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Dear Elaine,
Here's an update from Bahia, Brazil. We've (Peter, Regina and myself) have been staying with a Bahian tour guide, who let us have his downstairs apartment to live in. Meanwhile we are caught up in all the excitement of Carnival time. For the past week we have been able to do very little by way of our mission because of Carnival. We have been hosted by Nalio, a Black artist/choreographer (one of Aletas'contacts) and Rose, the director of Communidad De Negra. Also, we made contact with Jorge the president of an organization called Olodum. He will meet with us this friday about coordinating a day or two of walking with other Black cultural organizations such as ILE AYE, MALE DE BALE and MUZENZA. There are many sites here to walk to. There were many maroons societies here called Kilombos. Bahia history and culture is too rich and too vast to be able to get to them all, but we will definetly get to the central places to free up the energies of our ancestors. You know we are here to represent, represent.
In Bahia, if the people didn't open their mouths you would swear you were in N.Y.C. or L.A.. These people are our African twins; of all the places we have been, Bahians bear the most startling resemblace to African-Americans.
My thanks and love go out to pilgrims everywhere for keeping the vigil going. I feel all your energies everyday. At sunrise, during my morning prayer, I have a mental picture of all you, past and present pilgrims. I can see cleary those pilgrims who walked the walk in the U.S., but were not able to continue with us. Kolby and Mariya, the two best points. Tizu, who was still the best flag carrier this pilgrimage has ever had. I can hear all of Earlines'songs and feel her spirit very strongly. I can hear the chanting of Na Mu Myo Ho Reng Ge Kyo very loudly in my soul. I can see clearly, Katoshoni, Sister Claire, Ingrisan, Satoshoni, Mauricashoni pounding the drums. I can see Myrnas' affirmation to the ancestors everymorning without fail; Janet's superb spiritual counseling; Aletas' beautiful prayers; Phyllis hugs and smiles. Tigres laughter. Tims' cooking/witisms. Mrs. Anderson singing while twisting her braids. Akiba sprinkling love around the earth. I can feel Paula in powerful prayer for us S. American pilgrims to make it to Brazil and then across the waters to Africa. And Elaine, our Minister of information, providing us all with the home base to stay connected. Everday I take the time to appreciate each and everyone of your energies. I depend on it to get through to the next leg. I see all the faces of people who have come and gone and I pray for the day when our rivers may fall back into one ocean reconnecting our energies and walk on into Cape Town, S.A. together. Until then, keep the vigil strong, let the silence be good and loud. In the name of African thought and liberation to all humankind, I salute you all.
Gregory-Dean Smith
Your brother of the Light a.k.a. Smitty from the City
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