Where are you Centered?

Your view at life is determined by your environment. Education, culture and gender are all determining factors in your psychological and emotional development. The reason this effort is being put into this blog is to show how our lives are influenced by external forces. When a commercial advertisement is played on the electronic media we are awakened to an idea, product or service that we otherwise would not be aware of. This is how information travels and how we are lead to believe many things that have no bearing on reality. What I am leading up to, is the fact that we are bombarded with propaganda continuously and constantly absorbing information that invites us into a world in which we have no control. The power of the media is such that we are aware of virtually every aspect of Anna Nicole Smith’s life but have nowhere to deposit this useless information.
Those who are working to elevate themselves do not have time for idle gossip but are working to development their minds in a way that will benefit not only themselves but others. In order to be successful we must remain focused so that we are not distracted by sights and sounds that have no bearing on our ultimate goal. We must first find out where we are centered in order to best take advantage of the opportunities that come our way. As African people we have a vested interest in anything that affects our motherland, as it also affects us no matter where we live. Let us make a conscious decision to address the problems that are forcing African economies. Those of in the Diaspora have many scholastic and technical skills that are well suited for elevated the young in our motherland. I would like to challenge all of our people in the Diaspora pledge allegiance to the African nation. The nation in which I speak is the entire landmass that is called Africa. From the times of our most ancient ancestors to this day we have endured invasion, colonization and every conceivable form of exploitation. Although our history does teach of great engineering, scientific and mathematical achievements, we are now at the very bottom of a negative cycle that will not change without our activation. We are challenged today by those who have gone before us right the wrongs of the past and take seriously our responsibilities to ourselves. The problems of the African nation will not be solved by outsiders but from within the worldwide community of Africans. As each of us takes responsibility for a component, we will achieve the success that is inevitable based on our diligence and perseverance. Let us make this day the beginning of our quest to bring about the reality envisioned by the amadlozi (ancestors). We honor the commitments of Piankhy, Nzingha, uShaka, Yaa Asantewaa, Nat Turner, Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah and all who envisioned a United Africa. Let us utilize our knowledge to assist our people worldwide in the quest for Freedom and Prosperity. We will make this a reality through our sincere and pragmatic efforts. We must be centered on our African selves.

Zimbabwe

Say the word Zimbabwe and immediately there is an emotional reaction. From where do we get the name Zimbabwe, and why does it evoke such emotion? The word is derived from the language of the Shona people "dzimba dzemabwe" meaning "houses of stone". This country in recent history has taken an economic beating at the hands of Northern (western) powers similar to what was done to Haiti in 1803, and later Cuba. The reason for these sanctions has been the reluctance of the elected leaders to "obey" the European/American masters. As we look at the results of these non-military interventions into the affairs of sovereign states we must understand why Europeans/Americans are so steadfast in their determination to undermine other governments. First of all nations look out for their nation interest as in the case of Zimbabwe, but the lack of truly independent African states makes it hard for the citizens (fellow Africans) to stand up to the Northern oppressors. The crime that the government of Zimbabwe has committed is to not obey. The incident that brought on this unleashing of Northern economic coercion was the idea of the people of Zimbabwe taking back (some of) their land. In the eyes of Europeans/Americans worldwide, this is considered reckless behavior. The first recorded accounts of our veteran soldiers occupying the land were called an invasion. I asked at that time, how is it possible to invade "your own land?" Later I saw the last dictator of the so-called rodesia, ian smith rallying against the Zimbabwe government. At no time has the Northern powers questioned the validity of our people taking back our lands, because that would leave the door open for reparations. After the tactic of calling our people's reclamation an invasion they changed tactics by now saying that President Mugabe was cruel and brutal to his people. Living in South Africa I have met many people from Zimbabwe and learned of the conditions that they suffer from. But what we are seeing is not what the president has done but the effects of sanctions and undermining of a sovereign African state. Zimbabwe is not alone in withstanding these actions but does stand alone as leader in principal. All African states have sanctions on them; it is only in degree that an overt effort was made to break the will of the people. As with President Mugabe's mentor, Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah he will continue to be demonized by the North but loved in the South (Mzansi). What is being played out in front of us is the true nature of the Northern people. All they have ever wanted was everything. I find that the Northern powers are more comfortable spewing clichés about freedom of the press and democracy than justice for Africans. Their concern is always relative to their pocketbooks. It is that all conscious Africans make the effort to support Zimbabwe, Haiti and other African nations who have dared to stand up to White Supremacy.

What’s in a name?

