Train Station Entry #4

This is a picture of a talented sista from Jersey who sojourned with us. She's a spoken word artist who goes by the name Purple Haze. I took this picture of her while she was sitting on the chairs at the station; however, I really wanted to catch the picture of the muslim woman that sits in the background. The reason I wanted to take her picture so badly is b/c I shared a moment with her momentarily. Of course we were a spectacle to the people in the train station. They could obviously tell that we were tourists, so they and we alike stared often without really realizing it. I know I stare sometimes, but my mind is so vivid and I immediately start thinking of conversation if I were to speak to those people and I don't realize it until it is made apparent to me that I'm staring. At any rate, I got off on a tangent for a second. I connected with this woman in the midst of her staring at me and me looking in her direction. Instead of looking down or away, I decided to smile. Unbeknownst to me she decided to smile back! Previously making eye contact with fully covered muslim women in Cairo was almost impossible! However, this woman was very warm and receptive. Although her face was completely covered, you could see her cheeks raise and her eyes squint which undoubtedly was a smile. I felt very warm on the inside.

Train Station Entry #3

The adan was being called for maghrib right as we were going into the station. Without getting too close and being disrespectful, I wanted to get a picture of these 2 brothers making Salat in the train station of all places. As you can see, they had their prayer rug and they were actually in between one of the sajdah prostrations. I didn't see a bathroom, so I don't know if they were able to make wudu first; but you can see them in total supplication and being obedient no matter what is going on around them. Here we come, almost 200 Africans from America, with suitcases, tags, bags, pillows and everything else, yet they didn't flinch, lift a head or even get distracted for one minute. They were in deep meditation. Much respect for the discipline of Islam. 

Train Station Entry #2

Now, I pray I don't get in trouble for this....I don't see why I would, but I also don't know what this is. I thought it could be a missing person's report or possibly a wanted sign. I really don't know. I seriously doubt that it's an invitation to come see an artist or anything positive of that nature. I don't know, but I thought it was interesting. Thus, I took this photo to remind me of all of the possible things I was thinking. The only thing I recognize is the bismillah at the top, a date in the middle, and a few numbers at the bottom. Exactly what they are, I don't know, but now that I think about it and narrow it down, it's probably a missing person's report. What do you think? 

The Train Station....

We were on our way to Luxor from Cairo. This train station has MANY stories behind it. I'll try and capsize several of those stories in this particular entry. Here we are at the entrace of the train station, possibly the equivalent of our Amtrak. This particular train that we were catching was a sleeper train....overnight...to Luxor. The cabins and sleeping quarters were pretty tight (tight meaning small). It was a little rough, but doable nonetheless. I didn't use any of the water on the train...I used bottled water to wash my hands and to brush my teeth. We used wet wipes to wash faces. You definitely had to wait to get to the next hotel before you could really bathe. We were in the train station with the public. Which was very interesting. I wish I could include more than one picture in a blog, but the few above this one go into more stories about the train station....oh, by the way...I didn't get a picture of them, but there were armed guards on the roof of this station. They were military men with rifles ready to shoot if need be....oh yeah, there are more stories about the security that accompanied us everywhere we went..... 

Strictly Business....

It may appear that this young man was very happy to show me how to weave this rug he was making. I expected to pay $1 when he invited me to sit down so he could show me. I was very curious to see (in slow motion) how tedious this process really is. He patiently showed me step by step what to do, and then I got a chance to do it. It took me about 2 attempts to get it right, but finally on the last one is where he nodded his head in approval and flashed his great smile.....only to follow it with one of the most serious and somewhat intimidating frowns as he rubbed his two fingers together, looking me straight in my eyes, nodded his head this time; however, it was a nod that said, in addition to the face and the fingers "I'm ready for my money lady. My job is done with you. Get up so the next person can sit down...." Of course he didn't say that, but I sure felt a slight sting by the sudden change in his facial expression. He was truly about making his money.....

Bitter Sweet....

Do you see how amazing these rugs are? All made by hand.....primarily by children....

