Fifth in a series on the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa. NIA: A Journey that will never happen
Nia (Purpose) - To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
This may sound harsh, but it is what it is. It is not necessary to pull up a lot of statistics to confirm this reality. Just ask the neighbor next door, or better yet, ask anybody in the family about what they want to be when they grow up. 9 chances out of 10 most will probably say that they want to be materialistically rich (or use a popular metaphor that reflects our materialistic passions).
This materialistic mindset is so entrenched in the minds of present, past and future generations that it is almost ridiculous to say that it is possible to restore any remnants of the supposed great ancestral tradition. Once again, African Americans love affair with materialism preempts any hope to returning to anything that even remotely proclaims it love of God ordained principles where we enrich ourselves by serving God and one another.
It is possible to talk about things as we are now talking about the 7 principles of Kwanzaa in this series. One can even make sure that the significance of Kwanzaa is a part of our culturally history class textbooks. However, to pretend that African Americans want to return to anything faintly African, except for a few dashikis, shea butter and the Kwanzaa rituals, and other fashion statements that would include overdone cornrows and relaxed locs, is ludicrous thinking. The hypocrisy is self-revealing through our selfish actions day in and day out.
Most African American institutions have been modeled after a European model. Anything that is any good must be defined by European values.
Notice the popularity of magazines like The Jet, Ebony, Black Enterprise, through the years and today, all have successfully contributed to the indoctrination of Black people to foreign values (white values).
Surely, if this is the greatness that Nia is about why use the phrase “restore our people to their traditional greatness” when in truth the definition of that greatness has been vanquished from the psychics of subsequent generations of slaves.
Let’s assume that ‘returning’ means remembering the great values and policies ordained by an Egyptian theology known as MAAT (By the way, Ata Omom has studied MAAT extensively and has published book about it, if interested, please email me at jerelshaw@yahoo.com). If these are the values that Nia allures too, we are in for a long journey. Probably many people will either be exiled from society or, literally, murdered.
Quite frankly, the principle called Nia may present the most difficult dilemma that can face African Americans today; returning or restoring traditional greatness is, at minimum, pipe dreams.
If we are able to at least remember, study and discuss what it possibly meant to have linage to a great tradition, it is good. It would appear this is what Nia should be stating, the art of remembering is quite different from the art of actual living. For African Americans to practice something that is antithetical to their adopted materialistic nature, it will never happen. It’s too late. Happy Kwanzaa! (Read the next installment of the 7 Kwanzaa Principles that will speak to the principle of Kuumba. Universality vs. Cultural-centric).
It is worth the restating the meaning of the word Nia (Purpose) as found on the Official Kwanzaa Website. However, that meaning may be distorted. It may be unrealistic to tell Black people to restore their traditional greatness when so many Black traditional values are rooted in the values of the master.
Notice the popularity of magazines
like The Jet, Ebony, Black Enterprise,
through the years and today, all have successfully
contributed to the indoctrination of Black people to foreign values (white values).
This may sound harsh, but it is what it is. It is not necessary to pull up a lot of statistics to confirm this reality. Just ask the neighbor next door, or better yet, ask anybody in the family about what they want to be when they grow up. 9 chances out of 10 most will probably say that they want to be materialistically rich (or use a popular metaphor that reflects our materialistic passions).
This materialistic mindset is so entrenched in the minds of present, past and future generations that it is almost ridiculous to say that it is possible to restore any remnants of the supposed great ancestral tradition. Once again, African Americans love affair with materialism preempts any hope to returning to anything that even remotely proclaims it love of God ordained principles where we enrich ourselves by serving God and one another.
It is possible to talk about things as we are now talking about the 7 principles of Kwanzaa in this series. One can even make sure that the significance of Kwanzaa is a part of our culturally history class textbooks. However, to pretend that African Americans want to return to anything faintly African, except for a few dashikis, shea butter and the Kwanzaa rituals, and other fashion statements that would include overdone cornrows and relaxed locs, is ludicrous thinking. The hypocrisy is self-revealing through our selfish actions day in and day out.
Most African American institutions have been modeled after a European model. Anything that is any good must be defined by European values.
Notice the popularity of magazines like The Jet, Ebony, Black Enterprise, through the years and today, all have successfully contributed to the indoctrination of Black people to foreign values (white values).
Surely, if this is the greatness that Nia is about why use the phrase “restore our people to their traditional greatness” when in truth the definition of that greatness has been vanquished from the psychics of subsequent generations of slaves.
Let’s assume that ‘returning’ means remembering the great values and policies ordained by an Egyptian theology known as MAAT (By the way, Ata Omom has studied MAAT extensively and has published book about it, if interested, please email me at jerelshaw@yahoo.com). If these are the values that Nia allures too, we are in for a long journey. Probably many people will either be exiled from society or, literally, murdered.
Quite frankly, the principle called Nia may present the most difficult dilemma that can face African Americans today; returning or restoring traditional greatness is, at minimum, pipe dreams.
If we are able to at least remember, study and discuss what it possibly meant to have linage to a great tradition, it is good. It would appear this is what Nia should be stating, the art of remembering is quite different from the art of actual living. For African Americans to practice something that is antithetical to their adopted materialistic nature, it will never happen. It’s too late. Happy Kwanzaa! (Read the next installment of the 7 Kwanzaa Principles that will speak to the principle of Kuumba. Universality vs. Cultural-centric).
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