elaine
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Today is our last day in Senegal. Tomorrow we leave by train for Bamako, Mali
on our way to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It should take us approximately 2-4 days,
according to local people to get to Bamako. From there we have to take a
bus--we're assured a Greyhound type, rather than the usual bush buses which
are live chopped-off school buses--to a Mali/Ivory Coast border town called
Sikkaso (sp?). From there another
bus to Abidjan. In all we should be 7 days on the road and totally exhausted
by the time we get to our destination.
I don't know where I'll have email access along the way. Probably in the
larger cities you can find on a map. No definite addresses of stay-places as
yet.
Anyone with contacts in any of these countries? Please pass them along.
Also, for Baha'i people in the listening audience, is there a temple in
Zambia? For some reason I'm thinking there is. Would you please write back
and let me know. Thanks.
Everyone is doing well. On Gorée we've been staying at a Catholic Center.
Looks like it may have been a residence of a former slave trader--narrow,
slits in the wall, typical of slave holding areas, make us believe this. We
are spread out over two, small rooms, women in one, men in the other. When we
arrived a couple of people had colds.
Because of the size of the room colds have spread and nothing serious has
resulted. Just your usual, typical, even expected winter cold. And it is
cold.
Many of us thought Africa would be hot. And it is hot during the day. But
nights are very chilly. Nothing like -17 or -71 some of you may be
experiencing now. Nonetheless, it has us a little off balance and unprepared
for the chill. Because Goree is an island it's like living in the planes
states. There's the temp. then the wind factor.
I am able to send mail from Dakar. This city is every bit as busy and
bustling as NYC. Got to go. We leave tomorrow at 6:00 am. Remember, we're
five hours ahead of the East Coast.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Be well,
Kathleen
Cote D'Ivoire march 1-10 Abidjan 44 km Grd. Bassam 75 Aboissa 60 Eludo total 179 kn. 7 days walking 10 day stay
Ghana March 11-April 9 Eludo 80 km Axim 66 Secondi Takaradi 72 Cape Coast 104 Winneba 61 Accra 121 Sogakofe 80 Denu 584 km 23 days walking/30 day stay\
Togo April 10-16 Denuilome 45 km Aneho 41 Grd. Popo total 86 km 4 days walking/7 day stay
Benin April 17-23 Grd. Popo 61km Cotonou 30 Porto Novo Total 91 km 4 days walking/7 day stay
Nigeria April 24-30 Porto novo 90km Lagos total 90 km 4 days walking/ 7 day stay
Leaving Lagos for Lusaka, Zambia on Fri. Aparil 30
South Africa:
Arriving Lusaka, Zambia April 30 Depart Lusaka May 3 for Victoria Falls Arr. Peretoria So. Africa May 8 approx. travel on foot from Pretoria to Cape Town, hoping to go through Durbin (due to the Ghandi connection), to arrive Cape Town approx. June 16
Subj: Thank you very much.
Date: 99-02-19 21:57:16 EST
From: (shigeko nas)
Dear Elaine,
Thank you very very much for your giving me information about the pilgrimage.
It is very helpful for me.
Reading your and their E-mails, I was very exciting. And now I am regretting
and ashamed that I left the pilgrimage, even though at that time I was very
tired physically and mentally.But I will never give up the pilgrimage, and
want to go back to the pilgrimage again. I want continue my journey until the
end of the pilgrimage with them.I have to go to Cape Town with Peace Pilgrim's
shoes. It is my mission I believe.
According to the information which you gave me, It will be appropriate and
convenient to rejoin them in Cote de l'vorie, becasuse I can get the VISA
within 2 or 3 days in Japan. Until the day I rejoin them, I need information
about them.Would you please keep to contact with me? I deeply depend on
you.After the pilgrimage, I will visit you at your house and am looking
forward to talk with you about Cambodian things.
Elaine, Please take care. With love, Hiro
Elaine,
Again. I went to Nipponzan Myohoji temple in Sapporo to pray for peace, and
just now I came back. Anyway as soon as possible, I would like to return to
the pilgrimage.
Chieko-san called me about 4 days before, and talked almost one hour.As soon
as I get information from you, I will go to travel agency to prepare VISA and
a ticket.
