Crescent City Iyawo

As of July 8, 2008 I became Iyawo Oya. My newfound initiation into the culture of Ifa has been what I consider way overdue. There is much that happened which I cannot discuss some of it for a year other very pertinent information which greatly caters to my life must never be discussed except in the company of my orisan pots. I am Iyawo Oya and the more I say and others refer to me as such the stronger my connection with Oya’s energy becomes. Oya is the powerful Yoruban Orisha of the winds and tempests. She is considered either the sister of the storm-god Shango, or one of His three wives, with Oshun and Oba. She can manifest as winds ranging from the gentlest breeze to the raging hurricane or cyclone. She goes forth with Her husband during His thunderstorms, destroying buildings, ripping up trees, and blowing things down. Oya is known as a fierce warrior and strong protectress of women, who call on Her to settle disputes in their favor.

A year ago it was determined that the energy surrounding me was Obatala's glow and I pleasantly welcomed Obatala into my life as I sought clarity to many of my minor and major tasks but on tomorrow I will venture into my initiation full scale into the practice of IFA. This full scale submergenve will begin with my Iyawo year in white which has with it many taboos. This year will be chronicled in writings which sisters I plan to share here weekly. For 13 years plus I have been a follower of Ifa but felt that my initiation would take place when I was ready to accept the path as a way of life for myself and my family. As it happens we have experienced many blessings and have been aided with open arms through out devotion to Ifa. I am to be crowned Oya's as my dreams for the past six months have heakened her call for me to join her in the spirit of Orisan culture. My initiatin will be a week long celebration/education/and contemplation of the new role I must accept as a member of the Ifa community, my family and my community of black folks. I am excited and eager to chronicle my adventure into a manuscript titled Crescent City Iyawo.

Lesson Title:
RESISTANCE/OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF GOURDS
Examining the History of Slavery in Louisiana through Persona Poetry

Mrs. Mawiyah Kai EL-Jamah Bomani
info@sankofavision.org
Sankofa Vison, Inc. (www.sankofavision.org)

Lesson Overview:
After reading Follow The Drinking Gourd by Jeannette Winter, students will create persona poems and decorate gourds as part of a visual art’s project. Students will be introduced to the conceptual ideology behind persona poetry. These students will acquire a working knowledge of how to construct their own persona poems or dramatic monologues (speaking through the voices of Gourds once owned by slaves) into effective poetic sketches. These student writings will serve to integrate a verbal stimulus that greatly enhances the theatrical impact of their exquisitely crafted Gourd creations.

LENGTH: Two 45-minute periods.

Targeted Grade Bans:

This particular lesson is tailored to target grade bands K-4.

Arts Subjects:

*Visual Arts
Grades K-4: Content Standard 1/Content Standard 2/Content Standard 3/ Content Standard4/Content Standard 5 and Content Standard 6.

Other Subjects:

*Language Arts

Honoring African
American Ancestors

by

Iya Ifalola Omobola

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.You may give away this report
as long as it is not altered in any way, falsely misrepresented
or distributed in any illegal or immoral manner.

DISCLAIMER AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES

The information presented herein represents the views of the author as of the date of
publication. Because of the rate which conditions change, the author reserves the
rights to alter and update opinions based on the new conditions.

This report is for informational purposes only and the author does not accept any
responsibilities resulting from the use of this information.

While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided here, neither
the author nor her referrals will assume any responsibility resulting from errors,
inaccuracies, or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations are unintentional.

- 2

Honoring African American Ancestors

http://www.windwhispers.org

This special report will take a look at how the Yoruba culture of ancestral
reverence has taken root in America and how to adjust it to more succinctly to

Healing the Ancestral Beginnings (teleseminars)
By Mawiyah

Check out the link and see if these appeal to you. Time is winding down and classes will begin soon. These are courses offered by a dear sister friend on ancestral connections. In addition to our wonderful Ask Yeye's classes you might also consider making time for these.

Alaafia:

Baba Ifalowo and Iya Ifalola (Oyan'soro and Windwhispers fame) of Imole

Agbo Iwosan are presenting a five week intensive teleseminar series on

Healing the Ancestors beginning May 29th.

