As part of Project 6264: Raising Afrikan Spirituality to a Higher Level, we return to the theme of cultural revolution as a continuation of the message delivered by Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka at Shumira on 03/03/24, Alkebu-Lan Livity: Unleashing the Afrikan Cultural Revolution in Theory and Practice. A passage from renowned Warrior Scholar Baba Chinweizu, framed the message:

“A quarter of a century after Africa’s political independence from European colonial powers, the colonial mentality still lies like a fog on the African consciousness. It befuddles African perception, confuses African thinking, messes up African feelings and disorganises African action. As a result, African efforts at nation building and development have yielded little. I believe that only when the fog of colonial mentality is burned off will Africa successfully grapple with its absurd and desperate realities.

The strategic aim of decolonising the African mind is the overthrow of the authority which alien traditions – Arab and European in particular – exercise over Africans. Until that is done, Africans will not regain the autonomous cultural initiative (destroyed in the course of 13 centuries by Arab and European invaders) needed for a renaissance of African civilisation in industrial mode.” (1)

Since its inception in 1987, the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement has agitated for this renaissance by way of cultural revolution, with culture being defined as “the collective personality of a people, manifested in their natural and complete way of life.” ARM approached this mission through the building of institutions to cater for every aspect of the Afrikan life cycle – spiritually, educationally, socially, economically, politically, etc. For as Baba John Henrik Clarke asserts: “people rise and fall within the context of these institutions.” (2)

Thus, the idea is that the prosecution of a cultural revoltion should leave us as a self-determining people in control of our destiny. Omowale Malcolm X referrred to the example of China, that after their revoltions arrived at a state of “no more [uncle] Toms.” (3)

(1) Chinweizu (1987) Decolonising the African Mind. Pero Press. p. vii

(2) Yemi Toure (03/03/91) Elder Statesmen An Era Is Passing for Five Authors Known for Reclaiming the Role of Blacks in History. https://blackexcellencecommunitylibrary.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Africans-at-the-Crossroads-African-World-Revolution-Dr-John-Henrik-Clarke-and-More.pdf

(3) Omowale Malcolm X (1963) Message to the Grassroots. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/speeches-african-american-history/1963-malcolm-x-message-grassroots/

we ask the question

What is a “Cultural Revolution”? Pt. 2

1) How can we identify the “colonial mentality”?

2) Can we wage a Cultural Revolution while maintaining European/Arabic cultural mediums?

3) Can we utilise the existing institutions for this purpose?

4) What can we learn from the Chinese example of Cultural Revolution?

Our Special Guest:

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.

LISTEN LIVE VIA THIS TEMPORARY LINK:

http://51.89.246.140:30002/index.html?sid=1 (Copy and paste this link where the website address is on your internet browser)