Jiwe (Stone) – Symbolising Sacred Permanency of the Afrikan History Continuum

The Creator Supreme placed Afrikan people at the centre of the sacred universe for eternity. The special and spirit people of creation lived amongst the Creator’s elements that existed before them and harnessed the energies of longevity in unique and exceptionally powerful ways. The element of stone is considered sacred material and reflects eternal living. Beyond its physical qualities of long-lasting strength, hardiness and fortitude, stone harmonises with vibrational energies of the Afrikan presence. Whether in the granite of superb building, the stone carvings of exquisite beauty, or the selected gemstones elegantly shaped for deeply meaningful amulets and adornment – stone is used to energise maximality for eternal spirit and cultural living. The Afrikan history continuum is eternal and therefore stone has powerful practical and symbolic meaning in the ever-ascending thrust of Afrikan life all year round. The wonderful observance of Afrikan Historia Msimu is certainly celebratory elevation of Afrikan history. However, the Afrikan history continuum is never confined to single period of time and flows with the spirit of the Afrikan throughout the entire year and into eternity. The Kiswahili word for stone is Jiwe.

The following highlights the importance of the Afrikan history continuum throughout the annual cycle through observances of the Afrikan cultural calendar. For each observance a quotation relevant to honoured person(s) of the period or from other voices of the Afrikan continuum is detailed together with harmonising gemstone selections. The associated gem stones are a sample of the various ones that can be used and also reflect the colour themes of each observance. Also detailed are associated stone carving suggestions. This, a reflection of living Afrikan history articulation as the stones of history empower spirit life:

Afrikan Historia Msimu (Afrikan History Season)

The study of history cannot be a mere celebration of those who struggled on our behalf. We must be instructed by history and should transform history into concrete reality, into planning and development, into the construction of power and the ability to ensure our survival as a people. If not, Black History Month, becomes an exercise in the inflation of egos; it becomes an exercise that cuts us further off from reality. Ironically, we now see even other people who are not our friends joining us in this celebration, which means that they must see in it some means of protecting their own interests, and see it as something positive, then it means that we are not using it in a revolutionary sense. They do not see our study of it as a threat to their power. If we are not studying it in a way that it is a threat to their power then we are studying it incorrectly, and our celebration of it is helping to maintain us in a state of deception. So let us make sure that we look at and study history in a light such that it advances our interests, not inflates our egos and blinds us to reality.

During the Afrikan Historia Msimu observance stone carvings that depict the natural tree or ‘family tree’ or a ‘unity  harmonise with this important observance.

The stone Rain Forest Jasper harmonises with this observance with its earthly connectivity and thrust towards wholesome betterment.  

Kwanzaa (Celebration of First Fruits)

‘[a] common aspect of Afrikan first-fruits celebrations which contributed to the development of Kwanzaa is commemoration of the past, especially of the ancestors. Often this profound respect for the ancestors is called ancestor worship. But this is a misnomer, for Afrikans worship only God, the Creator, in his/her many manifestations. Thus, their profound respect for the ancestors, which admittedly has a spiritual dimension, is best called veneration. The ancestors are venerated because they are: 1) a source and symbol of lineage; 2) models of ethical life, service and social achievement to the community; and 3) spiritual intercessors between [Afrikans] and the Creator.’

During the Kwanzaa observance stone carvings that depict the ‘family tree’ or a ‘unity knot’ or ‘loving relations’ harmonise with this important observance.

The stone serpentine harmonises with this observance as reflects connectivity with natural living continuum and true nature. It supports transformative ascendancy.

Omowale Malcolm X Kukumbuko (Omowale Malcolm X Remembrance)

‘This week comes around once every year. And during this one week they drown us with propaganda about Negro history in Georgia and Mississippi and Alabama. Never to they take us back across the water, back home. They take us down home, but they never give us a history of back home. They never give us enough information to let us know what we were doing before we ended up in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Texas and some of those other prison states. They give us the impression with Negro History Week that we were cotton pickers all of our lives. Cotton pickers, orange growers, mammies and uncles for the white man in this country – this is our history when you talk in terms of Negro History Week. They might tell you about one or two people who took a peanut and made another white man rich.’

During the observance of Omowale Malcolm X Kukumbuko stone carvings that depict a ‘unity knot’ harmonise with this important observance.

The red stone Ruby harmonises here with its qualities of passion and self-determination, courage and fearlessness.

The stone Black Tourmaline with its qualities of purging negativity and connection to reality.

Kimungu Madhabahuni (Celebration of the Divine Shrine)

[The tree of life] is held to be sacred, and when people come across it, they greet it with respect as it is the symbol of life and continuity.

During the observane of Kimungu Madhabahuni stone carvings that depict a ‘unity knot’ or ‘power fist’ harmonise with this important observance.

The purple gemstone of amethyst with its powerful qualities of spiritual awakening, ascendancy and protection harmonising beautifully with this observance.  

Omowale Malcom X Siku (Omowale Malcolm X Day)

‘Of all our studies, history is best qualified to reward our research’

During the observance of Omowale Malcolm X Siku stone carvings that depict a ‘unity knot’ harmonise with this important observance.

The red stone Ruby harmonises here with its qualities of passion and self-determination, courage and fearlessness.

The stone Black Tourmaline with its qualities of purging negativity and connection to reality.