For further information, please go to:

http://windwhispers.org

Adupe. Please forward this to those you feel will benefit.

--

Having stood upon the shoulders of those who came before us, it is now

time to strengthen our own for those who are to come. - Iya Ifalola

Omobola

Check out the link and see if these appeal to you. These are courses offered by a dear sister friend on ancestral connections. In addition to our wonderful Ask Yeye's classes you might also consider making time for these.

Alaafia:

Baba Ifalowo and Iya Ifalola (Oyan'soro and Windwhispers fame) of Imole
Agbo Iwosan are presenting a five week intensive teleseminar series on
Healing the Ancestors beginning May 29th.

For further information, please go to:

http://windwhispers.org

Adupe. Please forward this to those you feel will benefit.

--
Having stood upon the shoulders of those who came before us, it is now
time to strengthen our own for those who are to come. - Iya Ifalola

Omobola

I want to share what was passed on to me.

POV: the african woman as heroine
============================

http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/women.html
THE GLOBAL AFRICAN COMMUNITY
L E C T U R E N O T E S
THE AFRICAN WOMAN AS HEROINE
GREAT BLACK WOMEN IN HISTORY
By RUNOKO RASHIDI

DEDICATED TO AFRICAN WOMEN AROUND THE PLANET!

INTRODUCTION: THE GLORY AND MAJESTY OF AFRICAN WOMEN

For many thousands of years the African woman has been
worshipped, revered and idolized by individuals,
families and nations--not only in Africa but around
the world. Ancient records show her as queen, goddess,
scholar, diplomat, scientist, icon, prophet and
freedom fighting warrior exalted with and sometimes
above her father, husband and brothers. The African
woman has administered great and mighty nations, led
determined and capable armies into battle and founded
splendid and enduring royal dynasties. Indeed, no
other human of any racial or ethnic type has been so
widely venerated as has the African woman. This brief
essay, therefore, is intended as a secure African
man's historical recognition, tribute and salute to
the prominence, grandeur and majesty of African women.

In The Beginning

The first African slaves in Louisiana numbered half a dozen these were captured as plunder by French Army Soldiers in the Spanish War of Succession 1710. These Africans in Louisiana were predominately Malinke speaking Bambaras from the western interior of the African continent who provided a cohesive group especially in New Orleans. They were joined by smaller numbers of people from coastal African groups including Wolof and Sereer. It wasn’t until the years 1717-1721 that a growth spurt in the mass importation of African slaves to Louisiana would change the face of Louisiana as a major player in the African Holocaust. At this pivotal moment in history some 2000 Africans were brought to the Louisiana colony. The death toll among Africans in Louisiana was as high as it had been for Native Americans wrought with European diseases such as scurvy, dysentery, respiratory and intestinal flues all of which would dissolve the lives of half the abducted Africans within a few years of their capture.

This is the tale of one Louisiana slave

Poem for Lyman Kinder Henry

(1)

it was the shoes

that gaped open

their bottom lips

a river of spying eyes

Sexy Seductress

Mawiyah Kai EL-Jamah Bomani

Juice (The Sexy Seductress)
Try
carrots 4-6
one sliced (orange meat only) cantaloupe
one sliced (green meat only) honeydew melon
two Kiwi's peeled
one grapefruit
and add honey to taste (you decide when)
if you prefer brown sugar be my guest.

you may also add a banana if you want to make it a little creamier.

I hope you you share that sexy with someone special. LOL
Ase

I just wanted to thank everyone(on behalf of Nadir and myself) who purchased the book of poems my husband and I published titled (Thicker Than Water). You Sisters have truly made our dream, of giving our words life, a reality. I salute the sisterhood at this site. If you're still interested (and you want your copy ASAP) the book is $15.00 (checks, cash and money orders are acceptable). My address is:

Mawiyah Bomani
7106 Red Fox Trail
Shreveport, Louisiana 71129

Ase

I hope some Sisters find these useful.
Ase

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT (Liquid)
2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time–not washing soda)
(Optional) 1 cup Vinegar (white)

• Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
• Then add the baking soda, AND VINEGAR stir well again.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

POWDERED BRAND
12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)
• Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
• Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.
Optional:
You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.
Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil

The feminist activist and writer Jennifer Baumgardner (Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism And The Future) three years ago distributed a controversial t-shirt with the writing, in large print on the front: "I Had An Abortion," this shirt was worn by Gloria Steinem, Ani DiFranco, countless women's studies majors and Take Back the Night attendees. Baumgardner again is making national news with a new tee, one that shines the spotlight on victims of rape. The letters are smaller this time — the shirt is a pale pink color with an illustration of a safe, and inside the safe is a note fashioned with the words "I was raped""By utilizing this phrase in such a dramatic arena," Baumgardner explained to the New York Times, "that's so mundane, it sort of forces [rape] into everyday conversation."
What’s your opinion about both shirts? Do you see them as empowering?

It is because I knew women who were raped while in uniform that I share this post. This post was emailed to me and attached to it are two poems I wrote in response to the many stories I have heard over the years. I share in the spirit of sisterhood, our strength is always in our numbers.
Ase

Rapists in the ranks
Sexual assaults are frequent, and frequently ignored, in the armed services.
By Jane Harman

The stories are shocking in their simplicity and brutality: A female military
recruit is pinned down at knifepoint and raped repeatedly in her own
barracks. Her attackers hid their faces but she identified them by their uniforms;
they were her fellow soldiers. During a routine gynecological exam, a female
soldier is attacked and raped by her military physician. Yet another young
soldier, still adapting to life in a war zone, is raped by her commanding officer.
Afraid for her standing in her unit, she feels she has nowhere to turn.

These are true stories, and, sadly, not isolated incidents. Women serving in
the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed
by enemy fire in Iraq.

So you say they can't force universal health care on you but they can force universal sickness on you. Is that ibuprofen in my tap water?

You heard it from the Associated Press not me.

Fact*** Pharmaceuticals--including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones--have found their way into the drinking water of 41 million Americans.

Fact***In Philadelphia 56 pharmaceuticals were found in drinking water.

Disclaimer***They say (who say) The government says the concentration of these medicines is at such a low dosage that it is safe to drink the water without any adverse health consequences.

Fact***The presence of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in drinking water for long periods of time being ingested by the public for long periods of time has scientist worried. They worry about the long term consequences.

Fact***24 major metropolitan areas from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit, Michigan to Louisville, Kentucky drugs have reared their debilitating heads. In how long? In a five month period.

Who put the drugs in the water?

Jesuislibre's blog is definitely right. In the spirit of her thoughts, I'd like to paste what was emailed to me.
Here is a list of some Black Owned Book stores to call so we can get our read on.
Most stores can be emailed and ordered books can be purchased through the postal service. So I'm told phone orders are okay also.

AFRIKAN / BLACK OWNED BOOK STORES OF NORTH AMERICA

List provided courtesy of de Griot Space Writing Workshop

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deGriotSpace/

(Rev. 27 February 2008)

======================================================
Please report new, outdated or inaccurate information to: dgs@igc.org
======================================================

==============
ALABAMA
==============

BLACK CLASSICS - BOOKS AND GIFTS
140-B S Sage Ave
Mobile, AL 36606
Phone: 334-476-1060
Fax: 334-476-4642
http://www.freewebs.com/blackclassicsbooks
Contact: Adline Clarke

MAHOGANY BOOKS
37 Western Hill Mall
Fairfield, AL 35064
Phone: 205-923-1624
Contact: Vidal Adedavoh

MALCOLM’S READING ROOM

404 17th Street North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: 205.327.7988
Fax: 205.327.7989
E-mail: malcolmsreadingroom@gmail.com

Thicker Than Water is the first book that my husband and I are doing together. It marks the beginning of our joint venture as self-made publishers. We have been writing for years and submitting to anthologies but now is our time to jump off into the waters of Yemaya/Olokun and let the orisa guide us through the waves.
If you sit back and listen these vignettes will inspire a sense of pride, love, anger, and heartache but in the end you will want to thank the cosmos for the beautiful ones you hold close to the heart. So as blood is thicker than water, may your lineage remain forever a circle unbroken.

