CAP/HARAMBEE DRUM CALL FOR PAN AFRICAN UNITY

                                               

CAP/HARAMBEE DRUM CALL FOR  PAN AFRICAN UNITY 

The African Drum has long been an instrument of communication and spiritual healing and expression. Even when drums were denied to South African miners, they duplicated the beats of the drum by patting on there boots, thus, the Boot Dance. As one of the first instruments the drum has been used to call our people to action, to express reverence and adoration in spiritual ceremonies, and to announce the comings and goings of our spirits upon such events as birth and death. Many African beats and rhythms are said to be formulated with mathematical precision and to be in harmony with vibratory frequencies in the universe and cosmos. This is not an esoteric conclusion, but a highly evolved spiritual one, which permeates African Culture. It is with this backdrop, that we, African People, Rescue and Resurrect the meaning, substance and symbol which the drum has had to the African Community.

In many African ceremonial rituals, the Drum Call is performed first, to awaken consciousness, welcome ancestors and the unborn into our midst, and to call on the participation and engagement of participants in sacred and community oriented activity. We, African People, again, call on our Drum Circles and Dancers to do Drum Call, but this time for Liberation and a Higher Level of Life for the entire Global Pan African Community. We do Drum Call to revere and honor our Ancestors who sacrificed that we might have a fuller, more fulfilling life. We do Drum call for those who continue to wage Revolution in pursuit of a Sovereignty and Dignity which allows African Descendant Peoples to determine their own destiny and future. We do Drum Call for our children now, and those unborn that they might fashion and achieve a Pan African Community reflective of our ancestors' vision and which gives adoration to those Heroes and Heroines, who have given their life in Revolutionary Struggle.

                                                                 

8 FOLD PATHS TO AFRICAN RENAISSANCE

1. Unity of the Pan African Community – Continental and Diasporan using Operational Unity. The Drum Call is a challenge for all African People to begin the processes of unification around the globe. A. Ideology - we suggest a Movement which seeks to Unify all African People around the Unifying Spiritual Ideology of Ma'at and Nguzo Saba (7 Principles of the Pan African holiday of Kwanzaa). With a common ideology we can establish common goals and objectives. B. Organization - We suggest the unification of the African Continent into Federated States in order to consolidate power and economic advancement. For the Diaspora we suggest the formation of a Diaspora Commonwealth which would have governing authority over all African descendants outside of Africa and which has voting authority in the  African Union. C. Communication - We must begin to build comm networks world wide in order to receive and dissimenate information in an efficient and effective way. D. Resources - 1) Human 2) Financial 3) Material.
2. Self Determination and Sovereignty – Recognition of and Engagement in determining our own destiny and future.
3. Food Sovereignty – Food as our Medicine,  NO GMO Seeds on African land; Build seed banks; Urban and personal gardening; Redefining Healthy food as Spirit Food; Engaging in growing, manufacturing and trading African food products in the global markets.
4. The Ascension of Black Women to Queens and Goddesses – and their shared Role in building viable and sustainable Institutions and Industries for and in our communities. A key industry Associated with this Ascension is the Natural Hair and African Centered Design Industries. Another key Institution which Women will take initiative in, is the key area of Education and raising the Pan African Literacy rate to 100%. Therefore we call for an All African Women's Movement which allow them to define their Goals and Aspirations in their own Image and Interests.
5. Adopting and Adapting Traditional African Institutions into the Revolutionary Process – Cultural Revolution is defined by the quality of institutional structures which promote and advocate for progressive African values, ethics, and morality systems. Among the most Pan African are the Nguzo Saba and Ma'at. Those Institutions worthy of rescue and reconstruction are Council of Elders, Queen Mother Associations, Rite of Passage, Arusi (African Marriage), Maziko (African funeral or transition ceremonies), Akika (African Naming Ceremony), Pan African Flag (Bendera), Pan African Song 
6. A. Reclamation of African Land from Alien Hands and Reparations – No African has the right to sell African Land to NON African descendant aliens; Every African Descendant affected by the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade and subsequent Colonization has the right and responsibility to be made whole via some form of agreed to, compensation.
7. B. The raising up of a Pan African Youth Corps and/or Simba Wachanga - which are responsible for the defense and development of our Global Pan African Communities and who serve as added Gatekeepers for the preservation and promotion of African Culture, Values, Institutions, and the unique African Personality.
8. Healing on a Personal and Collective Level - Healing from the forced displacement and dispersement of our people from our Homeland. This healing process is currently being defined by our healing community and involves ritual, herbs nutrition, prayer and active engagement in a significant and substantive manner, the process of making Cultural Revolution.

PROCEDURE - We will designate a location where Drumming Circles from around the Globe can call to sign up for this event which will become an Annual one.