Afrika Ukombozi Siku (Afrika Liberation Day)

‘The History of human achievement illustrates that when an awakened intelligentsia emerges from a subject people it becomes the vanguard of the [fight] against alien rule. There is a direct relation between this fact and the neglect of the [so-called] imperial powers to provide for the proper growth of educational facilities in their colonies [of terror]. I saw this connection quite soon in my career, and it was one of main reasons why I became a teacher for a time.’

During the observance of Afrika Ukombozi Siku stone carvings that depict a ‘unity knot’ harmonise with this important observance.

The red stone Ruby harmonises here with its qualities of passion and self-determination, courage and fearlessness.

The stone Black Tourmaline with its qualities of purging negativity and connection to reality.

Green Jade harmonises with this observance as it draws the abundance of nature into the lives of the soul people.

Ujamaa Kiburi Siku (Afrikan Economic Pride Day)

A people who do not share history, who do not appreciate the shared experiences that their history represents, are a people who cannot utilise mutual trust, dependability, and so forth, upon which to build an economic social system. Afrikan people who forget their history are a people who forget that they had an economy before the European [(and others)] came into existence. They are a people who forget that their economy was developed and maintained prior to the European imperial [inadequacy and other alien disruptions].

During the Ujamaa Kiburi Siku observance stone carvings that depict the ‘family tree’ or a ‘unity knot’ harmonise with this important observance.

The stone Yellow Sapphire harmonises beautifully with this observance because of qualities associated with successful wealth building.

Musa Msimu (Marcus Garvey Season)

‘History is the land-mark by which we are directed into the true course of life. The history of a movement, the history of a nation, the history of a race is the guide-post of that movement’s destiny, that nation’s destiny, that race’s destiny. What you do to-day that is worthwhile, inspires others to act at some future point.’  

During the Musa Msimu observance stone carvings that depict the ‘family tree’ or a ‘unity knot’ or harmonise with this important observance.

The red stone Ruby harmonises here with its qualities of passion and self-determination, courage and fearlessness.

The stone Black Tourmaline with its qualities of purging negativity and connection to reality.

Green Jade harmonises with this observance as it draws the abundance of nature into the lives of the soul people.

Yemanja Siku (Yemanja Day)

God is Father and is also Mother…Remembering that God is all that there is and that Orisha are the various aspects of God as revealed by [Afrikan] religious scripture, then it should follow that the principle of Motherhood, of birth and regeneration, is also an important part of God. There are other female Orisha too. Therefore we have not said that Yemonja is the “female principle”. However, [Afrikan] tradition clearly tells us that Yemonja is God the Mother.

During the Yemanja Siku observance any stones from the water world harmonise with this important observance.  

The moonstone with reflecting qualities of feminine power and mystery harmonise with this observance.

Malkia wa Uhuru (Queens of Liberty Observance)

‘Most importantly, Hatshepsut well understood her family history, a history marked by illustrious deeds and proud traditions. Indeed, it was the knowledge of her family history, which stretched back through Kemet’s Seventeenth Dynasty, that served as the basis of Hatshepsut’s own character development.’

During the Malkia wa Uhuru observance stone carvings that depict the ‘family tree’ or a ‘unity knot’ harmonise with this important observance.

The purple stone of Garnet harmonises with this observance for its qualities in turning vision to reality.

From the beginning Afrikan people have harnessed the power of stone. In creating huge stone monuments energies are evoked and energised. In adorning the body with gemstones in the journeying of life and its transitions progressive resonances are gleaned.

When Afrikan souls etched into stone, they scribed in sacredness .When Afrikan souls lived in stone palaces they lived in sacredness. When Afrikan souls adorned themselves with stones they punctuated sacredness.

Despite the foreign enemy attempts to destroy the living Afrikan history continuum or incarcerate it within their ideals of acutely limited and distorted intellectual processing exclusivity – the Afrikan prevails. As Afrikan history becomes vitally evermore functional substance throughout Afrikan life cycles and all year round global Afrikan ascendancy is guaranteed and the Afrikan history continuum inevitably flows maximally into eternity. The Afrikan history continuum lives in lives of Afrikan people. The Afrikan history continuum lives.

Afrikan Historia Msimu is an observance period for the duration of the tenth month of the year (so-called October). This is a special time for learning, growth and development of the Afrikan experience in the world. It is a time of spiritual and cultural elevation as Afrikan history is restored to fabric of life in the living knowingness of the then, the now and tomorrow. Great ones of the Afrikan journey are highlighted and the symbols relevant to the time invigorate life in the imperative onward flow of global Afrikan ascendancy. This wonderful observance is a part of the cultural calendar of the Universal Royal Afrikan Nation (URAN).

The Universal Royal Afrikan Nation (URAN) is an Afrikan-centred spiritual and cultural mission for ascendancy that embodies living spiritually and culturally rooted life. To find out more about URAN and its spiritual-cultural mission for liberty and nationhood click here. The exquisite URAN pendant can be obtained online by clicking here.

In his capacity as an Afrikan-centred spiritual cultural practitioner this author is available for further learning in this regard and also for the carrying out of ceremonies such as naming and name reclamation. For details please click here.

Afrikan World Studies programmes are important forms of study in understanding the Afrikan experience. There are a range of subjects covered on these programmes including History, Creative Production, Psychology and Religion. To find out more about these learning programmes please click here. For the video promo for these learning programmes click here.

At nominal cost, also consider acquisition of an a4 laminate poster of articulations by this author when visiting the Yemanja institution to enrol, consult, learn, gather or otherwise.

Also, visit www.u-ran.org for links to Afrikan liberation Love radio programme on Universal Royal Afrikan Radio online.