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MY FATHER AND THE SPIRIT!!!! (PART 1)

 [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWeDev0QWLc]

As an honor to your Father Sharlelenerose, here is Babatunde Olatunji beautiful chant to Sango (Orisha of Lightning and Thunder)…Enjoy!!

This is a beautiful and poignant story by Sharlenerose , about her father whose views of the world was very avant-garde. While reading this post I felt his spirit reaching out to me Obara Meji from his home in the realms where he now reside. Happy, that his story is being told, especially by his precious daughter. Sharlenerose, he was not crazy, he just needed balance and to fit his head spiritually under one cap. He had spirits pulling here and there giving him messages, teaching him, but he needed to be grounded. He has passed the mantle onto you my dear. Care it and use it well!!! Ase!!!!!!!

Obara, I went on the site this morning and read your post on Wonderful Musicians, and I was prompted to look up this man who my father dedicated a poem to called Ladji Camara. When I did a Google search on him, I found out that he actually toured with Baba Olatunji for 7 years! I must say I have been feeling my father’s presence when speaking with you, but also here on the site. As I said, you seem to be channeling him and that has had a profound effect on me. Baba Olatunji has a song called Shango and one called Oya, distinct tributes to the Orisha, enforcing my belief that everything is interconnected I have been inspired to write this piece based on your most recent music posts, I have downloaded, because of you these men onto my computer so that my father and the ancestors are able to hear what they have been listening for. The spirit came to me in a dream about a week ago, and told me to play music for them to listen every day. I, however have been playing this Haitian c.d. by King Kessy, that has not been enough, they want to hear Africans singing African music. Djembe, what we call bembe. Here now is a piece that I have done to honor my father and the ancestors.

 My father was very educated. He was a lawyer, a poet, a teacher, a political activist, and so much more. He was also very afro-centric, this I knew from birth. He wrote about the death of apartheid. He was the very first person from whom I heard the word Diaspora. He wrote about being in exile in the western civilization. I love him so much. This is a way to honor my father and the spirits he left behind, which are many. When my father was growing up in the country, he was called by his father. He was the sixth out of seven sons, his father told him, you are not to till the soil, or work with your hands, your destiny is to study. My father was the only one out of about thirteen to go to college, and receive higher learning. My grandfather died before I was born but I wonder what he was like to pass the mantle to his son. In his early twenties, my father had a vision that the African deity came to him.

 The first poem in one of his books is called a “Distant Walk With Oludumare”. I have often wondered where he learned the things he knew, and even accosted his African blood brother, and asked him what God do you serve, this was after I had begun to research different religions and came upon the names of the Orishas in other religions in vodun and Santeria. I accosted my “uncle”, what did you get my father into, with this stuff. My “uncle” stated that he didn’t get my father into anything, my father taught him, and he knew things before he came to America. Imagine my surprise when my favorite poem that I used to read in poetry readings and such, in America, was called “Beat the Drum Ladji-Camara.” In this poem my father stated, “call upon the orishas, Ogun, Ogun, gun, gun, gun…Obatala, Obatala,talala, talala,talala…Elegba, Elegba,legba, legba, legba. He was operating on a vibrational frequency that I was unaware of. Now while I’m writing this; I would say that my father activated me from the age of thirteen or fourteen; I would read that poem for anyone who would listen. I was in love with those words. Olokun, Oshun, Ochosi. I’m still in love.

 My father was diagnosed to be schizophrenic, said he heard voices, but I know what he heard was spirit, and he wasn’t able to deal with it, because he didn’t reach his hands out and grasp it. I say I have been groomed from birth, my first poem at the age of six was Black is The Color Of My Skin. My ancestors and astral mates are the deeply African ones from eons ago. This is what he has passed on to me. It is a heavy load, one that would drive you mad, mad I tell you, if you were not strong in the original spirit. My father had the temerity he just did not have the strength to fight what was being thrown at him, as I do, by this I mean the obstacles that came with spiritual awakening,and that was to social acceptance. The reason is because I accept; I accept that they are here. I accept that I am never alone. I accept that there is nothing to fear. I accept that I have to be strong, and I was born a rebel. So when the spirit of fear comes around me, I kick its funky ass. My father’s spiritual family, which he has passed onto me, is full of many, and they sure as hell aren’t silent. They were constantly talking to him.

