About asabagna
I go by the name of Asabagna Alatentou, "Asa" for short. I took this name as my African/Spiritual name when I went on a pilgrimage to West Africa in 1997. I visited Senegal, The Gambia and Ghana. "Asabagna" means "hunter" and I received that name during a naming ceremony when I visited a village in northern Ghana. "Alatentou" is Mandingo for "God is gracious" and I received that name from a village Griot in Senegal. I was born in England and my parents are of Jamaican heritage. I spent most of my formative years in Jamaica, but grew up primarily in Toronto Canada. I currently live in Ottawa, the national capital of Canada. I am professionally employed, married, 2 wonderful kids and regularly attend a Pentecostal church. I am a born-again Christian. I do not consider myself conservative or liberal, right-wing or left-wing, centrist etc., or any of the multiple categories that society likes to confine and define people by. However, I do have strong views, beliefs and opinions but I also consider myself open to listening and contemplating other viewpoints. I am a firm believer that "if you don't believe in something, you will fall for anything".
On May 30th the Republic of Panama celebrates Black Ethnicity Day, but activities celebrating negritude take place during the entire month of May.
The beauty of this celebration is that young Panamanians seem to enjoy it the most.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0hXNdxOAs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsEQvNS-KeS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yWkgUkwQco
The first Afro Festival took place in Panama and was celebrated along with Black Ethnicity celebration ; many members of the international community were invited.
Although this video is in Spanish, it still can be enjoyed by non-Spanish speaking people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKa97uXyHhs
Thanks Sis. Ana for providing these vids on Afro-Panamanian culture! I need to visit there someday!
Blessings!
You are welcome.
You should visit Panama, there is a lot to see and you will find some of the nicest and friendliest people on the face of the earth.
And somehow Panama, similar to Brazil, Colombia and Cuba, were just the right places for many African traditions to richly blend in and remain vibrant and not negative, self hating components , but as connecting parts of the native cultures for future generations to enjoy.
Culture is what will eventually save the Black race in the Americas , not political parties.
This is why we are seeing a grand Resurgimiento of Negritude across the Americas right at this moment.The time is right and the proper ingredients are already in place for this grand undertaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQoIaeQGspQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkKL8bV2atI
Saludos…
“Culture is what will eventually save the Black race in the Americas , not political parties.”
This is so true!
Sis Ana…Thank you for those “drumline” videos! As I watched, it felt like someone squeezed my heart! The “culture” is SO in us all!
Don’t know if you ever saw the movie “Drumline” here in the states, but I just had to share (the Morris Brown Band is just up the road from my home in SC)!: http://youtu.be/eDXVgqmaYJk
Sis Deb,
Nice,I will rent this video. I think black people need to be vigilant and protect the essence of what really is authentic, excellent black culture.
I am really disappointed with many black people today for allowing others, and a good many other blacks too, to tamper with the great image and traditions that was left to us by our forefathers.
I read many blogs and sometimes I get the impression that many believe that a good number of the foolishness they see nowadays is and has always been black culture. No, it isn’t.
Black people were hated in the past and to an extent are still hated by many today too, but one thing, no one could ever say that we did not have a vibrant culture and contribute in the making of the national cultures( across the Americas) that we lived in .
What I see today in some parts of the diaspora is a bastardized, poor example of black culture; and because too many people(blacks and non-blacks) have short memories and lack of understanding, they believe all that foolishness is black cullture. No, it isn’t.
Si Ana…Crazy how “memory” is carved into one’s DNA, right?! Glad you’re going to rent it! Tell me what you think about it whenever you finish watching. I thought it touched on some age-old issues in our community that seem to be getting worse instead of better.
“…but one thing, no one could ever say that we did not have a vibrant culture and contribute in the making of the national cultures (across the Americas) that we lived in.”
Oh-h-h, they say it all the time–until that is, they appropriate it, revise it and then try to present it as their own!
You’re right, much of what is believed to be black culture is not, which is why the old adage, “You can’t know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you came from” rings so true for me.
Peace….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XymqYOTIjzg
Un abrazo Negro…
I was stationed at Ft Sherman in Colon’ Panama and I was surprised to see so many black people there. The people were nice when I was there in the early 1980s. I love Panama
“Culture is what will eventually save the Black race in the Americas , not political parties.”
Sis Ana, I truly hope so…
@ Rodney…I lived there from ’91-’93 when the husband was stationed at Galeta and I totally co-sign everything you said. My Spanish was never better, sitting on my friend’s patio (a high school, ESL teacher at Coco Solo), conversing with neighborhood folk, as they stopped in/stopped by in the evenings–I absolutely loved it!