SANKOFA RHYTHMS - LOOKING BACK TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE

Written by Greg Whitt Saturday, 05 September 2009 00:00

Several years ago my friend Osei Appiagyei and his wife Becky gave me a most beautiful gift - a fugu from his village home in Ghana.

Several years ago my friend Osei Appiagyei and his wife Becky gave me a most beautiful gift - a fugu from his village home in Ghana. A fugu is part of a suit made of Gonja cloth. Mine is the Kutunbi, a long outer smock worn traditionally over a short sleeveless smock with matching trousers and hat. On the back of mine is an emblem of a bird that appears to be upside down. The emblem is akin to the more commonly known Adrinka symbol of Sankofa, often depicted as a beautiful, decorative heart shape, but in fact representing a bird looking over it’s back. Sankofa means “go back to fetch it”, interpreted to mean that there is wisdom in learning from the past in order to build the future. Annelies and I have been talking of this constantly of late in our concern for building a sustainable future. We’re exploring notions of permaculture, yurt living, eating raw, and getting as “off-the-grid” as possible while maintaining an urban location. Our dream is to develop a sustainable space within the city limits! Each time we encounter an elder we thank them and tell them how important it is that they pass on their knowledge and traditions. Just today while visiting a grist mill we talked to a woman with four generations of her family in tow who made leather britches beans. I just discovered this video of Michael Meade and Fred Johnson in a beautiful drum and vocal duet. The lyrics remind me very much of this sentiment....

As we look to tomorrow, don't forget yesterday. As we walk from this place, we walk in the knowingness that we are guided by those who have walked before us. We know that our hearts are joined together and the ancestors smile on us as we go our way.