 I remember he came to spend Christmas in Jamaica before I migrated and he couldn’t sleep. This was after he had penned his last book. The True Masaai. I was like what the hell, is he trying to say he is the Messiah, I must confess, I thought he was crazy too. There are times now, when I cannot sleep, when spirit has me awake all night, the demands are many sometimes, even overwhelming, I cry for my father because, he did not know how to cope. I cry for myself, because I know what it feels like to not have asked for this, and to have your life interrupted. However, I love the spirit, and the feeling of being protected, again, because I accept. What it is, to accept your destiny, and to know that even if you’re like a baby, they will nurse you, and feed you, and carry you through, I will never be hungry, I will never be homeless, because I am obedient. My father did a poetry reading when I came over to America for black history month. I of course, read that poem, as well as a couple more of his, and a few of mine. When I was done my father said, “This is my daughter, I feel like now I can go, because she is here.” That was a special moment for me, and I will always remember him, the way he was that day. My father was a rebel as am I, we walk with Ogun on that side, a set of rabble-rouser is my family. I can’t tell you about these people. My aunts they don’t play, they call police and flash them in a minute…in America…where do they do that at.

My father, I was told, was very antagonistic toward the law. He said vision of apartheid’s death, so he wasn’t going to be called boy by nobody, he wouldn’t take any of that. He used to be beaten by police and things of that nature, here in America, he came in 1979, so you know they were just bringing about a civil rights and such. I don’t have to wonder where I get my fierce spirit from. He clung to Africans, and had his whole adopted family. He and this family used to come together and drink brandy, eat kola nuts and do their thing. There is a Chief that he was close to as well…Itchie Osita, this is one of the first men to open up my understanding, I asked him for a book to read, he gave me “Letters To Scewtape”. If you can that is a good book to read to understand what is behind the reason why we as human beings react to each other in certain ways, as we are influenced by malevolent forces. My father changed his government name to his African name. This was the name he died with. He used that name for seven years and the government awarded it to him. He went through a name changing ceremony, and also changed mine and my sister’s in Jamaica. I take it seriously. I am Ayodele Abidemi Babatunji. Ase O

A child is what you put into him…Yoruba Proverb.

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Pharmd219
Blogger
13 years ago

Hello! abedead interesting abedead site!

Rayne888
Blogger
Rayne888
13 years ago

My apologies Obara. And your father watches over you still.

Rayne888
Blogger
Rayne888
13 years ago

Obara you make your father proud and he thanks you.

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

OrisaPikkney sorry mi lub meeda tek care ah summen pon di road an falla few links….

OrisaPikkney
Blogger
OrisaPikkney
13 years ago

Yesss hinglish hooman! lol mi deh yah a wait pon anodder prolific post Iya!

OrisaPikkney
Blogger
OrisaPikkney
13 years ago

mi sure yuh can spell it anodder way gwaan wid anodda verson deh mek mi see lol/…….

OrisaPikkney
Blogger
OrisaPikkney
13 years ago

lol at ur spelling of “dayhaday” too cute

OrisaPikkney
Blogger
OrisaPikkney
13 years ago

no please teacha duh mi deh beg yuh bear wid mi deh! mi a do mi research cause mi want it fi bi proppa……okay?{{{{[hugsssss}}}}} lol

OrisaPikkney
Blogger
OrisaPikkney
13 years ago

mi parring p morning daughter of light! ni ongle cuss yuh when yuh get mi eena trouble wid teacha lol!

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

Good Morning all
Orisapikkneyyy mi luv oonu to even doe dem cuss mi more time.,…mi lub oonu
{{{hugs}}} fa teecha

Orisapikkney
Blogger
Orisapikkney
13 years ago

mi a hugg di whole a unnu love unnu bad cyaaan dun! have a WONDERFUL DAY!!

Wasavirgin
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Wasavirgin
13 years ago

Sharlenerose, thats some great read. I was riverted throughout. I’m glad you have a deeper understanding of this gift. I guess that many people diagnosed with mental illnesses especially those of African descent, needed to see a spiritualist, that would have provided them with some grounding.I appreciate your depth, and the ability to convey this story in a beautiful and poignant way.

