| Bonswa! Greetings from Grand Rapids!!
Bonswa! Greetings from Grand Rapids!!
Bonswa!! (Haitian greeting)
I am new here. My name is Karla, I'm 29 and from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Now, I am going to be straight up with you and hope that this doesn't affect my membership here but I am of Italian/French/Dutch ancestry but consider myself to be African in spirit. Why? Well for one thing, I was raised around blacks for most of my life. My mother married a black/white Arapaho man when I was 11 and they are still married (19 years!) He is a very smart intelligent man and I love him and he raised us well as much as he can. His ancestry is an interesting one, his grandfather was the first black policeman in this city in the early 20th Century. He also has ancestry to a royal lineage in Africa though I don't remember what part.
My sister has two daughters and a son who are mixed and they are very beautiful and I love them very much. I have no children of my own and don't plan to have any due to my mental disorders and my Asperger's
I am interested in all things African or pertaining to black people. I love learning about the different cultures of that great continent and I am disheartned by the political strife that goes on there, mainly caused by the European influence there (The Catholic Church, in which I belong to, have been telling lies to Africans about condoms spreading AIDS, when the epidemic is widespread there. That's got my conspiracy meter going not to mention that I am p***ed off about it.) I am also ashamed of what Europeans had done to Africa, taking over and destroying the once beautiful and grand kingdoms.
I am slowly studying Haitian Vodoun which comes from the Yoruba culture and was mixed with Catholic iconism. This spiritual path is rich with its roots and very moving. You can sense the ancient roots of spirituality within this belief system by listening to the rhythmic beating of the drums and the singing. I hope someday to be part of a Vodoun house. Currently though, I am not studying it as I am in college but I am a patient person.
I came to this website while searching for some black history as pertaining to Grand Rapids and I only had a few moments to read about Assata Shakur and so far what I have read is very interesting. I am here on this forum to understand and learn about black struggles here and abroad. I hope that I am welcomed here warmly and that you will be patient and kind as I go furthur on my journey of education.
Wow... that was a lengthy introduction! So let me wrap it up. Again, I look forward to being able to interact with you all and gaining new insights.
Peace,
Karla
 | 
04-09-2009
Langalibalele (04-09-2009), 
Pragmatic (05-02-2009)
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