LUTON SANKOFA UK
We are a non-profit, African-Caribbean group in Luton, formed in 2016 to organise the annual commemoration of those who endured the Transatlantic African Enslavement which coincides with the United Nations (UN) date of 25th March, to 'Remember Slavery' and 'Honour our Ancestors'.
Khadijah Ward, Author - Black Sterling
Khadijah Ward, is the Author of Black Sterling, and CEO of ‘2nd2None Solutions’ which she founded on her ‘Prison to Roadworks’ apprenticeship programme for youngoffenders. She has also written successful diversity bids for £multi-million Transport for London civil engineering contracts. With an MSc in Social Policy, and an authority on the discrimination Legislative framework, she led on the Government’s development of the Race Equality Duty, and the England & Wales public sector guide to equality as a result of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.
Hello Beautiful people, My name is Khadijah Ward, today I will be speaking about:
For example, Queen Nzingha (1583—1663) ‘Bad Ass Warrior - known as the Amazon Queen of Matamba, was born in West Africa. She was the one and only fearless Warrior Queen and military genius. When the slave-hunting Portuguese attacked the army of her brother’s kingdom, this Angolian Queen formed her own army against the Portuguese, fighting on the front-line, waging war for nearly thirty years, uniting Africans against the Portuguese.
For example, Marcus Garvey was a visionary and economic genius, and was a remarkable man of his time, and no man to-date has matched the
accomplishments of this remarkable visionary. He truly is a superhero, second to none, and an inspiration to us all.
Malcolm X was an orator and charismatic genius. He mastered the English
dictionary by heart, commanding authority and respect with his articulate
deployment of words and charismatic leadership style. He was skilled in
public debate and held his own against political and intellectual adversaries on campuses and in broadcast studios.
I believe the best way to honour our ancestors is through liberation.
My book ‘Black Sterling’ covers all these issues and more and I hope you will invest in a copy that will give you ideas on how to recognise and love your unique qualities and beauty, and be confident, leading to the ultimate
inspiration to love our brothers an sisters.
- Khadijah Ward
Author, Black Sterling
In 2018 we focused our attention on some of our past and present educators. We wanted to recognise those who have striven and continue to work to bring truth and enlightenment about our origins and our struggles to our people through their literature.
We acknowledged the following educators:
Children of the diaspora from within the community read a passage from each of the above authors and lit a candle to commemorate and represent our fallen ancestors of the Transatlantic African Enslavement.
Our Keynote speaker for the event was one of our modern day heroines, Khadijah Ward, Author of Black Sterling.
Khadijah Ward spoke with passion and gave a powerful personal testimony of her very own struggles and how she came to author her outstanding book about black enconomic independence.
SDA Cantare
Among the highlights of the event were the SDA Cantaré Choir who sang soul stirring negro spirituals and a solo of Bob Marley's "Redemption Songs".
We also had drumming from the Osagyefo Theatre Drummers and a dance performance to Sounds of Blackness "Optimistc" by children in the community - Nylah and Myles.
This dance features some traditional style dancing with some new to old school moves mixed in. Nylah (18) and Myles (18) have been dancing in carnival for a combined 10 years now in which the band includes a variety of African-Caribbean style dancing and costume themes. They are both heavily interested in a variety of themes and have a passion for doing what they love.
The commemoration Wreath was respectfully laid this year by Luton Councillor David Agbley.
One of our main aims this year was to encourage our attendees to read more and educate themselves in black history written by black authors. We therefore included a reading suggestion list in our programme and some of the books are shown below.
The transatlantic African enslavement is responsible for the majority of the social and economic disadvantages experienced by African and Caribbean peoples in the diaspora and is a history that the world largely wants us to forget.
By uncovering the truths about it, we are aiming to help break some of the psychological chains associated with racism that still bind us today.
Impacts of Slavery:
• Racism is a major lasting impact of slavery that continues today.
Prior to the Transatlantic African Enslavement, Slaves could be Black or White, Christian, Muslim or pagan. The link between slavery and 'race' only came about when Europeans reduced it to chattel slavery. This was solely for the purpose of economic gain.
There is also evidence that our history has been systematically re-written in order to downplay and even eliminate our significant place in the origins of civilisation, and that this was done purposefully to elevate one race above all others. The education that has been spread around the world has been based on this deceit!