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

lol

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

in the words of maffy….smile and nod Obara…smile and nod…we inna de people dem church right now…smile and nod…wink…wink…me no know a who and de one Maniac…ahoooa

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

Dem spirit in ya so…memba me tell you….so me start play de African music dem start talk inna me head…me start get remedy…me just tell Esu say work wid mi fi open the road…and dem start tell me do dis and do dat…me luuv it…me lub dem ya spirit ya…dem mek you see you way clear…

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

yes orisa all day me deh ya a play de man up atop…and me did a listen to Prudence SINGS…recommended by Obara…she open up mi spiritual ears more today….bere African music today….Some people say So the father so the son…me say so the father so the daughter…hellooo…Obara you get hug morning to night…muah!!muah!!!

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

Share the love Sharlene, share the love…..sometimes when words fail, a simple hug will suffice {{hughs}} muah

Nite Orisa

Orisapikkney
Blogger
Orisapikkney
13 years ago

ASE WAUUUU!!!!Iya Ayodele Abidemi Babatunji I loved this post…Ur dad was a pioneer he KNEW!! He wasn’t crazy at all no sah! His Ase is coming thru you girl! Keep the lights on for him fill yuh house wid di sacred drums! Ase O!

sharlenerose
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sharlenerose
13 years ago

@Skeptic…me luv you take the good you take the bad..you take them both and there you have facts of life…da song deh mi get fi answa you…never a dull moment there is a psalm that says God is constantly testing us…and each test is always harder than the last one..in that psalm it says God is pruning our lives…he takes away things to bring us better things…Every trial…every tribulation serves to make me more humble…even though me wi cuss and gwaan bad…everything is about spiritual growth and developement…to be able to say after that occurrence, or that test i have… Read more »

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

Hear who ah tawk bout bawly bawly…..Mi cyaan help it…..Nite skeptic
{{{hugs}}}} for you Sharlene (did u feel it?)

skeptic
Blogger
13 years ago

lmao @Sharlene, your story is moving … but it luk like everyone that the spirit call have a lot of trials, nah lie unu strong… nite all, Blessup Teacha!

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

right now me ah try fi accept…its coming along….but sometime me get upset about what i have to face…and the responsibilities put on my shoulder…i wasn’t prepared for this and it hit me by surprise…so i have to take it with a grain of salt and a whole lot of laughter…my father was spiritual…but him never do spiritual work…him never do what i do, like…light candles, pour libations…set food…water and talk to dem like how me talk to you…i just put my altar in the proper way…before dat…true me know dem always around me jus talk into the air…sometime de… Read more »

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

Sharlene ah pure goose pimple tek mi….yeye wata….mi luv u resoning ‘if ebbrybaddi shet out di outcast den woo agoh advocate fa dem

You are blessed and you KNOW it, just try to accept it and all will be ok (ah nuh me sey soh ah dem odda one)

ASE

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

BTW whey OrisaPikkney deh? Mi nuh si har fram mawning she absent fram skool tiddeh….U awrite Orisa?

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

me de yah ah wait pon dem fi see me through cause people can be so judgemental like dis spirit ting easy like a buy you buy it…or you choose it,or you a run it dung…me born wid dem ting yah….and it take me years fi come into it…caw me a run from me born. My father vision seh me a go dead from before me born, and true spirit choose me…car lick me dung kill me and de spirit jump inna me and tek de blow when me about nine years old…poor me get up ana look pon de… Read more »

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

You’re luuuudddddy (in mi Shebada voice)……Teacher youre luuuuudy

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

YES!!!!

sharlenerose
Blogger
sharlenerose
13 years ago

thank you Maniac, a jus Obara ting a push me into de stratosphere fi come wid de ting ya…

Maniac
Blogger
Maniac
13 years ago

OMG Sharlenerose I applaud you…..{{{clap, clap, clap}}}} Excellent read!!!!
Do not give up, your ancestors will see you through
Song come to mi head ‘the road is rough oo the road is tough……’ Obara help me out with the words pls

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