Child Labor.....

It hurts me a bit to talk about this video...During the summer months, the Egyptian government, sadly puts children to work to become the major wage earners in the family. While most of our children are taking time off, "being kids," resting, lounging, traveling and sleeping in until noon, here these children are working in 100 + degree weather in a rug/carpet factory in Cairo! I started filming the children working and their faces looked so solemn and sad....so I decided to focus on an adult weaving a camel hair rug by hand. This skill requires total mastery. I didn't forget what it felt like to watch those children; however watching this adult weave this rug so quickly didn't cease to amaze me anyhow......

Free Time for the Grown-Ups

Here's another clip during the Nile River Cruise Dinner in Cairo. Yes, these are some of the group leaders dancing away to a familiar tune. This video is very candid. You can tell that I was having a ball laughing! I wasn't going on the dance floor. Not here. I wanted to catch the video of people letting their hair down, and this is a good example of that....lol

Affirmations

Brother Chike Akua of Atlanta, GA conducting the affirmations in our opening meeting. We had just arrived at our hotel in Cairo (Hilton Pyramids) after 3 days of travel. We sipped on some hibiscus tea to calm our stomachs and heads and we began our orientation.

Phenomenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at the size of these stones!!!!!! Can you believe that one of these can weigh an average of 2.5 tons?!?!? There are about 2.5 million of these that make up this structure!!!!!! The base covers 13.11 square acres (this is almost the equivalent to 7 city blocks!!!!). The height of this particular pyramid can be compared to a 45 story building with enough stone to build 30 Empire State Buildings!-(Browder, Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization). The blocks were poured, formed and then sailed 500 miles down the Nile river. Then levys, ramps and pulleys were used to help position each one of these massive blocks. This is an imperial representation of Ujimaa; collective work and responsibility. Everyone had a role to play that was equally effective in determining the outcome.

Khufu's Pyramid!.....

What we all have been waiting to see. One of the great pyramids, one of the largest and the oldest structures still standing. One of the "great wonders of the world." Here's an interesting fact from Anthony Browder's book Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization: "...Dividing the premeter of the pyramd's base by twice its height yields 3.1428, which is a working approximation of pi often used by contemporary engineers in construction design." Again, who did these egineers learn from? This structure is surrounded by much controversy. I suggest reading texts written by Black Africans or Africans in the diaspora to get true accounts of this structure's design, purpose, origin, etc. This blog isn't large enough to hold all of the research. Don't forget, this structure was covered with limestone that was smoothed and polished. This covering was stripped over time to build mosques throughout Cairo, revealing the steps that people can use to climb to the top.

One Form of Transportation

OK, I may or may not have mentioned that we traveled by every possible means of transportation to get around on this trip, except this hot air balloon....lol. This was taken from the hotel room in Luxor and it overlooks the mountain where the Valley of the Kings exists. There are over 60 tombs in the valley of the kings. We went there and visited 2 tombs. Many people were very hot and decided not to tour more. We were unallowed to take pictures inside of the tombs, but what you saw were the actual pictures painted on the walls and ceilings of many popular papyrus paintings that you see today. One in particular that I can remember was the depiction of the netchr Nut, who is the goddes of heaven; where the sun's passage across the sky is represented through her body (first swallowing a sun disc, then the passage through her body as the night time sky, and then her giving birth to the sun in the east.)

Huge!

Hatshepsut's Temple: Columns Inside!!!!!

Closer.....

This sister, Hatshepsut, was bad! She was the first female Nsubit to rule Kemet in 1473. She ruled during the New Kingdom during the Temple and Imperial Age....

One of the Greatest!!!!!

Whew! I couldn't wait to see this! Now, this isn't a man made mountain. This is the temple of Queen Hatshepsut that was carved out of the side of this mountain! As you will see, this area in Luxor is built around this huge center mountain. You have both the west and the east banks. Do you see the size of this mountain, and the size of the temple? I mean really! Look at the people on the stairs! They're specs!

