Farsighted Fly Girl

Tales of African kings and queens are popular with the African American diaspora. It's an important way to acknowledge and reclaim our history but it never occurred to me that I would one day witness this living history. When I slowly moved through the crowds and colorful revelry of Ghana's historic Grand Durbar in Kumasi, I found myself surrounded by Asante and Akyem royalty . A Grand Durbar is a celebration of when kings and high officials come together for different occasions.  This one marked the 75th anniversary of the passing of Okeyehene Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, a highly influential traditional ruler who died in 1943. I was dazzled by the procession of over 100 royals and their courts, complete with golden chairs, staffs and embroidered umbrellas. I learned that this was a particularly historic event because the Asante and Akyem clans had not come together in over 200 years. Before the two kings arrived to be carried through the adoring crowds, the Asantehe...

In all my years as a travel writer, I have never anticipated a journey as much as I have for my journey to Ghana , West Africa. I will be taking my first steps on the African continent but this is an extra special trip for many other reasons. I will be on assignment for Ebony Magazine  , covering preliminary activities for Homecoming 2019, which is the historic commemoration of the African Diaspora returning to Africa exactly 400 years after the first recorded landing of a slave ship in Virginia. Thanks to the efforts of  The Adinkra Group,  a cultural resource organization, I will meet the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo at his official residence, Jubilee House. I will also meet Chiefs and Queen Mothers in Kumasi, Cape Coast and Accra. If that's not enough excitement, I will have my DNA revealed by sponsor African Ancestry  at the Cape Coast Castle , which was the main British hub for the horrific transatlantic slave trade from 1665-1807. Ghana was the firs...

Jamaica is filled with historic landmarks and memorials but one of the most meaningful Jamaican sites that I've visited is the final resting place of Nanny of the Maroons. She was an 18th century freedom fighter and brilliant military strategist who fought for independence from the British  High up in the Blue Mountains of Portland, Nanny Town was established as a settlement for Nanny and maroons, or Africans who escaped and fought against slavery  Dating from when a truce was signed with the British in 1739, Nanny Town has remained an independent community that retains the language and customs of  their Ghanaian ancestors. The current leader of  Nanny Town, Colonel Wallace Sterling guided my group to the enclosed park that houses Bump Grave.  I'll explore more about Nanny Town and its history in another post. The Jamaican government erected a monument to recognize Nanny's resting place and it overlooks the dense mountains of Portland, symbolizing the freedo...