BONA SAWA

  AFRICAN REMEMBRANCE DAY

This year has been dominated by events about British slavery where the leading role of African people in Abolition and Resistance Movements have been relegated to a mere footnote in our own history. In its arrogance, the government has announced that it plans to move forwards with its planned slavery and abolition memorial in August rather than supporting the existing African Remembrance Day events held annually by our community in this country for over a decade. Nonetheless, community organisations across the country have rejected the Wilberfest memorial agenda and organised programmes designed for us to remember, learn and invoke the experiences, culture and languages of our African Ancestors who suffered, endured and sacrificed their lives for our freedom from British slavery during the Maafa.

This year we have lost too many young people to the violence, poverty and decadent behaviour and materialistic values which are an integral feature of Britain's "urban" youth culture. That is one of the reasons why our very own day of African remembrance taking place this Saturday 4th August is dedicated to our young people.

We believe that whilst others seek to encourage us to wallow in victim-hood portraying African people as the passive recipients of european humanitarianism, we must always strive to empower and liberate ourselves. The event will include workshops on home schooling, stop and search, media representation and also address the important but marginalised issue of mental health and identity.

Our featured film, The Walk, documents one part of the community's resistance to the Wilberfest agenda beginning at Westminster Abbey on 27th March 2007 during the ritual to commemorate what British institutions have labelled the 'abolition of the slave trade' to the British Museum on 30th May, one of the major British establishments to continue to perpetuate the legacy of theft and pillaging from Africa of her cultural and spiritual property. The Walk illustrates one of the many ways in which the community has asserted its rights to resist the cultural, political, social and spiritual assault of government propaganda about British slavery and promote a retelling of history that is holistic, informed and truthful.

We are also hugely honoured to be in a position to screen the first documentary by the veteran African British film maker, Menelik Shabazz. Made in 1976, Step Forward Youth is a 30 minute documentary comprised of interviews with young African teenagers from Brixton and Notting Hill discussing issues relating to ethnicity and racism.

There are many other events taking place over the next few weeks that offer us a chance to remember our Ancestors lost through enslavement, colonialism and racism. This is a perfect opportunity for all to reflect, analyse and instigate the appropriate measures in light of the African Truths told by community groups and the British lies that have been spread and sanctioned by state propaganda from museums, churches, the media, politicians and pseudo 'community groups' with little integrity. As a people we have never stopped resisting injustice, African remembrance day endeavours to honour those who went before us and reaffirm the need for on-going action and resistance.

We hope to see you this Saturday and encourage you to bring your children. Please remember to pre-register for this event at www.africanremembrance.co.uk as spaces are limited.

Peace and Revolution 2007

Ed

www.africanhistorymonth.org

*African British is the name now used to describe the community previously mislabeled as Afro-Caribbean, Black British, UK Black, Coloured, Black other and Black. It embraces all British nationals with antecedents originating directly from Africa or indirectly via African diasporic communities, such as those in the Caribbean and South America.