May the blood of your ancestors shelter you and yours.
Ase

MEET THE BOMANI /WIFE AND HUSBAND
About the Authors

Sacred Empowerment

One of the lessons my children had to do this past weekend was experience a walk through nature while discussing the things each could thank Oludumare for as it pertained to the environment. Then we headed back into the house and proceeded with the same experiment there. After wards I read the book Mama God Papa God. The children next had to draw pictures of Mama God and Papa God (from their own mind’s eye) and write a letter to them detailing their thank you’s for nature and the nurture at home. Every last picture looked like them or like a close relative. My ten-year-old son remarked “didn’t Michelangelo use his relatives to paint the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling? If he can use his family to paint God then I can use mine.” And who can argue with that. We talked about at that moment (as we often do) how it is important to see in the image of the Most High that energy which is both feminine and masculine. Just as it takes a man and a woman to conceive, it takes both energies to manifest the greatness that we witness inside and outside our homes.

Thursday, February 28, 2008
THICKER THAN WATER ON SALE 4/1/08

THE BOOK THICKER THAN WATER
WITH A FORWARD BY E. ETHELBERT MILLER
WAS WRITTEN BY THE MARRIED COUPLE OF TWELVE-YEARS
MAWIYAH KAI EL-JAMAH BOMANI
AND NADIR LASANA BOMANI

TWO NEW ORLEANS POETS
WILL BE ON SALE FOR $15.00
APRIL 1, 2008

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE YOUR ADVANCE COPY
EMAIL THE POETS AT mawiyah@bellsouth.net.

http://mamamawiyahbomani.blogspot.com

Careful what u throw away

Harith Muhammad

(1)

Womb Reflections

some body
told my womb
to heal the earth
to run her river
into the emerald scalp of earth mama
to moisten the soil
too many revolutions have come
dead carcasses like dandruff are lodged between each braid
as there is nowhere to wash those who trespass against time

there will always be blood here
as the men will die in wartime
the women will rebuild a sacred nation
of womb warriors

my womb has a song to sing
a name
a favorite color
care to take a guess?
don’t bring your aggression to feast inside my womb
your pesticide lies of love are off limits
don’t tell me to remove my womb
just cause she likes to hold things
to nurture and mother and turn all round
and curvaceous in the springtime
no man will conqueror my womb
I am an Amazon about my womb baby
we will fight to the death
just try and mistake my womb for any ole cess-pool
this is a holy place
a righteous space

heaven is not beyond the stars
it is womb bound
listen as the Gods and Goddess debate
who will come forth into this world
listen my womb has an opinion
she will no longer allow the devaluing of my sexuality

Alaafia:

For all those sisters looking for inspiration to maintain or create wealth this one is for you.

Oprah and Suze have a free downloadable copy of "Women & Money".

This ends tomorrow at 5PM Pacific time.

Pass the word.....

The link is below.

Prosperity is ours..

http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200802/tows_past_20080213.jhtml

In addition to our cloth, holy water, pictures and sacred symbols that serve to connect us to our ancestral past, when placing foods or drinks we might if feasible also allow room for objects that appeased our ancestors in life. Right before my altar communions I on occasion may light a cigar for my Arkansas-born -folk artist grandfather who smoked joyously as he painted (I allow it to burn freely in an ashtray) No I don't smoke, but his energy is quite pleased with this action and is more than eager to assist me with matters where his area of expertise would serve to come in handy i.e. cooking and artistic obstacles. My grandmother loved cabbage and on occasion I have prepared her favorite (with the pork included). Even though I am a vegetarian, I had to learn that we cannot force our diets on our ancestors. They will remind us of their wants as my grandmother did through a dream. She wanted her salt pork or she would not be disturbed in Orun. She got her pork and Is my protector and comforts me when I am faced with slipping back into my passive mode. She will open my mouth and speak for me if I refuse to speak for myself.

