Back To Africa
We generally understand it to be the quest of the african roots. Back to Africa is therefore a return to Africa, to its culture, its values, her children. The return is a quest of the self, a quest of the identity that was stolen by slavery and its legacy: self hatred, self denial, lack of self confidence. Well, the return is generally considered an action for the Africans who were deported outside the motherland.
I however think that there actually is a return for them done remained in the motherland. We all can guess this return has nothing to do with going back to lost places, a forgotten land. No, that return is a return to that part of ourselves we done been separated with. A return to the physical persons of the brothers and sisters who after all are the ancestors too. A return to the memory of the deported families. A return to the consciousness of their existence. A return to the family link that unites them did remain in Africa to their brothers and sisters who must become alive again and live in their hearts and in their minds.
How? Through mass education that the ministries for education, or culture, or information of the african states must plan and apply. School, radio, television should serve as means for the return of that memory. Of course, lectures –preferably broadcasted by radio and television- with the participation of historians from both sides of Africa (the motherland, the diaspora) is essential in this project.
I however think that there actually is a return for them done remained in the motherland. We all can guess this return has nothing to do with going back to lost places, a forgotten land. No, that return is a return to that part of ourselves we done been separated with. A return to the physical persons of the brothers and sisters who after all are the ancestors too. A return to the memory of the deported families. A return to the consciousness of their existence. A return to the family link that unites them did remain in Africa to their brothers and sisters who must become alive again and live in their hearts and in their minds.
How? Through mass education that the ministries for education, or culture, or information of the african states must plan and apply. School, radio, television should serve as means for the return of that memory. Of course, lectures –preferably broadcasted by radio and television- with the participation of historians from both sides of Africa (the motherland, the diaspora) is essential in this project.