Entering the Largest....

.....worship center on the planet! Once you are inside the Temple of Karnak, you will see how this resembles a city! It's where the ancients gathered to commune and reverance God. There was huge honor and respect for this area in Luxor Kemet. Thank goodness this is being preserved. On a more sad note, and me personally, a blatant form of disrespect, one of the first things we saw when arriving in Luxor was the Luxor Temple with a Mosque built right on top of part of the temple.

The Sacred Lake....

 

They Wanted Perfection

Here's another view of Queen Hatshepsut's Tekhen at the Karnak Temple. During construction, it was ceased for a while b/c there was a crack that was discovered in it. It was done over. Can you imagine how long it takes to contruct one of these? She was worth more than imperfection to the people she led. That's loyalty and dedication. 

Tekhenw...

Look familiar? Just like the Washington Monument of course. These are the Tekhenw of Queen Hatshepsut and Thutmuse I. These two Tekhenw (most commonly refered to as obelisk) actually are reflected in the Sacred Lake at the Temple of Karnak. I was unable to get the angle of the lake that shows that reflection, but I do have a picture of the lake and you can see the reflection of the bushes alongside this rectangular "pool" which bares interestingly similar resemblance to the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC. Again, I wonder where the architects of DC got their inspiration?

America the Beautiful....

Can you see it?

Inside the Holies of Holies....

This is at the Temple of Karnak inside the holies of holies. Do you see how massive this structure is? What we were being taught about at this time was that very place in the ceiling where you can see the stars in the sky and the red stripes that influenced the creation of the American Flag....The picture before this blog will be a close up of that....

Both Temples...

Ramses II and His wife, Queen Nefertari 

You Can Tell....

....that because the color, texture and positioning of the temple, versus the mountain and the sand, that many repairs had to be done to this temple to save it. It also had to be elevated so that it wouldn't run the risk of being submerged again. This is the view of the temple of Ramses II that I mentioned below.

Survival of the Fittest!

This temple was submerged in water at one time! But b/c our ancestors were such master architects and artists, resurrecting this temple was doable! It did not crumble to flooding. Sure, there was some damage, but the grandeur of this temple is still awe inspiring. This is the Temple of Ramses II, one of the greatest, biggest and most respected Nsubit in Ancient Kemetic History. I don't know if you can see how large this temple actually is, but once you come around the corner and see this carving, sitting outside of a mountain, you gasp in amazement.

On this same mountain, you see a smaller temple constructed to his beautiful Nubian wife, Nefertari! My picture in front of that temple isn't too good, but I think i have one of both in the picture..... 

Isis Island Hotel......

We stayed in 3 hotels while we were there, and this particular one we stayed in for 3 days! I loved this hotel! Even though it was the same company that ran the last hotel we left from in Luxor (Pyramisa), I loved it b/c of the location and the hospitality of the people that worked there. It was in Aswan!!!!! Luxor had hospitable people too, but I still was distracted by the vendors in the hotel who were starting to get a little more brown, but still gave off a little bit of the same arrogance experienced in Cairo. Here, everyone was full of smiles! All of the staff was very friendly even though I'm sure their take home pay is very little.

This picture also shows you the 2 boats that we often traveled by to get to the mainland from the island. A hotel on an island on the Nile River? That's almost fairytale like! But no, this was real, and very beautiful!

What A Nice Day!

This was really nice! To at some point realize once again that I was in AFRICA!!!!!!!! I was actually sailing down the Hapi River!!!!!! I remember one of my friends showed me pictures of he and his wife getting married on the Nile and I thought "Whoa! How spiritual!!!! That had to be one of the most amazing expriences in the world!"

Well, I can't speak for marriage on the Nile, but just being there and seeing that the water is LITERALLY as clear as drinking water and that the water is so calm, as to suggest that it can't get angry and become turbulent IS one of the most spiritual and amazing experiences for me so far! 

He Was Intrigued.....

