Introduction

The knowledge of one's history and culture is fundamental to the development of a positive ethnic identity. Yet, unfortunately many British African and African-Caribbeans in the diaspora community have not been informed about their ancestral history and culture. I was one of those in the British African-Caribbean community, who was largely ignorant about my ancestry and the knowledge of my heritage. Yet, like a child who was seperated from his mother at birth, so I began to seek a reconnection with "the motherland".

Sentiments of Contradiction

I wanted my preconceived ideas about "mother Africa", to be challenged, confronted, and confirmed, by not just reading a history book but by my first-hand experience. Consequently, I packed my bags and at the age of twenty-one I travelled to Ghana. It was the 50th year of Ghana's independance, a celebration of revolutionary figures like Kwame Nkrumah; a man who adopted the ideas of Marcus Garvey and dreamed of a liberated African nation, free from the oppression of colonialism. It was the perfect time, the perfect place, the perfect journey, well so I thought it would be.
My pilgramage was one of contradiction. It was a journey filled with joys and increased knowledge, but also one of sorrows and pain. The joy was in simply being there, of waking up to African drumming, clapping, dancing and singing voices. There was the amazing African landscape, the rainforests, the wide ranging species in this land of contrasts. However, the pain was in seeing the reality of broken down social systems, of the vast inequalities in healthcare and education, of sporadic electricity and of course the random mysteriously looking bugs (of which I personally termed the Unidentified Flying Objects).
There was also the pain of coming face-to-face with slavery at Cape Coast Castle. Holding the real chains of slaves, walking into dungeons where Africans were afforded significantly worse treatment than the animals. I saw the teeth marks engraved on the concrete floor of where African slaves desperately longed to escape from their personal hell on earth. Indeed, visiting such a place definately stirred my emotions.

Different Continents, shared histories

Armed with contradictory sentiments about "the motherland", I made my second journey to the African continent and I visited Sierra Leone. Indeed, Sierra Leone is most notably known for its brutal civil war which left many displaced, injured or killed. It is known for the recruitment of thousands of child soldiers to the rebel faction of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which waged war against the ruling government of the All People's Congress (APC). However, there is much more to Sierra Leone than a decade of war. It is full of rich history that is particularly relevant to those of Jamaican descent.
Sierra Leone is a place that has close linkages to the Jamaican Maroons. In Jamaica, the Maroons (who were particularly based in Trelawny, Jamaica) were Africans who rebelled and fought against the slave trade. This revolutionary group eventually settled in the mountains of Jamaica, but some were captured by the slavemasters and were taken to Nova Scotia before being exiled to Sierra Leone. Descendants of these Jamaican Maroons form part of the Krio ethnic group in Sierra Leone today. Moreover, descendants of the Jamaican Maroons include revolutionaries like Marcus Garvey.
In striving to learn about the history of Africa, I was informed about the history of the Caribbean. Consequently, I believe that the histories of these different continents should not be viewed in isolation but rather in synchronization. Likewise, the cultures of Africa and the Caribbean should not be viewed as distinct but rather as mutual. The Caribbean has longed influenced thought, philosophy, popular culture in Africa, largely through figures such as Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey. However, we can also trace origins of Caribbean culture to the African continent.
Therefore, this page is to promote the shared heritages of African peoples both in Africa in the Diaspora. To provide enlightenment, to help dispel ignorance, and to challenge preconceived ideas. Come with me, as we travel on this journey of learning and understanding together.