James Henry Breasted wrote ‘Ancient Times’ in 1914 which clearly explains that Africa is the cradle of civilisation. However, John D. Rockerfeller in 1935 donated US$1.5 million dollars for Breasted to establish the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago with conditions that when he wrote the second edition of Ancient times, that he was to remove all references to the ancient Egyptians as being dark skinned people. Breasted did this, and he also added a new chapter where he said that they were members of the ‘great white race’, describing the area they came from as the north-west quadrant of the world where they rose and developed everything that became a significant part of civilisation. And there were many more falsified truths of our history that was systematic and deliberate to hide our greatness.
The cancer of racism in our society is an issue that was addressed in 1963 by His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I, when he addressed the United Nations:
“that until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned; that until there are no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation; that until the colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes; that until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race;
that until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained. “... Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil..."
- His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I
[Read by Finot Teshome (Age 13) Ancestry: Ethiopia]
Unfortunately, the world has not moved very far in terms of dealing with this issue effectively enough. Today, people of the diaspora still suffer from a legacy of its negative effects.
• Depopulation
Before the arrival of the Europeans on the Continent we had… Emperors and Empires; Kings and Kingdoms with wealth, stability and social order, for example Kingdoms of Kush, Kongo, Asante Empires, Bornu Empire, Axumite Empire and Kingdom of Mutapa and others. The slave trade had long lasting negative effects on the islands of the Caribbean. To start with the native peoples, the Caribs, the Arawaks, were wiped out or escaped to the hills, and became replaced with West Africans.
•The Maafa - Swahili term for great destruction or holocaust
Used to describe the period between 1441 and 1865 almost 500 years of suffering of people of African Heritage as a result of the transatlantic African enslavement, and this period signifies the stain on our great history.
During this period the slave traders accomplished over 55,000 sea voyages from Africa to the Americas for over 400 years, and it wasn’t only human beings that were stolen… Some estimate that without slavery the population of Africa would have been double the 25million it had diminished to by 1850.
They took more than human cargo… They also took gold, diamonds, uranium, titanium, cobalt, oil, copper, iron, lead, silver, natural gas, gum, rice, plutonium, zinc, tobacco, bauxite, fruit, land, timber, cotton, ivory, rubber, phosphates, sugar, artefacts, manganese, radium, animals, culture, coffee, cocoa, tea, medical herbs, spices, potassium, platinum, agriculture and technology and much more…
The impact on the Caribbean was more psychological, as after they were ‘freed’, they owned nothing and, and in particular, had no economic power or land, and were not permitted to read and write so they remained in ignorance of what they were entitled to. The Caribbean region was left in ruins economically, socially, and politically. Being enslaved prevented these people from becoming educated in order to build their countries so they fell behind the rest of the world who did have these opportunities that come with freedom.
- Summary of the Keynote Address by Diana Marquis-Solomon
Vice Chair – Luton Sankofa Committee - Saturday, 25th March 2017, Luton Town Hall
Sources:
Black in Latin America. United States: PBS Distribution, 2011. Film.
Dubois, Laurent. “Confronting the Legacies of Slavery.” The New York Times. October 28, 2013. Accessed December 2, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/opinion/international/confronting-the-legacies-of-slavery.html?pagewanted=all&module=Search&mabReward=relbias:w.
“Here Are The 20 Poorest Nations In The World.” Business Insider. October 3, 2010. Accessed December 6, 2014. http://www.businessinsider.com/poorest-countries-in-the-world-2010-8/republic-of-haiti-1#20-republic-of-haiti-1.
Higman, B. W. A Concise History of the Caribbean. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 123-124.
Law, Ian. Racism and Ethnicity: Global Debates, Dilemmas, Directions. Harlow, England: Longman, 2010.
Rattansi, Ali. Racism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. 30.
“Slavery in the Caribbean.” Slavery in the Caribbean. Accessed December 6, 2014. http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/slavery/archaeology/caribbean/.
Anthony T. Browder, Interview with Rock Newman
Ancient Times – J H Breasted, 1914 and 1935
Africa has been dubbed the cradle of civilisation and yet the myth is still perpetrated that the people taken from Africa were uncivilised savages. Advances in science literature and philosophy are normally associated with the Greeks and the Romans. When we talk about early civilisation we think of the Chinese dynasties. There is a general amnesia about the contributions made by the African peoples. We are told of the civilising influence of slavery on the Africans, of how we were taught to read and write and dress and how we were given religion.
In order for us to rise up and truly honour our ancestors we have to expose the truth of their great achievements prior to the wars that resulted in the capture and enslavement of our people.
