Obama is President! Yes we are happy...hopefully people will remeber that he is still human. This day of pride for people may not be the miracle that people assume it to be. I am very happy to see Barack Obama stand at the top of this country. But i can't help but wonder what the underground rulers of our country have up their sleeves. Hopefully nothing, but my trust in the American government is less than strong. But for all those who have lost their lives...I am proud to be a Black American, by way of the West Indies, and before that Africa.

On a lighter note...

The cold is killing me, I think I might be getting the flu and I can't help but dream of Jamaica. I am preparing myself for our family reunion this summer in JA, but right now I wish i could speed up these winter months. I haven't been to my mother's homeland since I was about 12 and my homesickness has slowly turned to a dreamlike state, of "did that really happen?", was I ever truly there? I am a woman who can now fully embrace the culture that is around me, learn the history of the country that my family manifested in...These days I feel like a fraud claiming Jamaicaness...I know nothing of Jamaica today, know nothing of the youth and culture, the day to day life. I can connect through food, music, even clothing and slang. But what of the people?

I'm believe I'm ready to move back "home"... to live amongst the people for awhile, to be reacquainted with the culture that I was born into. There Americans are looked up to, considered lucky and rich, but here we know that the streets are not paved with gold. After the mental slavery that all people of the diaspora have faced the condition that we are in is not surprising and yet it seems almost impossible to reverse it. This is apart of embracing Sankofa. You will not get anywhere unless you embrace and learn from the past, look to the ancestors for guidance, and remembering the beauty of our people.

To Tat or not to Tat?

I've been having an inward battle for some time now about whether or not I should get a tatoo. I have always said that I would never because I think they are a little cheesy, for one, and I believe the body is scared, two. But with many recent changes in my beleifs an d thoughts I'm wondering if my aversion to tatoos has to do with my upbringing in a strict christion enviroment. Is it really how I feel or is it what I have been taught to feel. Along with my dress, hairstyles and other daily choices is my choice not to get a tatoo a response to Western influence? I have always admired people that got meanigful tatoos, I would hope that would be most people's aim but unfortunately it is not. So my idea was to get two things that mean very much to me. I am a very spiritual person and try to live my life in a balanced and peaceful way. So for me the OM is very meaningful and woulddeeply impact me if I were to have it as a tatoo. Another consideration of mine are a fw adinra symbols. These symbols are prominant in Ghana, West Africa and hold a lot of meaning to the people there and many people who have learned of them. The most popular of these seems to be the Sankofa, which is understandable, considering the meaning. It is represented as a decorative looking heart or a bird looking behind. Loosely translated it stands for 'go back and fetch it" or look to your past in order to get to your future. This is a very powerful meaning and something we all need to learn in life. These symbols mean alot to me and have alot to do with how I live my day to day life. If I were to have them permanetly etched into my body, it would reaffirm my convictions. So is it my catholic guilt that is affecting me or am I over thinking it? To tat or not to tat?