As a mother of a 10-year old son who doctors said would not live past a week after birth or if so would be developmentally delayed, I take offense against the numbers. My son was born with hirschsprung's( he could not eliminate waste from his body) disease and he was unable to breath on his own but he is fine now. He is currently reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X, Tell My Horse and the collected works of Edgar Allen Poe. I tell you this because for years I worked as a special education teacher in New Orleans, Louisiana and I told myself a day would not go by if I didn't make it my duty to free at least one black boy (sine my classes were perdominately black male/dark skinned black males) from special ed/oppression. The same oppression doctors had informed me would keep my son down and out and ultimately labled mentally retarded. For years I got boys and girls out of sped and I fought against parents who wanted them to stay in because it meant mo' money, mo' money. I fought against white women (teachers) who wanted them to stay in because it meant they didn't have to face the big black buck sitting in their highschool classroom.

between these thighs
lies
the greatest creation
man has ever known
behold
these tidal waves of red rains
behold
this river
of woman's nectar
behold
i have baptized nations
behold
i have resurrected
an entire
wombniverse
sister after
sister
after...

Jazzmine

“Only time will tell if I’m his lady
But in my mind I’ll always be his girl.”

-Heather Headley

I’m through with scrubs. Men who think my pussy is Disney World. You gotta pay up to ride this sister like she Space Mountain. The last nigga I dated was over fuckin rated. He’d just roll up on my apartment, after three hours of full court basketball, plop down on my sofa stick his hand in his jogging pants and exclaim “I’m so horny baby; I could bend your ass over right here.” Like that shit supposed to make me feel sexy enough to drop my draws. I mean I’d be in the middle of studying for my med-tech exams and this mutha fucka wanna screw me. I’m sitting here in avocado scrub, my hair in rollers and an aunt jemimma scarf , daisy duke jordach cutoffs, Ricky Jackson Saint’s jersey, ashy ass legs, bloated cause I’m two days into my period and I’m out of Midol, unmannicured toes looking like I been kickin gravel around on purpose and he wanna fuck me. He wanna fuck that! I’m supposed to be flattered that he got the urge to bend that hideous spectacle over and fuck her pussy dry. P-L-E-A-S-E! Some nigga’s ain't got no shame.

WHO YOU ARE TODAY IS NOT WHO YOU HAVE TO BE TOMORROW.
ARISE AND FIND THE HAPPINESS WITHIN.

Often we become people born and breed of a culture that is in direct conflict with our DNA. If the metaphysical being is not appeased then the whole atomic-structured personage being addressed is off balance. To become aligned with our sense of satisfaction requires that we slow drag through the happy moments. We make the “big” deals crumbs. And toss any pebbles that refuse to disintegrate into the garbage bin of yesterday’s mishaps. We begin again after having our character checked/rebooted. We begin again sober in the knowledge that to win may be as easy as accepting a compromise, a draw, a forfeit, or a loss (my LOVE TODAY I AM THE BIGGEST LOSER). If we want to be satisfied we need only to dress in the cleanest smile available and leave the confines of the walls we created (so many dismal circumstances, lovers, AND past lives ago) in hopes that perfection would knock for a cup of water, tea, or good heavens-our sour ass lemonade. And WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND HAS THAT KIND OF TIME TO WASTE.

WHO I AM TODAY IS NO REFLECTION OF MY TOMORROWS.

Sorrow’s Kitchen

“I been downhearted baby every since the day we met…”

(1)

WHAT THE EYE WILL DEVOUR TOO SWIFTLY THE STOMACH WILL REGURGITATE IN A MANNER OF NANO SECONDS

I have talked with several females coworkers, friends, and family. They always mention how they give the "men" in their lives(multiple men per week) whatever they want and still they can't get enough money from these dudes to buy a decent dress or pay off one credit card bill. But some sisters get "good men" and that proves life ain't fair. My response follows...

I ain't got
no white gal's hair
my hair
does not run
with the wind
it stands firm
and challenges
the air

I WANT A RECEIPT FOR MY OWN “ONE OF A KIND”MANIFESTO OF HAPPINESS!!!

“Happiness is not found in a bottle once lost at sea. You can’t buy happiness from a store. You can’t place somebody else’s happiness, which you stole from their mantle when he or she wasn't’t looking, inconspicuously in a mason jar-under the sink behind the TIDE. Go home and search through your trash, build yourself a monumental achievement, build yourself a sculpture of happiness, and then take it to the street. Make passer’s by earn the right to stare, to long, to yearn for that which your hands molded, your eyes scolded, and your heart loved first when it was in its purest state of genuine unpopularity.”
``yeye mawiyah

Think of five things that bring now or have brought joy to your life.