As we officially welcome the 25th annual Mosiah Season, established in 1998 by the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement. The month long observance was launched at the Opening Ceremony on Mosiah 6th. The event featured readings from our young people raised in the Movement, a touching tribute to our fallen Warrior Elder Tongogara by Eld . Cecil Gutmore, while Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka delivered a special libation featuring the Mosiah Narrative. The highlight was the keynote address by Bro. ShakaRa on the theme Scientific Garveyism: A working idealism for the 21st century.
The theme was in part borrowed from Mama Amy Jacques Garvey who opined:
“Garveyism is not only a theoretical philosophy, but a working idealism, geared to the crying needs of an entire race, many millions of whom were dispersed by slavery to the United States of America, the West Indies, Europe, Canada, and as far as South America.” (1)
In a short but meaningful message Bro. ShakaRa reminded us of the essential principles of Afrikan Fundamentalism: Race First, Self Reliance, Nationhood and Afrikan Spiritual Orthodoxy.
It comes as a time of heightened interest in the Garvey Movement in academia and in the popular space. Yet contrary to the approach exemplified by the likes of Mama Amy Jacques Garvey and Baba Tony Martin, these new voices to appear to be part of a project to undermine, misrepresent and mis-characterise the legacy of Mosiah Garvey himself and his organisation the UNIA-ACL. (2)
(1) Dr. Kwame Nantambu (29/04/07) Marcus Garvey: Millennium Afrikan Hero. https://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=231.
(2) Colin Grant (2008) Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey and His Dream of Mother Africa. Jonathan Cape; Kehinde Andrews (2018) Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century. Zed Books; Roy T. Anderson (2022) African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey. Action 4 Reel Flimworks; F.D Signifier (10/05/23) The REAL Faces of Black Conservatism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx6tseoM_u0&t=2842s
we ask the question:
What is SCIENTIFIC GARVEYISM?
1) How has the Mosiah Season been for you so far?
2) In what ways is Garveyism a “working idealism”?
3) Is there really a concerted effort to undermine, misrepresent and mis-characterise the legacy of Mosiah Garvey?
4) How do we apply Garveyism to the 21st Century?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Bro. ShakaRa Mbandaka: the son of Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka, Father, Partner, Universal Afrikan Nationalist, Organiser, Spoken Word Activist, Writer, Cultural Scientist, Educator, Sema Tawi and graduate of the UNIA-ACL’s Course In Afrikan Philosophy (ShakaRaSpeaks.com).
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