I am often confronted by people who are concerned about my name. This is both disturbing and amusing. There is questioning of why I changed my name and its meaning. This interrogation has occurred both in the U.S. and Africa so it is a common concern. In defense of my interrogators I will state that I too understand the confusion. When as a child I was known by one name and returning to my friends and family known by another. I empathize with all for the elimination of an existing identity for one radically different, but this change is not unique. It is acceptable to add Doctor, Bishop or Judge to an existing name or to change from a given name to religious title as priests and Popes. All of these changes are acceptable within a Euro-centric context and un-questioned. When as I grew into maturity, both emotionally and politically I began to read began to yearn for knowledge of my people in Africa and how to relate to them. As has been the case for over one hundred years of oral family history, I remembered the stories of my maternal great, great, grand mother Winny being brought to the U.S. from Ghana. Here was a renowned family member whose county of origin was unquestioned, so in reading “Ghana: the Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah” I was struck by the manner in which children are named. I then realized that my name was Kwabena based on the day of the week in which I was born (Tuesday). This name would announce with pride that I could now honor my ancestors in a proper manner. Just a name meaning “Tuesday’s leader” would emblazoned on my on first business venture. With the ensuing years there would be a spiritual awakening that opened my consciousness to a new reality and identity reflective of such. As I sought to gain spiritual insight in the form of séance I experienced the presence of my ancestors through possession. Having absolutely no experience in this culture, my first reaction was to question it. After experiencing this phenomena on many more occasions I slowly began to accept it along with the name given by Okhokho (a great grandmother) going back many years in Congo (Kongo). As she spoke to me she continually referred to me as Tshupa Bosia. In realizing that she was giving me an identity I accepted this as my name along with Kwabena. I found that my paternal heritage was AmaZulu (Zulu). So when travelling to South Africa I was now confronted with the culture. As I began interacting with royal family members I was now told that my surname should reflect that of my father’s people. This information was imparted to me by none other than the uncle of the present king, Mntwana Patric kaSolomon kaDinizulu kaCetshwayo Zulu. Mntwana Patric who leads the royal family organization Ubumbano Lwabantwana, stated that I must attach “kaShaka Zulu” as my surname to reflect my identity. As is known throughout KwaZulu that I am one of the descendants of Innggonyama Shaka kaSenzangakhona Zulu, my surname now reflects that reality. I am Kwabena Tshupa Bosia kaShaka Zulu shortened by the constraints of space to Bosia kaShaka Zulu. Now that we have the anatomy of my name it is easier to understand my pride and assertion that we all have the opportunity to reconnect to our ancestry through the traditional African medium of spirituality. No African has to live under the false identity of a European or Arab name when your true identity is available in your sub-conscious and with ancestral guidance will be given to you. We are children of uMdali (God) and the Amadlozi (ancestors). Let us strive to find our place in society by means of the ancients. Just the stories of Auser and Auset are told from thousands of years. The positive changes that must be made in our lives will be augmented by knowledge of self. Our strength lies in our collective thoughts and yearnings as they will open the road to liberation, prosperity and return of our land. Our ancestors were brought from Africa not Arabia. European and Arab names are not reflective of our ancestry nor does annexation of African land make them indigenous to Africa. There are name books purporting to guide you to your African identity but are in reality nothing more than a nefarious plan to confuse Arab culture with Africa. We must seriously rethink the use of an invaders name for our children when we know that our history goes back further than any other on this earth. Why should our ancestors be tossed aside for those who have enslaved and colonized us? African culture has been demonized by both Christianity and Islam. They both represent cultural imperialism and much of the destruction of African civilization. Our ancestors will not rest until the return of our people to their ancestral lands and riddance of all alien enclaves within. Let us be centered on our homeland and allow our god and ancestors guide us.