My home town Sapporo is now covered with more than five feet snow. Sapporo had
a winter Olympic game in 1972. So it has much snow in winter. In mountains
near my house, they are covered more than ten feet snow. Today it is snowing,
so I will have to shovel the snow tomorrow morning. It is hard work but I
enjoy it. It is good exercise for me. My hobby is mountain climbing and I used
to go to mountains every winter, but I gave up this
winter because I am afraid to injure myself. Because I must continue my
journey.
Take care. With love.
Hiro.
Dear people I hold dear,
Friday, we held a ceremony on Gorée Island, Senegal which included many people
of this island community. Several traditional drummers led our procession
around the island, culminating at the seaside in front of the so called Door
of No Return. With us, walking back through the slave house came the
thousands of ancestral spirits we've collected coming through the U.S. and the
Caribbean, as well as those raised up as we drummed our way around the island.
Reversing the exit of our ancestors, coming back through the Door of No Return
deeply impacted the African-Americans and the Africans in our entourage. As
one young man remarked, "Never has anyone come back through that door. Thank
you, this should become an annual event." Imagine, Africans from the
Diaspora, Africans from the motherland reentering the door so many thousands
of our ancestors departed from expecting never to return again. Imagine the
tears, which flowed from our eyes, the rejoicing which ensued, the whoops and
shouts, the rhythmic beat of the drums celebrating our return home. In the
vestibule of the house of slaves pilgrims and community members danced
rejoicing, celebratory dancing. Smiling, laughing, crying all mixed up
together. Then we took a "family photo."
This is a powerful journey. Last week as we walked to Albreda, the Gambia in
the high heat of the sun, I couldn't help but think of those captives who
walked this same route to the slave ships. With each step through the
powdery, dusty, red earth I thought of them chained together. Walking into a
hell they could never have imagined. I thought too of Josee and Nelson--the
Bahai and her husband who hosted seventeen pilgrims in their home in Cape
Verde-- escaping war torn Guinea-Bissau with their two small children. There
is so much work to be done to undo the legacy of slavery. So much to bring
the world together in unity. If only this walk, reversing the slave trade
journey will but begin the process of reversing the tides our work will be
accomplished. Our prayer is that this will be so.
I've been meaning to pass along the web page featuring sights and stories of this Pilgrimage Journey: www.peacepagoda.org, also see www.interfaithpilgrimage.com.
Thank you all for your prayers and support.
Bye-bye,
Kathleen
Date: 99-02-22 09:13:27 EST
From:(jo brimmer)
My dear family and friends--
We've been on Gorée Island for a few days now. Our experiences have been
incredible!
As I mentioned we've had morning prayer in the cactus garden next to le Maison
des Esclaves (Slave House). The altar is set up with the salmon pink of the
slave house as a backdrop. A blue colored African cloth is set over a stone
table in the garden and is filled with objects sacred to the various religious
groups represented and also objects symbolizing our pilgrimage. To our left as
we face the altar and the slave house is the Atlantic Ocean. As the waves lap
over black rocks, our prayers and songs are carried on sea breezes. With one
of our tasks being the blessing of sites of slavery, we are truly
doing this in this setting.
After walking around the perimeter of Gorée behind pulsating African drums on
Thursday and gathering together many of the local community, we processed
through the same cactus garden, scrambled over the massive black rocks, to
enter triumphally from the seaside the so-called Door of No Return. Local
people say there have been many tour groups here but noone has ever come into
the Maision des Esclaves from the seaside. For those in our pilgrimage it
symbolized the return of the Africans who had forcibly left from the island
over so many centuries. Within what had been a place of detention for captive
Africans, there were mixed tears of joy, relief, and sorrow. .And the power of
the drums moved all in those pink walls to dance. Then we quieted and began a
ceremony celebrating the Africans of the Diaspora who have given so much to
the Americas and the world. Tim and Myrna presented and read from a scroll of
names those Africans brought to the US and the Caribbean which we have been
collecting throughout our journey. We re-read and recommitted to the purposes
of the pilgrimage. This was a time of reflection, contemplation, and mixed
sweetness and sorrow. Songs were sung from the depths of people's souls Some
of you know that I have been smelling the sweet smell of spirits throughout
the pilgrimage and have felt that I might be carrying some spirits with me to
Africa. Since the ceremony in what had been a place of detention for African
people, I have smelled the spirits less. I think some spirits have found their
way home.