How can you not stare into those cute, little eyes? This young brother had to be no more than 4 years old at the Nubian village. Of course he got everyone's attention, one b/c he was small and 2 b/c he's an African with naturally straight hair. Many of us were careful not to gravitate only to him as if to say that we only think straight hair is beautiful. Nonetheless, there was a point, in the midst of all of the excitement, that he looked at me for a prolonged period of time. I tried to make some sort of connection with him before I pointed my camera back in his direction. It wasn't until his father or caretaker gestured that it was ok that he willingly came over to me to shake my hand. He still didn't smile much b/c he still seemed a little apprehensive, but he willingly came over to greet me. That's when he graciously allowed me to capture his sweet face. I pray that he grows up with hopes and dreams that can be attained. I also pray that these dreams will be resiliant to life's hardships and that the next time I go, he'll have something to smile about. 

Who's Who?................

At first glance, can you tell which team is which? Maybe you can tell by some of the kids wearing jeans. But they look a lot alike don't they? Especially the 2 brothers on the back row on the far right side (one in yellow and one in blue). This game of soccer was an excellent testament to brotherhood! It looked like something that you would see in your neighborhood! Only because you see the desert and mudbrick in the background can you tell that we are in another country. This is beautiful! Of course, we're in ASWAN!!!!!!

Our Identity.......Over There.....

This is very interesting.....I had mixed emotions when I saw this flag that was being used by our bus drivers and guides to identify us: Black Americans. Were we looked upon as African Americans? Were we looked upon as Africans in America? Were we looked upon as rebels? Were we looked upon as allies or enemies? What all does this say? Well, many people do not know that the national colors of ancient Kemet were red, white and blue. Many people also do not know that part of the inspiration for the design of the American flag came from inside the ceiling of the holies of holies in the Temple of Karnak; the largest center or "city" of worship in Kemet. Someone can easily look at this picture and think several things, but until they are made aware of more of the history of how America was really founded and why Washington, DC was named and set up like it was (all clever omissions out of our US History Books--from grade school through college), people could/would be offended by this flag. Some might go as far to say that it is being defamated or defaced.

I think it shows the heart, root and veins of why America is here in the first place. Kemet was robbed of it's grandeur and all who declared to be firsts in civilization and intellect borrowed, took and robbed from Kemet and claimed it as their own. And then not to add salt to the wound, Kemet was made to be believed that it doesn't exist in Africa, and that the descendants of the Nile Valley didn't populate the world; albeit the most evolved remaining in Africa....notice I said evolved (natural evolution and not man-made perceived progression)....those same descendants that remained on the West coast of Africa were then taken as prisoners of war for 400 + years and by force created America. If anyone has a right to the "American" flag, it is Africans in America (those who were born there) for the concept of it's origin started in Africa, and the muscle behind realizing and sustaining it happened on the backs of Africans.

The Cairo Museum

Art Deco Architecture for the Cairo Museum? That's not right! Anyway....there are a lot of things in Egypt that you see now that just aren't right.

Here I am, candid shot, in front of the museum right before we check in. Had to get this shot b/c cameras were not allowed inside of the museum. Here is the place where we could finally put many of the pieces together from the various sites we had seen so far. I could write for days about this one site, but of course I don't have that kind of time, space and energy, so I'll just give a tidbit of information.

Immediately upon entering the building, you are struck with the gigantic image of Amenhotep and his queen Tiye! Gosh! These stone carvings were splendid!!!! I mean I really can not put into words how awesome these 2 statues were. What makes them even more awesome is the level of respect for women that is exemplified in ancient Kemetic culture. There was no patriarchy during that time. Often times, much of the rulership was passed down through matrilineage believe it or not. Read about one woman name Amenirdis and see how bad she was! Whew, she was a bad sista! Women and men were regarded in the same splendor and valor. Much of the subservience you see today in Egypt is do to the Arabic influence, where the women move around completely covered, with their eyes to the floor. To some this may appear as an Islamic behavior, but in all actuality it is Arabic. I will not go into that too much b/c that's a sensitive issue for many. The point I'm making is that men and women were really equal during ancient times. The woman was always depicted shoulder to shoulder and the sizes of their depiction were almost exact to scale.

