MAAFA MEMORIAL SERVICE
Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.
Westwood Cemetery Oberlin, Ohio
MAAFA comes from the Kiswahili term meaning 'terrible occurrence'
or 'great disaster.' This disaster was the Black Holocaust, when millions of Africans died during the
journey of captivity from the coasts of Africa to the shores of America, known as the Middle Passage
Order of Service
WELCOME
ADENIKE SHARPLY
LIBATION
ADENIKE SHARPLY
INVOCATION
REVEREND ROGER DICKERSON
Song - 'Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing
Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
let our rejoicing rise,
high as the list'ning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea
sing a song full of faith that the dark past has tought us,
sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
let us march on till victory is won.
Musical Performance
SHIRLY CHAMBERS
Taps
DANIELSPEARMAN
Benediction
REVEREND ROGER DICKERSON
-
SANKOFA*
Sankofa is a word from the Akan language of Ghana and translates to: ' Reach back and get it.' The word also refers to the popular Adinkra symbol representing the need to reflect on te past to build a successful future. The Sankofa has been adopted as the official logo of Juneteenth Oberlin because we must look back to move forward.
-
MAAFA**
MAAFA is Kiswahili term meaning 'terrible occurrence' or ' great disaster'. This disaster was the Black Holocaust when millions of Africans died during the journey of captivity from the west coast of Africa to th shores of America, known as the Middle Passage
-
LIBATION***
A libation is a ritual pouring of a drink as an offering to God or
to a god. It was common in the religions of antiquity, including
Judiaism:
" And Jacob set a Pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a Pillar of Stone; and he poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it. "
Today, we offer this libation in the tradition of our African ancestors. who died as a result of the slave trade and slavery in the New World. Though they did not live to experience freedom, we give thanks for the prayers and sacrifices of our ancestors that we, their descendants, might live free.