Among the Akan people is a military strategy partly worded as Apim be ba, apim be ko. A strategy that resides in the psyche of the people, formulated and served by the strongest will and intent. The will to succeed and the intent to guarantee that success by the non-imagining of options, acceptance of only one possible outcome and the claiming of that outcome in the invisible realm, sometimes even long before careful planning, preparation and execution, brings the successful outcome into the visible realm.
This strategy, translated as- a thousand will fall, a thousand more will come – was used by the Akan people in the war that ensued in response to British to provocation. Apim be ba Apim be ko was a fearsome strategy that had a wall of people facing and advancing notwithstanding the onslaughts of bullets directed at them that had had become that wall and the falling to the ground of brave soldiers, whose bodies would be retrieved to receive the appropriate funerary rites. The wall kept advancing.
These are some of the ancestors of this land we call Jamaica. The ones dwelling in the invisible realm looking in on us as the woman and her 4 children were killed by a male cousin, in the parish of Clarendon on Friday, June 24th. Our spirits’ should be troubled. But the troubling of us by our spirit is our invitation to comfort our spirit into a place of respect and honour of our ancestral ways and a lamentation of how far away we have walked from them. For them judgment day is every moment of the day. They are not waiting for it, it is here. Each one is held responsible to, for and by his family and his community. Both family and community are responsible for each individual. All together they form a unity, a wall against which no contrary force may prevail.
When we know we have ancestors primarily of the Taino, Akan, Yoruba/Bini, Congolese people who are brilliant of mind, strong of body and spirit, wise, just, carrying ancient knowledge, how do we do some of the things we do? How do we lie, cheat, kill, don’t care, walk away from the teachings of them and the one Supreme God? How do we not let our thoughts and actions be worthy and representative of the Divine within us? So like the Godhead we have a trinity albeit an unholy one. The murdered, the murderer and the Society. What are our obligations to each?
We prayed for each. were invited to pray for each. Each person wrote a prayer and prayed that prayer. That is a start. We can make a change, a difference. The ancestors of this land are stronger. We have started a change we have started to grow. Growth is a space of action. We cannot grow without actions. It is through these actions we bring meaning and we learn. We see how impactful our ancestors can he when they support the change for which we pray and act. We don't have the luxury of walking with fear and inaction. We have so much to share. The healing we find here is the healing we have to share. Life is about change and not stagnation. Walk into love and be brave.
Many want to accept the right to choose but not the responsibility that comes with the choices made. Get more serious and learn the healing wisdom medicine. Love your ancestors, love yourselves now you can love neighbour using the standard you have set for yourself.
When work is needed on the land, as it is now, who will do it? The others are in ignorance. Those who are in ignorance cannot teach those who have already begun walking into a relationship with ancestors. If we don’t honour our ancestors how do we expect then to help us into balance in our day to day life. There's an obligation from them to us when we venerate them. To venerate them is to unify into that powerful fighting force that forms an impenetrable wall around our society. Keeping in their knowledge, wisdom, teachings of ceremony and harmony with all of God’s creation and keeping out, crime, violence, ungraciousness, unhelpful perspectives and practices, lack of care one for another, and all other manner of ills. Let us unite to make our society whole and harmonious.
lessons have so many perspectives. I am continuously led to open my mind and spirit in ways I have never done. At this Sunday gathering I see lessons on courage, empathy, compassion, and forgiveness, all of which we should not be grappling with. It’s so sad to see that our beautiful country have reached the state where those basic human emotions have become a luxury. However, with the knowledge and understanding that our ancestors are there, are here waiting eagerly to assist us I have faith that through their knowledge and wisdom our country can and must be rebirthed.