On another note, there were several exhibits that screamed the Black presence in Kemet, especially the mummy exhibit, the nubian exhibits, many of the stone carvings, and especially the hair exhibit! Locks, twists, braids, fros and coils were the name of the game back then. If that's not black, then I don't know what is!--lol.

If you ever go to this museum, the entire 2nd floor is dedicated to King Tutankhamen. This brother was bad too! Once you see the gold, jewels and stones this man was buried with, you will really appreciate the reverance that the people he lead had for him. It's breath taking! The actual burial mask was there on exhibit this time! I was extremely excited to see that.

Also, Akhenaton's statues were amazing too! I can't say enough about this brother. He did bring together the one God concept eventhough the one-God concept was not void. Where he fell out with a lot of people was that he was trying to fix something that wasn't broken for lack of better words.

Oh yeah, before I go, on a lighter note, make sure you bring your own bath tissue. There are women there standing to hand you tissue. They then expect a dollar.....(of course management of tissue is a form of sewage control....no really, it is.....)--lol.

Beautiful Ast!!!!

A close-up of one of the paintings on the papyrus in the shop! This is Ast (Auset) herself in all her glory! Most people refer to her as Isis.

Fresh Papyrus

Isn't this pretty? The fresh papyrus reeds, soaking in water, awaiting their turn to be peeled, pressed, rolled, soaked and dried to make the world's first paper. Ironically, the cross section of this plant is that of a pyramid! I didn't purchase any of the paintings, but you know I took pictures! When the funds get better, I'll be sure to purchase at least one really nice one. 

More Pics of the Working Girls....

 

Children on the Grind....

I couldn't get a good picture of these babes b/c I knew they would ask me for some money. There were 3 little girls; 2 looked like twins and the other possibly a big sister. We were in Cairo, right outside of the Her-em-akhet, which as you can see had many gates around it. These little girls were beautiful although they were quite dusty from what appears to be several days wear of their clothing. Many children at this time are out of school and are required to work (sad but true by the Egyptian government). These girls were hustling their photo ops for money. They also had very small items for sale....anything for one US dollar. The youngest of them seemed too small to be out in the heat and trying to make money, but again, it didn't appear as if these children had much to go off of. Suddenly, military men and also little bully boys chased off the girls extremely fast. We later caught up to the girls and discovered that the smallest had fallen and been trampled. She couldn't falter though b/c her hard days earnings would have been snatched, stolen or confiscated. With a limp and great whimpers, she kept running to what seemed safe......

I Was Really There....

My little sister told me this picture looks superimposed, but trust me, it's not. I was really there, but still pretty far away so that again you could get the the picture of both monuments. What you see is the 2nd pyramid, Khafre's tomb, which those who were brave enough actually went inside of. (I was one of the brave one's....very hot, 1 way in, 1 way out, no larger than 4ft by 4ft opening. Not much light, no air and pretty steep! It was very spiritual going down there and extremely surreal once you were down in there! Our ancestors were off the hook! The closest thing to perfection! Nonetheless, you also see the Her Em Akhet (Heru of the Horizon), most commonly referred to as the sphinx. This monument is one of the OLDEST in the world and depicts the head of a man on a lion's body, symbolizing how man must have dominion over our animalistic qualities. This exemplifies self-control, self-determination and the power of thought and decision making abilities that differentiate man from any other living being. The ancients sought to be masters of their minds and bodies, thus leading to the spiritual evolution of man.

Runoko Rashidi on the Giza Plateau

Runoko Rashidi, an amazing historian who has dedicated his life to uncovering the African presence throughout the world, was our resident historian for our sojourn! We were extrememely blessed to have him there with us b/c he definitely gives us the black perspective of Kemet and not what many of us have read in books. Fortunately, one of our tour guides, Muhammad, was very versed in the Black African perspective of Ancient Kemet! However, not all of them were, and so we had brother Rashidi to ensure that we were receiving the truth, which has been distorted, stretched and hidden for so many years. To hear more about brother Rashidi, you can visit his website at http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/runoko.html

Camel Ride...