More than 6000 years ago in the land of Mesopotamia there developed the most remarkable black civilisation known to mankind. The people who lived in this area were Ethiopians, black in colour; descendants of Kush. [1]They developed writing, pens, pictures and Epic stories. Much of modern religious and philosophical thinking is from that period. The wheel, the plough and sewers came from [2]Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamians studied maths, science, geometry, medicine and natural studies, architecture and buildings, music and sculpture.
The Sumerians, (4000BC), Babylonians (3400BC) and Ethiopians were black people who contributed much to the advancement of civilisation. They studied astrology astronomy and without the use of powerful telescopes were aware of the makeup of the solar system. They divided the year into months, weeks, hours minutes and seconds. They developed the decimal system. They codified a system of law and established the seven day week.
The black Egyptians (3000BC) established powerful governments and built empires that extended in all directions. They excelled in maths, medicine, engineering and agriculture. Pythagoras the Greek mathematician learned mathematics from the black Egyptian. Greek knowledge came from their travels to Africa. Even the Greek Gods were renamed Egyptian Gods. The Greek mythologies mirror stories that originated in Africa.
The Canaanites (2750BC), a black people who inhabited Palestine [3]Tyre and Sidon and were also called Phoenicians, were proficient in geometry arithmetic and navigation. They had good harbours and navigated to distant lands including Cyprus, Crete, Rhodes, Spain, Sicily, Canary Isle, and North Africa. They were skilled in metalwork and needlework. They sold purple dye extracted from shellfish and made glass from sand. They established the Carhaginian civilisation in 814 BC.
The black Hebrews (1500BC) gave us monotheism and the Hebrew Scriptures from which all three world religions are based: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. They gave us our legal system and moral codes.
[4]While Europe was experiencing its Dark Ages, a period of intellectual, cultural and economic regression from the sixth to the 13th centuries, Africans were experiencing an almost continent-wide renaissance after the decline of the Nile Valley civilizations of Egypt and Nubia. The leading civilizations of this African rebirth were the Axum Empire, the Kingdom of Ghana, the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire, the Ethiopian Empire, the Mossi Kingdoms and the Benin Empire.
The black Moors famous for schools libraries and universities lived in Marble palaces at a time when the Kings of Europe were dwelling in unfinished stone barns. In 711AD the Moors and Arabs [5]conquered Spain and Portugal and taught them Latin and instituted a system of public education and street lighting. They ruled for 800 years and built public baths and paved streets and brought an end to the dark ages in Europe.
While Europe was in the Middle Ages, Southern Africa was dominated by one of the greatest African Kingdoms known as Great Zimbabwe (11th - 15th Century). The Shona peoples built great castles and fortresses. The magnificent remains testify to the amazing skill and precision of these builders.
African and Caribbean history encompasses far more than slavery. Thousands of our inventors have contributed extensively to world civilisation in spite of the trauma of the Transatlantic African Enslavement, and we continue to do so.
- Jacqui Burnett (Cllr)
Chair, Luton Sankofa Committee
In 2017 the focus was on many of the rarely recalled heroes that brought about the abolition of slavery. The committee felt it imortant to bring to the fore some of the prominent resisters and freedom fighters that majorly contributed to the demise of the barbaric practice of the transatlantic African enslavement.
We acknowledged the following ancestors:
Children of the diaspora from within the community read a passage and lit a candle to commemorate each of the heroes.
A very thought provoking and eye-opening presentation was given by Diana Marquis-Solomon, Vice Chair of Luton Sankofa Committee, on the Lasting Impact of the Transatlantic African Enslavement on the Caribbean and African Contnent. This was very well received by the audience who were very appreciative of the information shared and the new things they had come to learn about African and Caribbean history.
Among the highlights of the event were the SDA Cantaré Choir who sang soul stirring negro spirituals and a dance performance from the Osagyefo Theatre Dancers accompanied by the Theatre Drummers.
This year's commemorative event had a particular focus on writers from the past and present who have had a mission bring to life our ancestors through their writings, whether through historical literature, stories or poetry.
Each chosen author brings their own unique style to their literature, imparting knowledge of our ancestors and culture to us, speaking of their own past experiences, their missions, as well as those of our ancestors from whom we gain wisdom and inspiration. It was felt that to personalise our ancestors and bring their existence to life, was an important aspect of commemoration to embrace.
As we lit our commemorative candles, a selection of young people from the local community read excerpts from the literature of Andrew Salkey, Zora Neale Hurston, Kamau Braithwaite, Miss Lou Bennett, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Lorna Goodison, Caryl Phillips, Grace Nicholls, Sir Derek Walcott and Valerie Bloom.