Inferiority complex

Recently I responded to a question of the inability of our people to stand as equals to all of humanity. As nearly the entire world has recently been under European domination I must state that most of the worlds' people are still in awe of the European world and especially the Americans. The armaments and scientific achievements and productivity capacity still intimidate many people but there is the added factor of Witchcraft. This along with mastery of aeronautics and the seas makes an intimidating force. When we analyze the components of their civilization, we must understand that when broken down, each component can be replicated by any organized body. The very power that our people fear is power that was taken from our ancestors. This current occupation of Africa by alien forces is a part of the invasion of the 1500's. There were invasions, starting 3,500 years ago by the Hyksos from western Asia and later Persians, Greeks Romans and Arabs. Each time that the aliens captured and maintained control over portions of our lands they were emboldened to push for more. During the time of the European Slave trade they had collectively forgotten the former greatness of our ancient past. You see from the time of Herodotus, Hippocrates, Thales etc. our lands were known as the lands of the gods, knowledge and scientific achievement. As masters of witchcraft the Europeans have promoted their culture/religion as the ultimate in human knowledge and challenged us as a people to accept it as the standard for the entire world. Correspondingly the Arabs have used their culture religion in the same manner. We as Africans have been under their spells almost completely since our indigenous culture were supplanted by way of witchcraft. Today’s' African, whether on the continent or the Diaspora accepts Europeans and Arabs as their superiors because when challenged our people have accepted aliens completely. When we look at both Islam and Christianity we realize that these twin forces steeped in Judaic myth are without question, reality to our people. We have been taken in, bamboozled, brainwashed and dry cleaned by the very forces that covet our land and resources. They have come to personify anything of value and maintain an unshakable sense of nationalism. They take themselves seriously and force the world to see them in that light. Of course there are exceptions and these are the ones that alien forces spend time undermining. Through belief in their systems and divinity we are vulnerable to strength Christianity/Islam. They have intruded on our space and we have collectively accepted that intrusion and invited more as we see them being our superiors. Not only has their culture put most of us under a spell many of them are under the impression that the spell is eternal. They imply that anything not validated by them is a lie and there are few challengers among our people to stand up to them. So as long as our people are under the spell of the Eurasian aliens we are all at their mercy. Once we go back to our Amadlozi (ancestors) we will break the spell and see clearly the encumbrances that have held us spellbound. I quote my ancestor..."do not believe in illusions". When approached by the British to accept Christianity, he stated ..."anyone who would want you to believe in that concept only wants to make you their slave". * Emperor Shaka the great, Dr. Mazisi Kunene. We must study all that is placed before us and understand the agenda of anyone who comes to us as missionary or friend. Let those with the ability to analyze, study well and teach the youth, because it will be those yet unborn that will completely break the shackles of ignorance and fear. The ways of the witchdoctors of Rome to Mecca utilize fear to control our people. Remember he who defines it controls it and as long as we accept some else’s reality we will be under their spell.

Mntwana, Bosia kaShaka Zulu (Mageba)

bosiazulu@yahoo.com

Ngibuye Unomphela

The N-word controversy and its effects:


Sanibona! Greetings

Words are values given to sound. People’s reactions to certain sounds are determined by their familiarity. As a person reacts emotionally to certain stimuli i.e.:
A Confederate flag, Red handkerchief, a traffic signal or the opposite sex, that reaction
lets one know their relationship to that entity. African people must first realize that this language is not ours and most of us are illiterate to our original languages. When our mutual ancestors were put into Maafa (Slavery) their languages were erased for the most part so that we would be completely at the mercy of our enslavers. As amazwe ethu (our people) were taken, variously by Arabs, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Dutch and British, and were identified by them as Neggars, Negroes, Kaffir, Abed
etc. As time passed, second generation Africans began to communicate in the Slave language only. The further away from Izwe Lethu (Our homeland) the less we spoke and understood our indigenous languages. We now find ourselves on both sides of Ulwandle (the ocean) speaking in lave/colonials languages. We must consciously communicate in our own languages as we learn of them. As in Tsotsi-Taal, Ebonics, Patios and Creole, there are elements of our collective indigenous languages but degradation of the original. Although many of our people take great pride in speaking the master’s language with a sprinkling of indigenous words we must eliminate the impurities that dehumanize us. WE
are not Kaffirs, N-----s, or Abid, we are self defined Abantu abansundu/abamnyama
and descendants of a great and mighty people. For those who don’t know their family language I suggest that you pick up a book and or consult with brothers and sisters who speak our home languages. KiSwahili is readily available as well as Yoruba, Twi, Lingala, Wolof, KimBundu, KiKongo,Igbo, Hausa and isiZulu. Take your interest in re-learning your language to the point of learning of your ancestors. The languages that I site are known to be areas that abantu baningi (many people) were taken from.
The Amadlozi (ancestors) called the leaving the homeland phesheya ulwandle (crossed the ocean) or crossing Katunga.

As most people are shocked at the change that this controversy has wrought, I am comforted to know that it has sparked positive reactions in the community. Just think of it, a European comedian insults Africans in public place where virtually anything goes. The resulting outrage ignites a heated discussion on whether we should continue to degrade ourselves with this type of language. Just as with smokers, alcoholics and drug addicts are in denial, we have generations of people addicted to this nomenclature. I personally have gone through that stage for a few years in my youth but altered my view at the time of Richard Pryor’s revelation. I fully expect there to be defenders of this degradation as with the "Kaffir" in South Africa and "Abid" among Arab followers. The idea that we glorify self degradation shows the level of consciousness within our community. The self degradation is not only confined to the Diaspora but wherever we were dominated by alien people. The solution to this problem is self-knowledge and evaluation. Leaders and teachers should be in the forefront of this battle because of its correlation to our lack of unity and power. Just a thing as minor as eliminating one negative term from your vocabulary can alter our entire world-view. Just as Collective Self-Interest is a term that promotes "Masihlangane" (let us work together) or "Harambee", there is no downside to being positive. Let us challenge ourselves to learn our ancestral languages and once we do, we will no longer have to communicate in E-----h.

Yimina uBosia kaShaka Zulu
“Mageba”

bosiazulu@yahoo.com