The Origin & Cultural unity of Africans in the Americas

West African Origin

● Peopling of America (3 Waves)
– Asians (Land bridge/Pacific)
– African Explorers
– Enslaved Africans
Maafa
● Swahili word
– Enslavement
– “Mulatization”
– Depopulation
– Resource Theft
– Murder
– Kidnap
– etc...
 African Rebel Communities
● “Maroon”
– USA
– Mexico
– Jamaica
– Brazil
– Suriname
 What are Maroons?
Maroons (Spanish cimarrón: "fugitive, runaway", lit. "living on
mountaintops"; from Spanish cima: "top, summit") were runaway slaves
in the West Indies, Central America, South America, and North America,
who formed independent settlements together.
 Rebel African Maroons
Dismal Swamp, Virginia
USA
● Thousands freed
● Whites terrified
● General of the Swamp
Rebel African Maroons
Veracruz, Mexico
● East Mexico
● Yanga, Mexico
● Still there
Rebel African Maroons
Jamaica, Caribbean
Rebel African Maroons
Palmares, Brazil
 Rebel African Maroons
Suriname, South America
 Similarities between Africans
(continental & American)
● Food:
– Fufu derivatives:
– Dominican Mofungo
– PuertoRican Mangu
– Cuban Fufu
 Language Similarities
● Akan word: Pikky
● Senegalese word: Duppy
● West African word: nyam
 Spirituality
● American Spiritualities ● African Spiritualities
– Voodoo – Mystery Systems
– Santeria – Vodoun
– Candomble – Central African
Spiritual Systems
– Obeah
– West African
“Fetishism”
 African Names

Akan Name Jamaican Name Surinam (Saramaka

Day Born (Ghana) (Males) & Akuan people)[Male/Female]
[Male/Female]

Monday Kodjo/Adwoa Cudjo Kodyo/Adyuba

Tuesday Kwabena/Abenaa Cubbenah Kwamina/Abeni
Wednesday Kweku/Akua Quaco Kwaku/Akuba
Thursday Yaw/Yaa Quao Yaw/Yaba
Friday Kofi/Afua Cuffee Kofi/Afiba
Saturday Kwame/Amma Quamin Kwami/Amba
Sunday Alwasi/Akosua Quashee Kwasi/Kwasiba
One People