The next night the women were invited to a time not to be forgotten.
--A GATHERING OF WOMEN-- As Senegal and Gorée are largely Muslim women
have found that by gathering together they can find a time of fun and freedom.
THIS WAS TRULY SUCH A TIME! About forty African women and fifteen American
women (us--okay, one Canadian) met together. Some of the women had offered
their homes and hospitality to us previously All of the African women were
dressed in exquisite dresses of all colors with beautiful head ties.
Underneath their skirts were wraps of fishnet and skirts were lifted with
abandon while dancing and at times mimicking the intimate activities of men
and women--all with a great sense of fun and with out vulgarity! We Americans
danced with abandon though we lifted our skirts with less abandon.
We have been staying in two rooms -one for the men and one for the women--in a
house owned by the Catholic Bishop of Gorée. The rooms face the first of two
inner courtyards. From the verandah of the second courtyard one can look out
over the sea. This is a jewel of island set in a history of terrible
suffering. I am so glad to have been able to participate in this pilgrimage
and perhaps to have brought some healing to this history.
It looks like we will be flying to Abidjan, Ivory Coast and walking from there
to Lagos Nigeria. It is less costly than overland transportation and visas.
It is probable we will leave tomorrow.
Nyx, I don't have Uncle Billy's email address. Could you call him and email it
to me?
Oh, I have a new role on the pilgrimage-- I am one of the French
translators--wow! a little French and a lot of courage (I'm summoning it up),
go a long way! Usually officials let me suffer through a few minutes of
massacring la langue francaise before switching to English. I get a lot of
good will for trying!
Much love to all,
JoAnn
Date: 2/25/99 9:12:08 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: (Taazamisha Timoya)
Hi Pilgrims,
Good news...we have struck it rich in connections. We have met with the
Minister of Culture in Abidjan? who has lived in MA and taught at U and
it seems that we will be able to communicate with the Ministers of
Ghana, Togo, Benin as they are here for a cultural event. Wow. Please as
soon as you are clear let us know when you will arrive; We are
estimating Monday; Perhaps we can get some help on reduction of visas.
Greetings from Abidjan. As you know, Clare, Ingrid, Akiba and myself are here ahead to do advanced organizing. Clare would like you to send a copy of the latest itinerary written up by Kathleen. CC to the same addresses. Please say hello to Ingrid's family for her. Thank you so very much for the list of addresses and phone numbers for Ministers of Culture. Much help. We met an amazing man at the Minister of Culture here, lived in the US and understands us, is very much on the sane wavelength. We think he will be much help to us. Good things ahead...We wait for the others.
Much Love,
Leora
Date: 2/22/99 3:05:19 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: (gregory Dean smith)
Elaine,
Greetings back to you. Good to hear from you too. A coupla things. One,
please forward my e-mail to Aleta, the one you say was posted on
bulletin board. I can't find it. Two, we have not seen nor heard from
Author. Obviously, you haven't either. Our funds are down. We need to
know if we can use his allotment for food, travel, stay places and boat
passage. Other than that we are thinking of getting jobs to support our
stay here while we are waiting for a boat. Regina and Peter will be
staying in Bahia and waiting for a boat. I will move on to do a 3 day
vigil in Palmares, Brazil. A marooned community founded by a run away
slave name Zumbi. Then from there I will move on to Receife and wait to
get a boat out of there. I will wait until my 90 day visa is up. If no
boat by then, my pilgrimage is over I will not fly to Africa. But I
really like my chances of getting a cargo ship, freighter or something
to North Africa from there. Because it´s the north eastern region of the
country. Peter and Regina are going to stay in Bahia and work to support
their stay here. It´s not certain where they will catch a boat from yet.
The choice is Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo or Santos. Santos having
the largest port with over an 90 percent chance of getting a boat from
there. They might opt for there. Me, my mind is made up to go the route
that makes the most spiritual sense. So let us know how to handle the
money situation. We need to know before we split.
