COMPANION POST/LESSON:
WE ARE A NATION | AFRIKAN PEOPLE, Feat. Dr. John Henrik Clarke & Dr. Haki Madhubuti
COMPANION POST/LESSON:
WE ARE A NATION | AFRIKAN PEOPLE, Feat. Dr. John Henrik Clarke & Dr. Haki Madhubuti
NEW AFRIKAN LIBERATION FRONT IS LAUNCHED/
NALF Black Nationalist Organizations Unite at Historic Atlanta Summit
The New Afrikan Liberation Front is optimistic about the outcome of its ongoing activities. Explained Ferguson, “Many people believed that Eastern Europe would remain under Soviet domination forever. But in the space of only a few years, nobody even thinks about the Soviet Union anymore. It’s gone. That tells us something. For just as the U.S. had dominated New Afrikans, Indians, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Hawaiians, and others for centuries, it doesn’t have to be that way forever.” Ferguson added that “If we work hard and take care of the day-to-day needs of New Afrikans, while fighting for a revolutionary nationalist political agenda, then we can win. There will be freedom for the New Afrikan nation.”
Principles of Unity of the NALF
1. Land.The primary objective of the NALF is self-determination through a national liberation struggle for land (territory within the historic southeastern Black Belt), independence and reparations.
2. Who is the enemy?For over 400 years, our nation has been enslaved, first by the European settlers in North America, and currently we are colonized by the political descendants of those settlers, represented by the government of the United States of America. We are united in fighting for the destruction of imperialism and white supremacy, the twin evils of our national oppression which is forced on our Nation by the U.S. imperialist State.
3. Self-defense/Armed Struggle. We recognize the right to self-defense as well as the right to armed struggle for self-determination.
4. Political Prisoners/POWs/Exiles. We seek amnesty for prisoners of war, political prisoners, and exiles as a non-negotiable self-determination demand.
5. Social liberation. The fight against racial, sexist, class, and all forms of social oppression is fundamental to New Afrikan/Black self-determination.
6. Unity and autonomy of organizations-methods of resolving contradictions. We accept the leadership and discipline of the NALF as determined by a consensus of its membership organizations. The ideological integrity and autonomy of each organization within the NALF is mutually respected. We will practice constructive criticism and self-criticism for the purpose of resolving contradictions and internal differences.
7. A New Afrikan Consciousness Movement. We recognize that culture is a weapon of resistance. In that light we are committed to building a movement to develop the national consciousness and culture of the New Afrikan people.
8. Our cultural symbols. We recognize the Red, Black and Green flag, the new Afrikan creed, the New Afrikan Declaration of Independence and the Code of Umoja as the unifying historical and cultural symbols of our New Afrikan Liberation Front and our independence movement.
For information: Herman Ferguson, P.O. Box 340084, Jamaica, NY 11434, (719) 949-515
AFRIKAN (KEMETIC) PHILOSOPHY THE HUMAN BEING AND HUMAN REALITY WERE GOVERNED BYTHE BASIC DIVINE LAW OF “TO BE A SPIRIT”. THE MORAL MANDATE OF AFRIKAN HUMANITY WAS “TO BECOME AND IN BECOMING”—THE PURSUIT OF SUCH DIVINE LAW AND MORAL MANDATE WAS REFLECTIVE OF ONES PURSUIT OF GODLINESS. EDUCATION WAS KEY TO THIS PROCESS-TO BECOME AND IN BECOMING A MORE PERFECT BEING. FOR OUR AFRIKAN ANCESTORS EDUCATION AND SCHOOLING WAS ULTIMATELY ABOUT A PERSON BEING TRANSFORMED FROM A LESSER MATERIAL BEING TO A GREATER SPIRITUAL BEING. DR. E. CURTIS ALEXANDER DEFINES AFRICAN CENTERED EDUCATION AS SYSTEM OF SEQUENTIALLY PLANNED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED FOR AFRICAN HERITAGE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO DEVELOP THE NECESSARY AND REQUIRED SKILLS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE WITH SPECIFIC INTEREST ON THE UPLIFTMENT AND EMPOWERMENT OF THEIR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
Asafo companies were also differentiated by the different colors of headgear and hairstyles worn by members, exclusive drums, horns and other musical instruments, appellations, and emblems. Other units within the main divisions included afonasoafoo (the carriers of spears and shields), sumankwaafoo (the herbalists and medicine men), and the asokwafo (heralds). Asafo companies existed in all the Akan states.
In Asante, the national asafo was commanded by the Asantehene, but two generals, the kurontire and akwamu, were the military leaders. The Fantse went a step further by incorporating some European customs in their Asafo companies.
The typical Asafo company in a Fantse township, according to Aggrey (1978), was headed by the Tufohene, the military advisor to the chief of the township. Next in line is the Asafobaatan. Supi was the commanding officer, while the divisional captain within a company was called the Safohene (for the male) or Asafoakyere (for the female). Other ranks in the Asafo were the Asafokomfo (the priest), okyerema – head of the akyeremafo (the drummers), frankaakitani (flag bearer), sekanboni (sword maker), okyeame (spokesperson or linguist), and abrafoo (police officers) and adumfoo (executioners).
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