Paul Crooks pioneered research into African Caribbean genealogy during the 1990s. He traced his family history from London, back 6 generations, to ancestors captured of the West African coast and enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica.
Paul gained national recognition for his work when his acclaimed historical novel Ancestors (based on the true story of the author's African ancestors) was published in 2002. He appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? (Moira Stuart). His second book A Tree Without Roots is the authentic guide to tracing African, British and Asian Caribbean ancestry.
Paul is credited with inspiring an upsurge in interest in Black and British ancestry. He is also recognised for having spawned an industry in researching African Caribbean genealogy.
Paul Crooks MSc
Ancestry Talks with Paul Crooks
Mob: 0770 828 2972
Email: info@paulcrooksuk.com
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine - 31 July 2018
Paul Crooks is the author of A Tree Without Roots: the Guide to Tracing British, African, and Asian Caribbean Ancestry “Jamaican
Family Search" jamaicanfamilysearch.com) is an online library for finding historical records of those who lived in the country
from the late 1600s to 1920 – mainly white families and their offspring. The website has transcriptions from various documents including 19th century Jamaican almanacs (which list property owners plus civil and military officials), extracts from Jamaican church records, civil registration records, wills, Jewish records, and excerpts from directories, newspapers, books and other documents.
“The website is especially useful for anyone interested in developing narratives around the legacy of British slave ownership – the lists of property owners and pens, sugar estates and plantations will be of particular interest if you are researching ancestors who were enslaved in Jamaica. Links to various documents related to slavery in the country are grouped on a page called ‘Slaves and Slavery in Jamaica’ at: jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples2/slavery.htm
“If your focus is researching ‘the French connection’, then there’s material relating to refugees fleeing the 1791–1804 revolution in Haiti (then known as Saint-Domingue – a French colony).
“This website was created by an individual, not a corporation. So the database is not complete by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is great if you are at an advanced stage of genealogical research, or are simply looking for a bit of information that might stimulate your curiosity further.”
Significance of The Year of Return - Ghana 2019
Luton Sankofa Committee’s mission has been about 3 things:
1 - to honour our fallen ancestors,
2 - to educate our community by raising awareness of our great history that pre and post-dates the barbaric episode of the transatlantic African enslavement, thereby putting it in its rightful perspective, and
3 - to help narrow the divide between African and Caribbean history.
For the past 3 years, we have held this honourable civic service, we have encouraged our community to personally re-discover through literature and film a better understanding of what has taken place from our Caribbean and African perspectives, as opposed to the biased Eurocentric teachings that have been handed down to us for many decades. And, by doing this, we have been able to lift the dignity of our people and promote unity among the African and Caribbean communities, thus fulfilling our mission.
We have observed over the past 3 years, a deeper understanding and awakening unfolding amongst our community. The sense of unity and oneness is continuing to grow, and this year has been crowned with the wonderful declaration that 2019 is the “Official Year of Return” as pronounced by the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – who has made it “a national priority to extend a hand of welcome back home to all Africans in the Diaspora.”
There are about 28 slave castles along the coast of Ghana, most of them west of the capital city, Accra. Then in far west Africa, off the coast of Senegal is Goree Island. Another castle stands along the Gambia River in Gambia, also in West Africa. Other sites are in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
“Ghana’s unique position as the location of 75 percent of the slave dungeons built on the West Coast of Africa makes it all the more fitting that it is recognised as the beacon of hope for African people living on the continent and in the Diaspora. This status was earned, not by coincidence but by conscious efforts to validate the struggles, strengths and linkages between African descendants on a Pan African scale.”
This is therefore a major cause for celebrations that are reverberating among diasporans around the world. For our Committee, it is a clear sign that since Luton Sankofa’s inception, real progress has been made on the international scene, and it validates our vision for unity among the African and Caribbean communities in the UK as many of us are the descendants and survivors of the captured African people of long ago.
The ‘door of no return’ as experienced by our ancestors, with dreaded trepidation, can now be looked at with hopeful optimism, as “in this year of 2019”, the President of Ghana states, “we open our arms even wider to welcome home our brothers and sisters in what will become a birth-right journey home, for the global African family.”
We can celebrate because the long-held notions of not belonging to Africa, and not being wanted by our African relatives on the continent can now be forever discarded as we fully acknowledge Ghana’s welcome and purposefully make ways to return home, fulfilling the dreams of our ancestors, back to the Motherland.