This was too funny! Here, on top of this "abandoned" camel sits one of the adult leaders! She was up there to take pictures (of course, I didn't get on a camel....I did take a picture beside this same camel though)...at any rate, she was so scared b/c the owner stepped away for a second to speak to someone else. The camel had no direction, so one of the brave students decided to take a hold of the "reigns" and make sure that this camel didn't go trotting off with our friend on the hump! As you can see, she was very apprehensive about doing so; her eye's intently on the camel as if she's saying "don't you dare move....cuz I'm going to have to let this go and run!" Side note: notice the vacant sandals on the sand by the camel's feet.....evidence of abandonment by the owner....lol!

The Step Pyramid

Here I am at Saqqara, at the world's first pyramid! This is the step pyramid built by the world's first multi-genius. Can you guess his name? Imhotep! You're right! Coming through the temple at Saqqara, one could only imagine how many people gathered there for devotion to the creator. As we were walking through the temple, the pillars were enormous and the areas where offerings were made, were bare. I could only envision the amount of gold, the jewels and the stone, all symbolizing the divine connection to the most high lining every corner of this place! It was quite overwhelming! As you can see, I didn't get too close to the step pyramid b/c I wanted to look like I was actually in the picture and so that you could see how massive this thing actually is. Speaking of massive, when you see Kufu, Khafre and Menkhare's pyramids, you'll really be wide-eyed!

There are a couple of other stories behind Saqqara, like one of the adult leaders getting on a horse and riding WAY off into the desert! We had no clue where he was, but the ancestors were with him, and he made it back safely after several attempts to find him.

Also, there were these huge owls with great big orange eyes! I was unable to get a picture of them, but my roommate got a small one.

There were also many tombs that we were unable to go inside. One of the leaders actually gave us several lectures and historic accounts while we were there that were not part of the original tour.

Belly Dancing On the Nile River Cruise....

Several people were brave enough to join this belly dancer on our dinner cruise in Cairo. She was pretty ok, but the whole time I kept thinking, is she the equivalent to a stripper in the US? This was clearly adult entertainment, and for a strict Muslim country, which women were "allowed" to do this? At any rate, I later found out she was Russian! Our women were very tasteful. Those on the dance floor actually do belly dancing back here in the states! One is even in her 60's! Can you guess who?

We Just Landed....

As you can see, this blog is not in any type of order. There is really no chronology to this. I'm just writing as I look at a picture and am moved. At any rate, as you guessed, this is us landing in Cairo on Friday, July 21, 2006 at approx 12:30 pm, Kemet time. That means it was about 5:30 am EST. We were so ready to get off the plane after a 15 hour ride! Prior to that; however, we had been traveling by bus and shuttle! Our group left VA around 11:30 pm on Wednesday, July 19th! Once we got to our hotel, the Hilton Pyramids, we got word that the Chicago group had been delayed and we no longer had our room assignments! I felt really bad for the Chicago group, but I also felt the deep need to take a shower! At any rate, we ordered our shens from Golden Eagle's Bazaar in the hotel (they do great work, but now that I've learned, I won't use them again)...we wound up going to the perfumery, where I spent way too much money (I was shopping for someone else, and didn't want to take a chance on quality), we went to dinner and discovered the adjustment we needed to make to our palates! Finally, we were able to go back to the hotel where it took us EONS to find out room! As you will see later, the architecture for dwelling is different! No wonder we couldn't find it! My roomate had a very long day! One of her pieces of luggage was lost, but she didn't let it ruin her trip. I had duplicates of several things, so we could share. She believed that her luggage would be there the next day and it was! Our tour guides brought it back from the airport all the way out to the desert. I have picture of the bag when it was waiting for her to come claim it! I also have her face and her jumping up and down once she saw they found it!!!!! I was very excited for her....

