Saturday, July 31, 2010

The Return, Beginning, and Revelation

As the day continues to draw near my anticipation and excitement continues to heighten. Never in my current state as an undergraduate have I ever imagined I would have the opportunity to travel outside of the country, let alone return to the motherland. Many have gone before in search of some truth, apart of themselves that had never been revealed to them. I had been left in the dark, and now my footsteps are being guided to a more brilliant light. Its one thing to learn of your history through textbooks and lackluster images, but to actually live that history, to journey to a place where the richness of your culture and heritage envelopes you, nourishing your spirit, and awakens you to a revelation, is beyond anything that could be described in words. Its my turn to gain my own truth. Eagerly I await to arrive upon the brim of wonder, majesty, and all that is reminiscent of the glory of my African beginnings.


Expectations

As I ponder the prospect of traveling to Egypt (Kemet), several thoughts flash through my mind. This is a journey that I have long sought to undertake. I had planned on making the trek last summer, but my health rendered this impossible. Since then, I have prayed for strength and healing. Praise God for allowing me to move forward.

The mere thought of visiting the cradle of civilization, which is nestled along the banks of the Nile River, invokes a myriad of emotions. My expectations are high as I anticipate viewing one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the majestic Great Pyramids of Giza or as I prepare to marvel at the grandeur of Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple at Deir el Bahri, which is near the Valley of the Kings. The Temples of Ramses II and his queen Nefertiti at Abu Simbel in Nubia have a special allure for me. These two massive rock temples are among the most magnificent monuments in the world. These are just a few examples of the many treasures that will soon be revealed.

At many of our stops, I seek to pour libations to pay homage to our ancient ancestors. Their contributions to humankind in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, religion and the arts have long been ignored. They leave behind a legacy of greatness. So, this journey, in part, is undertaken to correct the blatant attempt by many so-called scholars to mis-educate me.

Many individuals that have traveled to Kemet describe the visit as a life altering experience. For people of African descent this is especially true. We must understand that, for the most part, education for African American for more than 400 years has been designed to dehumanize and disconnect us from our rich African culture and heritage. Therefore, it is important that we begin a process of re-education. This is critical to our liberation and achievement. It is never too late to learn and grow intellectually.

I invite all who follow this blog to ponder the images, thoughts and reflections posted by members of this study aboard experience. Not only will it be an unparalleled learning experience for each of the participants, but readers of this blog have an opportunity to share in this journey. I hope that this virtual experience will encourage many of you to plan a similar visit to Kemet.

Lastly, I look forward to meeting and sharing this experience with the others members of this study aboard journey.

Peace and Blessings,


Clarence Jones, CPA