Maafa and Juneteenth Ceremonies 2021

We are living during a pivotal moment in the history of the United States. During the COVID19 Pandemic of 2020-21, consciousness has placed a magnifying glass on unjust police brutality and inequalities in many areas between white and black US citizens. Protests are as strong now as they were during the heyday of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. In addition, we are approaching the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Black Wall Street Massacre, a horrifying series of events that have been rarely accurately depicted.

Slavery is the United States’ deepest and darkest secret. For many years, there have been discussions of paying reparations to descendants of enslaved Africans. But is it possible to repair 400 years of enslavement and corresponding educational suppression? Many enslaved people were slain during slavery (and even during Reconstruction) just for trying to learn how to read and write. One could easily make the case that it is impossible to erase the stain of slavery through reparations. Change can only be effective through reaching the hearts, minds and the collective consciousness of people.

What does Juneteenth stand for?

Juneteenth is the word coined for “June 19th”, the day marking the official ending of slavery.

What does Maafa mean?

Maafa is  the Kiswahili word for “great tragedy”. Yearly in June, part of the international Black community commemorates the loss of women, men and children to slavery with Maafa ceremonies.

 

Juneteenth celebrations

June is also the month when many Juneteenth celebrations take place. Unfortunately, approximately 250,000 enslaved African descendants did not experience freedom until June 19, 1865 when the United States Army sent Federal Union troops into Texas to guarantee that all enslaved people were freed. The Army’s march into Texas came two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863, was proclaimed.

Ceremonies are held to create a safe space for those who wish to mourn for all the individuals who spent their lives (or parts of their lives) enslaved and tortured both mentally and physically by slave owners and their families, public officials and other white citizens in the Southern Confederate states.

Maafa ceremonies

Since 2000, during the month of June, there have been Maafa ceremonies, also known as “Tributes to the Ancestors” taking place across the United States, Africa and other parts of the world. Maafa refers to “the great African tragedy” which befell millions of men, women and children kidnapped from their homelands for the purpose of being sold into slavery. The aim of the tributes is to recognize the strength of body and the mind of the ancestors.

Maafa  ceremonies include drumming, libations, and other rituals designed to honor our enslaved ancestors who, during the grueling trip from Africa to ports in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the Americas, perished at sea under harsh conditions and to the many who were simply thrown from slave ships to lighten the load.

These tributes to the ancestors normally take place during the month of June near large bodies of water. One can stand in the water and allow the tears to fall and unite with the tears of the ancestors.

Participating in a Maafa tribute is one of the ways for descendants to pay tribute. Many of these ceremonies include dancing and drumming which is are uplifting and healing.

Ceremonies are meant to honor the ancestors’ solidarity with purpose. The purpose is to recognize the strength of the body and the minds of our ancestors. These images were taken during the Maafa in New Orleans, and the “Tribute to the Ancestors” in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York.

Maafa Rituals

Trance

Speaking to the Ancestors

All images were taken at the Coney Island, NYC —  Tribute to the ancestors organized by Akeem for The People of the Sun Tribute to the Ancestors of the Middle Passage Collective. When people speak with the ancestors many emotional feelings rise to the surface. Some people enter a trance like state and possibly collapse — there are always people around to help during this emotional time.

For the past two years, Maafa celebrations have been paused because of the COVID 19 Pandemic. This year, we virtually honor the ancestors by way of a photo essay. 

Documentary Photo Contest – call for entries

UPDATE: The contest is over – here are some of the entries

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I am pleased to be a chairperson for Social Documentary Network’s special call for entries. We have chosen this month to reach out to Black documentary photographers to submit their work to the photo contest:

“From Tulsa to Minneapolis: Photographing the Long Road to Justice“.

There is a $500 award given for the best photograph. Submission due June 18, 2021.

The jurors for this call are is Tony Barboza, Eli Reed, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, Jamel Shabazz and Lisa DuBois.

Glenn Ruga, founder of Social Documentary Network (SDN), states, “We at SDN have chosen to seek out Black documentary photographers for this call for entries because we want to give Black photographers a chance to have their voices heard in this call for entries. The anniversary of these tragic events has affected Black and white communities in profound, although different, ways. The injustices served on Black communities have been swept under the rug for far too long, and the death of one man, George Floyd, is now making us look at other situations of complete disregard of the life, property, and well-being of Black communities throughout U.S. history, of which the Tulsa Race Massacre, one hundred years ago, is just one of far too many.”

I encourage all Black documentary photographers to submit their work to document this delicate time in history.

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Lisa DuBois

www.duboisphotoart.com

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