LOVE YOU
Gregory-Dean
Smith
Love and blessings to all!
elaine
Dear Elaine,
How are you and Christianna? I hope all is going well. we are
still in Bahia, but soon to be on the Atlantic. Well, half of us anyway.
here´s the story:
It all happened on march 1, the beginning of women's month and the full
moon. I was only slightly p.m.sing. Smitty and I attended a meeting
with Mr. James Riordin, the director of an American English language
School here in Salvador. He's allowed us to use the computers at school
for free. Anyway, the meeting was at ten a.m. and I was running late on
the slightly wrong bus which dropped me off far from the school. This
is normal. it could happen on any day in my life. I arrive at Riordin's
office 30 minutes late, and walk in on a very intensed conversation
about places we should go that have everything to do with our mission.
He UNDERSTANDS our mission. He is a kind of spiritual seer. You
wouldn't think so if you judged the man by his conservative blue Izod
polo shirt, and George Bush looking hairstyle. NEVER, NEVER judge a
spiritual person by their physical manifestation. Anyway, he said some
powerful things to both of us. He saw himself as intimately connected
with this pilgrimage. Sorry, but i don't know how to describe our
meeting to do it justice. Smitty and I left the meeting moved. Over
lunch he and I talked about the meeting the pilgrimage, and the
Sortilege. We had a feeling that we would meet again, and this time
there would be space. I thought the atmosphere on the boat when it was
docked in P.R. was not conducive to our spiritual mission. I felt there
needed to be a some kind of change in order for that to be our boat.
well, I leave Smitty...go to the library where peter and I often hang
out reading about the history of Bahia in both English and Portuguese. I
had a meeting with the director who had often been recommended to us as
a slave history buff. After the meeting, I went down to the reading
room where I see peter looking up from his set talking to Arthur.
Kisses and hugs are exchanged. He tells us that he just arrived today
in Salvador, and after checking the Afro-Brazilian museum, he thought
that if we were still in Salvador, that he might find us or some
connection to us at this library. He was right.
We followed him to the Hari-Krishna temple where he was staying. March
1 happened to also be their New Years day. Time to pray, party and EAT.
Peter and i left after about 90 minutes to meet our American
grad-student friend Paul who was leaving that night. We had dinner at
Alaide, a small inexpensive restaurant where lots of folks from Bahia's
Black movement hang out. Live reggae music played next door.
unfortunately the reggae spot was closed and the band was rehearsing. so
we continue down the road, a road that we would normally have gone down.
Well, what happens? Who do I see? Who's sight leaves me speechless for a
few minutes? Non other than a thin, worn-down looking CAPTAIN WILLIAM
"BILL" PICKNEY. Once he recognized who I was he jumped up like a child
and hugged me. He had also just arrived in Bahia earlier that day -
March 1. We talked a bit all together. he was proud that we had made
it, even before his ship. It took his ship a month. a very long
difficult month. his food had arrived at his table so we parted,
promising to talk again later and exchange stories. Peter and I were
stupefied. this was miracle number 3 on March 1. we kept smiling with
gaping mouths and wide eyes. WOW!
DAYs later---first he said no, no room. Then he said no again, still
no room, but if a teacher didn't show up there would be space for one.
Then, some days later after meeting with Smitty, he said space for two.
he felt it his duty to assist. Smitty had told him that all of us
wanted to go to Africa, but that he and I were the only ones not
going to fly across the Atlantic. Peter and Arthur are both willing to
fly. Well, our ship has arrived. it finally arrived. and, it's going
to Ghana. yes,the very place where the other pilgrims will be. the
Sortilege (Pickney's ship) is planning to leave in the next few days.
the trip will take about one month. we should arrive in Ghana a by the
time the group is planning to leave.
We are coming to Africa. Peter will hang out in Brazil for a little bit
more then fly to africa as directly as he can. Arthur will fly from
rio. this might change. Hopefully, by the time we are ready to pull
out, there will be room for all 4. This is my prayer. Don't tell me to
be realistic! as of march 1, miracles are REALISM.
Anyway, I will send this e-mail before I am disconnected. Another will
follow. Love and peace Regina (yes, I will do an up date of the details
soon. we were on the news and lots of folks have been stopping us on
the streets giving their blessings.)
