Umoja: The Power and Practice of Unity
Updated: Jul 24
By Dr. Gloria Latimore-Peace
Presented by Omni-University
We are interrupting our series, “The Defining Moment: Rev. Dr.Howard W.Thurman,” written by Rev. Dr. D. Darrell Griffin, in order to address the “elephant(s) in the land”. In so doing, we'd like to paraphrase an old African Proverb,i.e., “When Elephants fight,.. the grass[roots) suffer[s].” In addition, let us be reminded of the lyrics to The Black National Anthem,” i.e., “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” written by James Weldon and John Rosamond Johnson: “We have come over a way that with tears have been watered, We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered”...
In the midst of our anticipation of “the rumble in the [national] jungle,” let our feet NOT “stray from path where we met Thee, Lest our hearts, drunk with the the wine of the world, we forget Thee.”
"Once upon a time
we had our land, our
culture, and our minds.
Surely we had tribes,
we all lived right there In Africa,
Things began to change
There were forces that divided us,
Spread throughout the world
we seem unsure about our heritage…"
"Umoja is the message
Got to get the message
The message to my Brothers and Sisters” …
"The foregoing lyrics were taken from The "Seven Principles" Album which was composed, arranged, and performed by Kwame Steve Cobb and his wife, Chavunduka, et al.[1]"
Although these Principles are primarily promoted during the "Kwanzaa" season, their adoption into our daily lives remains to be demonstrated.
Principles matter for the same reason that Unity matters. Just as there can be no Common Unity without principles, i.e., values, there can be no commUnity without Unity.
Unity is the foundational Principle. In the absence of Unity, the other Principles are reduced to "sounding brass and tinkling cymbal[s]."[3] The practice of Unity must not only be a Principle, it must be a priority.
This H30/ Art of Life Blog grew out of exchanges during a Family Prayer Meeting. Our discussion became centered around the continuing concerns about conditions in the Black community and what could be done to quell the epidemic of violence that continues to besiege the areas where we live which- “coincidentally?”- just happen to be the locations of far too many crime scenes.
With all respect due to Black people, I am reluctant to use the term "community" in reference to the real estate on which we residea because my understanding of this concept goes beyond its superficial definition as "a group of related neighborhoods." This implies that a "community" can be constituted of people who have no more in common than that the individuals or families live in close proximity to each other. You don't have to be a Black person ,who resides in a majority White community, to know that this is not the case.
The sociological definition of community, notwithstanding, community is best defined as " a group of people who share values" This is a more precise definition because it accurately depicts the nature of a community. Even so, there is an even more compelling reason for interrogating the use of "community," as it applies to Black people.
In the classic book written by Ancestor Useni Eugene Perkins, "Home Is Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children," Brother Useni coined the term "ghettcolony." By combining the terms "ghetto" and "colony" to the area(s) where Black and poor people reside- which have variously been called "ghetto ,"inner city", “slums" “ Hills and Valleys”, etc., he has told Us -not only “like it is” but also,exactly where and how we live. It is evident that very little has changed except that which We, the People, have changed.
Since, att this juncture, we find that history comes in handy, we will indulge in a quick reflection on our introduction to the “Thirteen Colonies,” about which we were taught in our elementary social studies classes.
As the story goes, the residents of these early American “colonies" became dissatisfied with British rule, ostensibly because they did not have “self government” and had to pay high taxes, even though they had “no representation." Their common grievances are said to have led them to unite and wage what is commonly known as “The War for Independence”(or Revolutionary War) to divest themselves of the tyranny of a monarchy. This provides an apt framework for exploring the nature of a "colony." It also makes it clear that a colony is a not a very desirable place to live.
Undoubtedly, Unity played a major role in the liberation of these colonies . The fact that these 13 colonies became the original United States- which have now become 50 United States of America- is testimony not only to the power of Unity but to the efficacy of "CommUnity Control."
Thus, it behooves us to learn the lessons of history, i.e., that:
There is no CommUnity without Unity
Unity and Power go hand in hand
Without Unity and Power, there is no Self-determination (Kujichagulia)
Without Self-determination there can be no CommUnity Control of the Community
Without CommUnity control of the areas in which our people live, significant improvements in the living conditions, and overall quality of life, are not only unlikely, they are unthinkable.
Whether We, the People will elect a president or enthrone a king is not up to one man, one woman, or one political organization. It is up to one Principle- Unity. Or,in the words of our Ancestor, the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, “One God! One Aim! One Destiny!*
The lyrics of " Umoja" remind us that: "There were forces that divided us…" as well as that "a house divided against itself shall not stand" [3] This should serve as sufficient impetus for Us to get ourselves together. The question raised by Ancestor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., more than 55 years ago, is calling for an answer," Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" The answer is found in the following lines of “Umoja:”
For a long, long time
we've been deceived by the illusion
Called by different names
and this has served to just confuse us
When all is said and done
to be One's our revolution
We never stand alone
' Cause Unity's our resolution,...
Umoja is the message
A call for Unity!!!"
*"One God! One Aim! One Destiny!" is the motto of the Universal Negro Improvement Association - African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) established in 1914 by The Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
These foregoing verses from "Umoja" which are followed by an excerpt from the lyrics of "I Need You to Survive," by Hezekiah Walker, bring home the final point:
"I Need You to Survive"
"I need you,
You need me,
We're all a part of
God's body.
Stand with me
Agree with me
We're all a part of God's body
It is His Will that every need be supplied
You are important to me
I need you to survive…"
Recommended Viewing:
“Black to the Future”, Featuring: Mansong Kulubally and Kamm Howard
"Community Matters: Who Cares?", An episode of "The H30 Art of Life Show," featuring performing artists, filmmakers, culture keepers, etc., Masequa Meyers and Pemon Rami
Blognotes:
[1] The 7 Principles are Unity,
Self- Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics,
Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.
[2] The African- American celebration of Kwanzaa, December 26- January 1, was authored and introduced by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga in 1966
[3] 1Corinthians 13:1 KJV
[4] Matthew 12:25 KJV.
Recommended Reading:
Ancestor Dr. Amos N. Wilson. Blueprint for Black Power: A Moral, Political, and Economic Imperative for the Twenty-First Century.
Ancestor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?"
Ancestor Chinua Achebe, "Things Fall Apart."
Recommended Listening
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