Libations for the Ancestors Saturday, June 12, 2010

Begun 21 years ago as a response to a challenge issued by the late writer, Toni Cade Babara, faculty at Medger Evers College in Brooklyn began a commemoration where libations were poured specifically for African ancestors who died along the triangular slave route 500+ years ago. Since then the commemoration has grown and expanded to other regions as the ritual on Coney Island has maintained its central theme while expanding to include ancestors who survived the journey, the cotton fields, forced free labor, segregation, Jim Crow, and even structural racism so that we could have a grounding and firm footing on this land/these lands. We speak to a member of the People of the Sun Middle Passage Collective, Hapte Selassie, educator and WBAI radio DJ, about the ritual: its history and the program this year on Coney Island, West 16th Street," Ancestor Circle," from 12 noon to dusk. Don't forget the spirit of unity--pour at 9 AM PT, 11 AM CT, and 12 noon ET. If you can't pour physical water, hold the ancestors in your heart for a moment of silence. For an article about the 18th Annual visit: http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=124&a=3371 We open with Meklit Hadero's "Walk Up" from her "On a Day Like This ...".