HEALING AFRICA
When the rest of the world thinks of Africa, it is usually in the
context of the deluge of disaster portrayed by the mass media. While
this is an accurate reflection of PART of what occurs on the
continent, the stories about the Central African genocides, the
Nigerian situation, the starvation, et al, while serious, do not
reflect the Other side of Africa, which DOES exist - the positive,
beautiful, creative, warm and joyous aspects.
As an NCN member, I feel moved to fill in the blanks, and while an
active participant in the healing of Africa, and a messanger of hope
for the continent, I would ask the assistance of the other NCN
members in this way - to simply think of Africa in a way other than
that portrayed by the mass media. You see, the healing of Africa is
being addressed on many levels - practical, political, economic,
educational, spiritual, etc. Networking is still slow, due to the
number of afflictions still perpetuating, but it is happening.
The healers of Africa, in their various ways, are working to bring
Africa back into the world, to take her rightful place as a
participant and contributor towards a new and better world
civilisation.
I run a mailing list, called Afrospirit-l, on African spirituality,
as part of the NCN. The oral traditions have to a degree inhibited
world understanding of the African view of the Universe. In essence,
spirituality is lived and experienced, and expressed through dance,
music, art and story-telling. The conceptual realm is deliberately by-
passed as this realm is considered to be only transitory. Which is
why oral tradition is used - no need to record what can only be
experienced. In just knowing this, you already have increased your
understanding of the African way. If you do have an interest in this
subject (and it's fine if you don't), you can contact me for further
details at: Kbaker@uctlib.uct.ac.za
So, what we, the healers of Africa ask of you is simply that when you
think of Africa, think of these images, which are real, and we
just need more of them!:
* The drum
A tribal group, with drummers beating their drums around a fire-
side and below a clear, starry sky, and people dancing their bare
feet moving vibrantly to the rhythm, in a joyous celebration of
life.
* The mother
With a child at her breast, warm, loving and gentle, creatively
nurturing the new life entrusted to her, with the child looking up
at her, and smiling
* Fertility
The vast lands, filled with abundent crops of food, healthy
crops, grown in the traditonal way as taught by the ancestors,
taking from the earth, and then giving back to her.
* Animals
The animals run free, since they are no longer hunted, but
respected and loved - the elephant, lion, buck, giraffe,
cheetah, apes, rhinocerous, birds, insects, reptile, and
all the creatures, great and small, all are free
* The Awakening
A great spirit, moving through the land, the mountains, the
trees, the rocks, caves, lakes, rivers, oceans, through the
people, everywhere, one by one, awakening, realising that they
only need be themselves, and need no longer imitate other
countries, but restore the old, and combine with the new -
that it is possible, that it is already happening, that
Africa's Light is being re-discovered, soon to be shown
to the world again.
In just reading this, you have helped us. We thank you, and we love
you!
Kim Baker
Cape Town, South Africa
20 January 1996
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