OH Yah, Captain Pinkney says that he knows James Riordin. They are old
friends. What's going on here? you tell me!!!!!!
Date: 3/8/99 7:21:08 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: (gregory Dean smith)
Hi Elaine,
Well, our work here in S.America is complete. Between Regina, Peter,
Author and myself, we have covered the entire S. American leg of our
sojourn. The work here is done. We all feel good about that. I did want
to go to the Kilombo De Palmares, the site of a runaway community that
became the first free African republic in all the Americas. But a boat
came sooner than expected, now its time to cover the atlantic and come
home Mama Africa. We have covered many of the sites germain to our
African ancestors, ports of disembarkment, whipping posts, plantations,
Mass Cathedrals built by Africans, African burial grounds, slave
quaters, holding cell areas. We´ve pretty much covered the gamut.
Including completing a walking circle around all of Salvador. We have
walked this earth, eaten, laughed, share stories with and exchanged
cultural experiences and histories with the people of Bahia. Where there
are more Africans brought here than anywhere else in the world. We
touched base with Condomble ceremony (a formula of Yoruba and
Catholicism mix, much like Santeria). We and the Pan-African flag walked
the towns of Santa Amaro and Cachoeira the town where most of the high
priest of the dead come from. It´s called Boa Morte. The city of Women.
Upon entering this city of women, and viewing the Condemble ceremony, I
carried in my mind and heart some of my sisters who I knew would
appreciate the experience. Such as my sister Aleta, Myrna, Janet, Akiba,
Tizita, Nolsapocket, Jennifer, Earline, Marya and Paula. The ceremony
took place in the Tierra De Condomble (House of Condomble). At one
Tierra De Condomble, we met the founder of a movement called Filho De
Gangi (Sons of Gangi). Where beautiful Blackwomen and men who are
devotees of Ghandi, wore all white robes. Nearly 6,000 of them walked in
a procession during Carnival De Bahia. Also, another cultural group
showed what a Black procession should look like was Ele Aye. Thousands
of women and men dressed in two piece whites outfits with colorful
prints of drums and dancers elegantly designed on them. They too,
proceeded through the streets in a deep Congo like procession. There
would be 5-6 sections of 30-40 drummers. And each section was being led
by the master drummer who walked backwards while conducting his
orchestra. As they proceeded there were 5-6 sections of sisters, all
kinds of fine, beautiful sisters, rapped in gorgeous white printed
surongs - 30-40 per section; moving and dancing in rhythmic unison to
the drums as they proceeded down the street. They were many such Black
cultural procession in grand numbers like this. Including Olodum, (which
is short for Olodumare, the Father, Mother God) and Muenza.
But besides Carnival Bahia is a continual symphony of drums, all kinds
of drums and string instuments. Even the young kids pratice their
rhythmic patterns on the drums and in Capueira (the martial
arts/dance)much like the youth in N. America practice their Rap and Hip
and Hop dance.
Their are many kids sleeping on the streets. They are many reduced to
begging, young and old alike. The poverty, the stinch, the families
living in cardboard boxes. Each street you go to is crowed with
countless vender all selling pretty much the same foods or items (the
most popular being Acaraje). A legion of trinket sellers swarm the
tourist all selling the same items to survive on just a few Reals a day.
Yes, racism is alive and well in Brazil with greater eyesoars and higher
volumes of stinch. Neo-slavery is accomplish here just as in N. America.
On TV, radio, Print Media everywhere.
We walked and we prayed at sites and were seen on National TV and
interviewed with President of Ile Aye. We have done a great work here
and a much needed work because 90% of all africans were brought here and
7% were brought to the rest of the world. We finished and out on the
boat with Captain Bill Pinkney tomorrow. Each and every person on this
pilgrimage was here with us and will be with us on the boat to Africa.
Out.
hello all. i am leaving today. heading for the high seas. heading for ghana. i will need all of your prayers and well wishes. please send some anti-seasick vibes. one month at sea. no e-mail on board. the sattilite dish is not working. oh well.
love love love love and kisses and a big smile,
seawoman regina woods
Blessings to all,
elaine
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