                                                                           

PROCESS, RITUAL AND PROCEDURE

1. DAYS: May 25 is African Liberation Day and August 17, in Celebration of Marcus Garvey's Birthday and the First day of the Afrikan Peace Festival of Arts and Culture, Altlanta, Ga.
2. VENUES – Parks, Halls, Community/Convention/Culture Centers
3. RITUAL –   
   A. We recognize the valiant efforts of the Ferguson Youth and Warriors, in the tradition of Soweto Youth,  who have led a continue daily Movement in support of Mike Brown's family in search of Justice for their son, since August 9, 2014. This movement has also taken on an added dimension with the NO INDICTMENT returned in the Eric Garner case in Brooklyn, New York. The shooting of innocent 12 yr. old, Tamir Rice, as he played with his toy in the park has also expanded this movement worldwide. The almost daily shooting of  unarmed blacks by police, have raised the issue of Police Abuse, Racism and Social Justice to a Global level, unlike any other time in history. Therefore, we drum to honor those who have been sacrificed in this struggle for Social Justice, and those Warriors and Soldiers who have taken up positions on various Battlefronts to sustain this Movement. They/You are the ones for which our Ancestors Sacrificed for. African Drums and We, Honor You.
   B. 2020 is the 57 st Anniversary of the African Union - This year is more celebratory and is a call to Unity and Unification of Africa and Diaspora, as the AU and Representative Diaspora Council have called for a United States of Africa, on Oct. 2013. Speakers should be chosen who  will  address the strategies for the upcoming year. After the Drum Call (which should be a standard beat chosen by a committee of Master Drummers), one  Standard Dance suggested for this event, is the Zulu Warrior Dance which can be done by young males and females. The rationale for selecting one dance as standard is that it would serve as a unifying factor for youth, and give them something in common which they all can identify with as a unifying African cultural activity. Also, Chaka and the Zulu Warriors, have historically been the symbol and substance of the African Warrior Spirit in opposition to alien intrusion and domination. 
   (1) Libation, which reveres and invites our ancestors to enjoin the celebration, should be performed by an accepted Cultural Leader in your community.
   (2) Speakers at this event should focus on each of the 8 Fold Paths to African Renaissance (above).
   (3) Karamu – Optional. It is up to the discretion of the organizers if they wish to have a mini or major Karamu (Feast) at the conclusion of the event.
   C.. Other selected Drum Call and Dance movements should be more solemn and sacred allowing participants to be contemplative about the lessons of the past, even while charting a path to our collective and personal vision of the future. This should be a time of the ceremony when those Revolutionaries who have become ancestors should be honored and revered. The African Warrior no matter where from, engages in a Movement to Restore the Ancient Values and Ethics passed down to us by our Ancient  Ancestors, in the form of Ma'at. Therefore, speakers at this event should focus on the Seven Cardinal Virtues of Ma'at; Truth, Justice, Balance, Harmony, Order, Propriety and Reciprocity. These are presented as unifying Principles of a United Pan African Movement. Master Drummers (and Koro players) are mandated to submit beats or vibrations to be chosen by a Council of Elders or selection committee.
4. D. We Drum Call also to Unite our people globally around the fork, i.e. to focus on developing our Agricultural Sectors to be able to enter in Global Trade and thus building the Revenues needed to fund our own development projects. the Food industry is a $30T per day industry, and when African demands its fair share it will become a world force to contend with.

1. No matter which part of the African world they travel too, all African youth will know the Harambee Drum Beat, Dance and Song. The Dress, shield and spears should be uniform. The Dance, Drumming and Song should be incorporated into all Pan African Youth Corps and Rites of Passage curriculum and orientation.
2. Where possible, the dress of as many African tribes should be introduced, along with their histories and traditions. Fundraisers can be arranged to secure copyrights to symbols of each tribe, as alien cultures are engaging in this practice.
3.  Council of Elders and Community and Youth Groups, are encouraged to make sure that Youth are intricately engaged in these rituals and re-enforcing gestures, which, in turn, support African Values and Ethics. Drum Interludes can be conducted all during program
                                                         
   
   DEDICATIONS:
   
   
   WE DEDICATE THIS INAUGARAL YEARS' DRUM CALL to those Africans in the US, who have been sacrificed at the hands of abusive and Racist police practices, and to the Youth who have provided continuous and sustained Resistance to the oppressive and abusive tactics being imposed on, in many of our communities. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE  THOSE AFRICAN PEOPLES, AROUND THE GLOBE, WHO ARE WAGING VALIANT STRUGGLES IN WEST PAPUA, HAITI, SUDAN, SOMALIA, BELGIUM, INDIA, CURACOA ISLANDS, BRAZIL, MALI, SIERRE LEONE, AND THE US.
   
   
   WE POUR LIBATION FOR OUR AFRICAN ANCESTORS, PAST AND RECENT WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES AND LOVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN THE FIGHT FOR FULL AND FINAL LIBERATION OF OUR PEOPLE, WHEREVER WE ARE.
   
   
   AND FINALLY, WE DEDICATE THIS GLOBAL DRUM CALL TO OUR CHILDREN BORN AND YET TO BE BORN, THAT WE MAY GIVE HONOR AND FULFILL THE VISION OF OUR FOREPARENTS, TO BUILD A NEW AFRICAN IN OUR IMAGE AND INTERESTS, THAT WE MAY, ONE DAY, WALK IN A WARMER SUN.

               Copyright@Simbamaat Consultants, 2014, Los Angeles, Calif.