Rising From the East

Look at the beginning of life? What the ancestors marked as the beginning of each day? What the kheprea (scarab) rolled across the sky; nut and what we normally see setting in the west. Has anyone ever seen a sunrise this intense? This is where it began! The first notices, glimpses and studies of the sun, in the Nile Valley! Here it is, about 4 am headed toward Abu Simbel, being able to look across the desert in Kemet and see the sun disc peeking above the horizon! Can you see the intensity of it's glow? Look at the power that is emitted from it! It's quite fascinating! It brings me closer to understanding why my ancient ancestors attributed so much respect to this force, for bringing, giving and nurturing life. How amazing!

Partying At The Nubian Restaurant...

You wouldn't believe this day began at 2am! We were so tired, but you really can't tell by viewing this video. Once again, we were welcomed with singing, dancing and drumming Nubian Style! We partied like we were with family!

More Images of Aswan

Here are just a few more pictures in a collage form that show you some of the many faces of Aswan. A lot of these you can't see, but they're so many stories behind all of them. Like the one on the right, where the Nubian brother is trying to take a picture with his baby for money. As you can see, the baby is not having it! Go ahead little one! Fight for your dignity! Sarah, my little friend, is the one in the yellow, with the mustard colored hair dress. She was very fascinated with my hair. She also wanted me to give her my earrings. I thought about it, but we still had a few more days left in Kemet. Plus, the other little girls would have wanted some too.....

Worth Everything!

This picture says alot! I had a hard time communicating with the children in English. This is primarily a muslim country and the main language is Arabic. I know a few phrases in Arabic from growing up with several muslim friends; however, not enough to hold a conversation. I could speak Spanish with them though. These children are very intelligent. They all learn several languages especially b/c one of Kemet's main economical sources is Tourism. Degree programs exist for Tourism. On a side note, while in the perfumery, I heard a man in Cairo, giving a presentation to a group of Chinese in CHINESE! They speak many languages; however, English is one of the most difficult for them to learn. For a while, they only gravitated toward me b/c of my spirit (and of course, they were expecting financial gifts from me, as everyone else). Nonetheless, they could sense warmth from me and my smile. I wanted badly to dialogue with them and share sentiments. I was very relieved once I discovered that I could communicate with them in Spanish! I was elated b/c now we could talk to one another and I could know what was on their hearts! My Spanish isn't perfect. I studied Spanish for 7 years, and forgot most of it, but I remembered enough to touch the hearts and spirits of these children. We weren't around them long enough to find out more about their personal lives, but I definitely wanted to find out what their issues were. At the time, it seemed like they primarily cared about us not leaving without giving them a "regala" or a gift. We were given instructions not to give individual children money b/c it would hurt the others. We gave a huge monetary donation to the village as well as school supplies for the school, so we didn't leave w/o giving anything. It pulled heavily on my heart though, to see some of the hope in their eyes and want for just one US dollar. It took everything in my heart not to give all that I had to these children. There was one little girl, not in this picuture (Sarah) that stayed w/ me most of the time I was there. By the time I left, I did give her un regala especially for her. She didn't want it at first, but when it was time for me to get on the boat, she asked for it as if she would graciously take what she could get. She said gracias, hasta dos anos. I told her that I would possibly be back in 2 years....

Yes, She's African!

It amazes me how many pre-conceived notions exist about Africa and it's people. A lot of ignorance exists on this subject especially among Africans living in the Americas: descendents of the ma'afa or the compelling diaspora. Does this beautiful face look like a POW or what some would stereotype as "dirty, sickly, uncivilized & uneducated?" You would respond with a resounding NO! Yes, this child is from Africa! She is African. Born in Africa. She reads, writes, speaks, bathes and wears clothes. No, she doesn't live in bushes and she doesn't live in a city. She lives in a village where unfortunately, the people are very poor. Nonetheless, her warm smile suggest that she is rich in purpose and her own culture. She was happy to see us, her Nubian brothers, sisters & cousins who live in the West! She was very pleased that we had come to take time and commune with her and her village. Please share this picture in an attempt to dispel some of the stereotypes that exist about Africa and her people.

