Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Sankofa Nest Gathering

This message from our friend Jim Embry....

After living in Detroit for almost 5 years, I have returned to Lexington to continue the work of creating sustainable communities…which means that our life work is guided by the interdependent principles of social equity, environmental health, community vibrancy and economic prosperity . I recognize that a critical mass of visionaries/activists/cultural creatives/progressives is needed that believe "Another World is Possible" and are interconnected like a spider web in manifesting that vision. Towards creating these spider webs I contribute Sankofa Nest Gatherings which were held this past spring and we now reconvene after a summer break . These gatherings are meant to connect us, inspire us, educate us...and nourish us...for the Great Work of Transformation. The evening experience includes a potluck dinner, lots of conversations and discussion, usually watching a video, a backyard bonfire, sharing flyers/materials and some FUN!! Some stay late and dancing is known to happen.

WHEN: Saturday November 18, 2006 7:00pm-11pm
Dinner begins at 7pm and ends when the food is all gone....and the video begins at 8:30pm…

VIDEO Topic: The documentary, "The Power of Community – How Cuba Survived Peak Oil," The Community Solution: Cuba Film http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html
We will discuss how to move Lexington along the path of local food sustainability...so bring lots of ideas!


WHERE: 573 STRATFORD DR--.home of Jim Embry (off of Claysmill Rd. turn left .3 blocks south of Rosemont Garden..look for candles in the walkway)

HOW: POT LUCK (please bring only vegetarian or vegan foods.. and good drinks..also make concerted attempts to bring food or drink that are local products).

PLEASE RSVP…at 859-312-7024 …..and for more info


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The concept of SANKOFA is derived from King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Afrika. SANKOFA is expressed in the Akan language as "se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki." Literally translated it means "it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot".
"Sankofa" teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is, we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward. Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone or been stripped of, can be reclaimed, revived, preserved and perpetuated.
Visually and symbolically "Sankofa" is expressed as a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth. ________________________________________
SANKOFA - GO BACK AND RETRIEVE

2 comments:

Stephen Said said...

Hey Geoff (and everyone else there!). I am writing a paper at the moment looking at continuity and discontinity and one of my key sources is SMithy's doctorate. So I am reading many references to Communality and you guys. SO I thought I would take a study break and check out your blog and see how you guys are doing.

Grace and peace.

geoff and sherry said...

stephen,
peace and grace to you too...
sherry and i look forward to seeing you when we are in melbourne early next year. i'm nourished by your neurotribe 'rants' and have just added it to our blogroll.

let us know how your paper shapes up...i have to admit that with all the time i spent with smithy talking about his thesis i never did read the finished work. maybe when we are in oz i can get to it.

cheers.