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The Home Land

Ras Selassie

Ras explains how he keeps in contact with his African and Rastafarian heritage while living in England.

Further Info | Transcript | Credits

Further Info

This story was created at a workshop for young people from St Pauls and Easton who are researching their African heritage. The project is called “Adisa”, a word meaning “Each one to teach one” or “One who makes meanings clear”.

The workshop took place over 3 days at the Full Circle Family Learning Centre in St Pauls and was led by Dani Landau with support from Folake Shoga, Alan Cabey, Michaela Alfred-Kamara, Sylvia Vincent, Aikaterini Gegisian and Paddy Uglow, and Bristol’s Museums, Galleries & Archives.

Transcript

[African drum plays throughout].

There was no particular time in my life when I thought to myself “I want to learn about my African heritage.” For me, it has been something that I have been naturally born into.

As I was born away from home, my parents well-educated me from birth so I know and understand where I /really am coming from: Africa.

From a very young age, my parents sent me to many African-centred workshops and events, and as I grew to the age of thirteen, I went through a process called the rites of passage, which is a process which helps to prepare each individual to becoming a responsible adult or young man.

Also, I was born into a Rastafarian religion, and we as Rastafarians strongly believe in repatriation of displaced Africans. Therefore, I have /always understood that Africa is the homeland and understand that continually learning about our African heritage is the key, which also helps to free my mind from mental slavery.

Credits

bristolstories.org was a Watershed project from that ran from 2005 - 2007
in partnership with M Shed

with support from Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives and Bristol City Council

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