My man Sendolo reminded me of something I once read. It’s a term, a concept that the Saramaka Maroons of Suriname and French Guiana use to determine a particular type of kinship: Máti. Deeper than even blood, Mati refers to the bond between people who survived the Middle Passage together.
I like that.
At some point last week, Nangila celebrated 7 years. 7 years since that unforgettable summer at the W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute. 5 kids (a sixth yet to come), inheritors of an ancient wisdom, came together only half-consciously to birth what would become more than a group of friends, but a family of young warriors, healers, priests, teachers, artists.
In the middle of a transitionary period in our life-paths, we chose a name: Nangila
“born on a journey”
And who were we to doubt the power of a name? Had we not listened to the lessons of our forbearers? Were we not merely doing what we were called to do?
7 years of blessings. 7 years of fulfilling the name we chose to give ourselves.
This one is for my Nangila fam.
Jason, Adjoa, Fahtema, Vanessa, Tracee.
My Máti. Spread throughout the world, our connected consciousness unifies the steps of this common path.
Oh, ever-sweetening journey! Bless our arriving generation as you have blessed us.
We are loved.
Oh, how we are loved.
-Amari
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