- Diana Marquis-Solomon
Vice Chair, Luton Sankofa Committee
2020 was a year overshadowed by Coronavirus and due to the lockdowns and many restrictions imposed locally and globally, we were unable to host our annual event.
However, in 2021, as the world found itself adjusting to working more and more remotely via online streaming platforms, Luton Sankofa Committee were fortunate to have formed a partnership with United States of Africa’s founder Mr Daniel Mwambonu, who kindly invited us to host our event via his multiple media platforms on Facebook as well as African History Month youtube, United States of Africa and 2NacheckiTV, which gave our event a global outreach which took our message far and wide. It was then, that we decided that our name should be Luton Sankofa UK, to ensure that our international audiences could place Luton Sankofa on the map!
Our service of remembrance reflected on not only those that passed through the Maafa, but recognised those who resisted and fought for their freedom from enslavement. Their efforts were the overall theme of our programme this year as there was much resistance from our ancestors to be free. Their fight for freedom played a major part in the eventual abolition of their enslavement which mainstream historical narratives fail to indicate, preferring to focus on the European efforts to abolish the very evil they were responsible for, when it no longer served their economical purpose.
2021 was a special year as it was also the year that Mr Anthony Browder, Founder and Director of IKG Cultural Resources, and Mr Paul Obinna, Creator of the Lineage Timeline, were joint special guests on our programme. Both Mr Anthony Browder and Mr Paul Obinna made outstanding and eye-opening presentations about our history. Paul Obinna’s timeline has been a feature of our Civic event since it’s inception in 2016 and Mr Browder’s education about our past has been a continual inspiration in our endeavours to enlighten our communities about the historical lies we have been taught, and our attempts to put that history in its rightful perspective. The significance of Sankofa was expertly illuminated by Mr Browder. Needless to say, to have them both at this historic event was indeed a privilege and a confirmation that Luton Sankofa UK are doing the right thing, at the right time.
We were privileged to also have Counsellor Maria Lovell, first Mayor of Luton of African Descent to speak about honouring our Ancestors. Her tenure as Mayor coincided with our annual event and the timing was perfect.
Mr Martin Hanson of Osagyefo Theatre company who from Luton Sankofa’s inception has performed the libation ritual at the opening of our events, also thrilled us with his Djembe drumming performance at the beginning and the end of the programme. Had it not been for the nature of the online event, we would have also been graced with a cultural dance performance from members of his Theatre group which in past events has led to joyful audience participation, bringing a real sense of unity among our guests.
Our 2021 ceremony as part of the celebration of African History month was a huge success and a significant milestone in our efforts as Luton Sankofa UK.
Councillor Maria Lovell is the first Luton mayor to be invested online. Councillor Lovell was the standing Deputy Mayor but stepped up to the role of Mayor following the resignation of Tahir Malik.
Maria founded the Ghana Society in 2006 to promote and showcase Ghana’s cultural heritage. The society became the first group to demonstrate traditional African costumes in Luton International Carnival. She has supported various charities such as Mercy Ships, Breast Cancer, Prostrate Cancer and World Child Cancer to raise funds for their cause.
Anthony T. Browder is an author, publisher, cultural historian, artist, and an educational consultant. He is a graduate of Howard University’s College of Fine Arts and has lectured extensively throughout the United States, Africa, Caribbean, Mexico, Japan and Europe, on issues related to African and African American History and Culture.
Mr. Browder is the founder and director of IKG Cultural Resources and has devoted 30 years researching ancient Egyptian history, science, philosophy and culture.
Paul Obinna was born in April 1959 of Igbo (Nigerian) and English (British) parentage in Preston, U.K.and is a Child of Ogun.
To better understand the historical relationship between these African & European worlds he designed the LINEAGE TIMELINE displaying a 9,000-year continuum. It is designed to give clarity of both HISTORY; past the contentious periods of Arab & European Colonization & Slavery and HYSTORY, the Golden Thread of Lineage through the Mother Principle.
Martin Hanson is the Director of Osagyefo Theatre. It is an African arts in education company that runs workshops in African music, drumming, dance, storytelling and visual art (tie / dye and mask making), for all schools (including Special Needs’) from Nursery to High Schools, all over the country.
Established in 1997, the company has a track record in working with young people and helping them unearth their hidden creative skills.
Their educational programme supports the teaching and learning of multicultural activities and enables schools to use the company as its resource, as they cut across all the subjects under the curriculum.