Poses Through Dance

Aren't these poses beautiful? It appears as if they are modeling for the camera; however, these are 2 Nubian girls that are dancing. They are part of the older group. The girls range in age based off the color they're wearing. The one's in yellow are the oldest girls in the school. If you look at the hands, shoulders, hips and facial expressions, you can tell that they can really dance, and they are enjoying themselves immensely! All of the movements were so pretty and graceful. Many of the underlying drum lines were very hypnotic and expressive. It made you want to dance. It was very hard to sit still while listening to Nubian music! We later danced with the children and had an absolutely wonderful time. 

Welcome Dance in Aswan at the Nubian Village

Customarily, in Kemet, you're always given a welcome drink as a courtesy. In this case, we were not only greeted with song and instruments, but we were also given a welcome dance by the students in the school. Fortunately this time, we were able to give them a dance back! We performed Fanga for them, a welcome dance that says "we greet you in peace," created by the Pele people in Liberia. They really enjoyed this. This clip is of their welcome dance. It's not long enough to show the boys dancing, but their moves, some of them, are similar to what you would see in our own popular culture. Kids being children is always beautiful!

Approaching The Nubian Village

This video clip was filmed while we were sailing in a faluka headed toward the Nubian Village. We were sailing along the Hapi River, most commonly refered to as the "nile" river, when we could hear drumming, clapping and singing from afar. We could later see plenty of vivid colors and various hues of rich brown! We had finally reached a village where our brothers and sisters were happily awaiting our arrival! They greeted us with this song and chant! Enjoy!

Baby for Sale...

Disturbing title isn't it? Out of all of the preliminary pictures that I have sent out to friends and family so far, the title of this one has already sparked the most feedback and interest. You could hear the women saying "isn't she beautiful?" "Here, hold her...give me money to hold her..." What does this say? That the people who live in this village are very poor! Let's not forget where these people live! They are Black people, who are the original descendants of the Ancient Egyptians! We are in a Nubian village in Aswan, Egypt. We all know, and some fail to remember, or opt not to concern themselves with this fact, that Africa is THE richest continent and the most raped. Here we are, at the banks, in the cradle of where civilization began and our children are now being sold to those with the kindests hearts? I don't want to say that the women in this village were playing on the sentiments of the visitors; however, it was quite obvious that they didn't have much money and were willing to go to extremes to get some. This beautiful child was dressed to impress in her best. She was bound to be held by someone who was so entranced by how cute she is, so that the mom could earn for that day, several US dollars or even the equivalent of $250 to sell her beautiful child into hopefully what would be a better life for her. It makes you wonder exactly how much damage has been done to Africans as a whole. How is it that Africa keeps getting raped for her natural resources, while the people, continue to experience tragedy after tragedy? Is it planned? Is it destined? I think the former is true, the latter false. Black people continue to rise. We're a very resiliant people. This baby does have hope. Let's pray for her and her family back in the Village. I will do my best to contribute to the upliftment of our people back home. Everything can't be done alone, but each little contribution can add up to a tremendous impact over time.

In Kemetic architecture and design, you'll often see the lotus flower. What is the significance of this flower in ancient kemet? This flower grows in the murkiest and dirties waters. The flower is absolutely beautiful! It radiates staying power even though it's surroundings are usually horrendous! How does this translate into life? It is symbolic of the human existance and how we are constantly faced with trials, tribulations and trouble. It suggests that we continue to press forward and surpass those things that may hinder us and turn those experiences into food for thought and growth. Those depicted with this flower most often are the nsubit (kings, queens); those that fought and became triumphant in their lives. This flower is a symbol of strength, perserverance, resiliance and beauty. We should continue to look at this flower and remember that no task is too hard and we should look up in the midst of any circumstance and come out on top shining and unscathed.