate portrayal of the doctor.

Earlier that afternoon, we'd gone to the Library of Congress for a Juneteenth program on literacy. As we were returning to the room where the symposium was held, we shared an elevator ride up with the Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia).

She was the featured speaker. Rep. Holmes Norton spoke of the early emancipation of District of Columbia enslaved Africans April 16, 1862. Owners were duly compensated for their losses. Mrs. Holmes Norton also shared the story of her ancestor's escape from slavery and her genealogy up to the present. It was a great story and overall presentation.

ADACI Washington, DC Libations for the Ancestors, June 20

Healers seated at Union Baptist Church in the Historic Anacostia
community

Participants took off their shoes and went onto the altar, where we were
invited to leave a message for an ancestor

On the altar. Sankofa is to my right.

Union Baptist Church

Sister Eurika, Brother Adeyemi, and Sister Wanda

Wanda with President General Senghor Jawara Baye El (UNIA)

Babalawo Fakunle Oyesanya, President, ADACI Nigeria
performs the libation

Libation to the Ancestors. The Babalowa holds a kola nut, which he breaks
into pieces with his teeth andthen throws them on the floor to read the message.
He does this three times, then tells us what is communicated.

Babalawo Fakunle Oyesanya fills his mouth with water and sprays it.

Pouring libations.

Maafa Commemoration in Newark, New Jersey

Friday, June 26, 2015, 7:30pm

 Join five-time Grammy Award winning singer and special guest artist Dionne Warwick and the Grammy Award winning choir Rev. Stef & Jubilation in From the Middle Passage, An African American Journey at New Jersey Performing Arts Center this Friday, June 26.  Through song and narration, this uplifting program about the Black experience travels from Africa, to the horrific sea voyages known as the Middle Passage, to the civil rights movement and present day.

Created by the Rev. Dr. Stefanie R. Minatee to raise awareness of Black History, the concert soars with time-honored gospel and spirituals, as well as “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” performed by Warwick, a music industry legend.

From the Middle Passage refers to the middle leg in the torturous journey of millions of Africans from their homelands to their final destination in the New World. Images, words and music all combine into a powerful, moving event.

Single-performance tickets are available online at njpac.org, via phone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722) or at the NJPAC Box Office, One Center St., Newark. For groups of 10 or more, call 973-297-5804. All tickets purched online and via phone are subject to a per-ticket handling charge.