By JasiriHapi RaNūt, Fellow MBK Team Leader
Htp Brethren! In the spirit of the Swahili word Kujichagulia, we name, define and speak for ourselves. The Adinkra symbol, featured in the photo above painted by Your’s Truly, for Kujichagulia is that of a stool—which represents foundation. Kujichagulia is the second day of Kwanzaa (Swahili for first fruits).
Below are a curation of definitions for AfRaKan centered vocabulary we at My Brotha’s Keeper (MBK) International may use in our presentations, website, meditations and daily speech.
Some of the words are ancient. Some english words are Sankofa-ized by beloveds in our AfRaKan KAmmunity and ourselves, for english is an alien language. Our Ankhcestors knew/know words are spells and carry vibration, so we are intentional about the words we speak and write. We speak life into each other as we gradually replace one alien word at a time in honor of Ankhcestor Dr. Amos Wilson, who admonishes us to “AfRaKanize everything!
And while we feature more than 15 words, this list is not exhaustive. A book highly recommended by facilitator Monsho, which deep dives into a scientific innerstanding of the power of word vibrations, is “The Hidden Messages in Water.”
So let’s dive in! 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿
Abibifohodie: Means AfRaKan sovereignty, beyond freedom, centers eliminating dependency on yurugu for our most essential needs (i.e. water, food, education, spirituality)
AfRaKan: Incorporates the Kemetic names Ra (Sun) and Ka (eternal kosmic light/soul)
AfRaKanificent: Combining AfRaKan and magnificent
ANKHcestor: Incorporates our ancient Mdu NTR word “Ankh,” which means life
ASÉ: And so it is
Blacknificent: Combine Black and magnificent
Devine RAsing/Great RA-sing: We say this instead of good morning. We incorporate the Kemetic name of the Sun—Ra.
Htp/Hotep: Mdu Ntr for peace
Kupanda Karibu: Swahili for you’re welcome. Karibu Sana means you’re very welcome.Kubwa: Swahili for Great RA-sing (rising)
Nakupenda: Swahili for I love you
NTR: Mdu NTR for nature. This is the origin of the word nature.
Rafiki: Swahili for friend, comrade
Sankofa: Go back and fetch the truth—the best of our AfRaKan culture
Sawubona: I see you and the ankhcestors see you too!
Shukrani: Swahili for gratitude
SOULution: yurugu’s so-called “solutions” typically lack soul and are not solutions but illusions or traps. Therefore when we speak within the KAtext of solving AfRaKan problems and challenges, we come with SOULutions as only we can do it.
Sovereign/Sovereignty: Better than freedom. It’s when we eliminate dependency on yurugu for our most essential needs (i.e. water, wellness, education, spirituality, transportation, shelter, electricity)
Upendo: Swahili for love
Uhuru: Means freedom and implies sovereignty
Usiku Mkubwa: Swahili for Great Night
Witoto: Swahili for children
Yebo: Yes!
Yurugu: It’s the crap that’s left when you pull off the veil of perfection off parasitic white culture/white people and realize they are mediocre at best.
The english language is Inherently deceptive, therefore we typically replace the part of words that have “CON” in it with “KA.” For example, :
KAcious (conscious)
KAdition: (condition)
KAfidence (confidence)
KAtinue (continue)
KAnnektion (connection) Yes, we replace “c” quite often as a form of resistance.
Sometimes we’ll leave a CON word as is to emphasize the nature of western culture’s deceptive nature, for example:
- yurugu falsely presents care/altruism with damning CONditions
- yurugu is always in CONflict with original people.
- We don’t need yurugu CONtributing to AfRaKan centered institutions financially nor as board members.
- We know the CONstitution was not written for us.
- yurugu culture promotes CONfusion.
- yurugu CONnect with each other to deceive.
- yurugu has inflated CONfidence.
What Sankofa words do you use? Tell us in the comments or in our FB group!