The spirituality of a people is rooted in the very nature of their culture. A healthy people are a people who have not submitted to the culture (including religion) of someone else, especially an oppressor. The American enslavers knew well that if you destroyed a people's culture then it becomes inevitable that you destroy their spirituality. You transform them into something not intended by neither Olodumare nor the people's Ancestors. Herein lies the great importance of having a "New Afrikan" approach to our spirituality.

Just what does it mean to be New Afrikan? Let me answer that question by first giving a background for the concept that became "New Afrikan". In 1968 in Detroit, Michigan there was a meeting of about 500 delegates that were then (and many are now) participating, in various levels, with the struggle for independence and freedom on all levels for Afrikan people here in America. Through an Afrikan nationalistic creed as their center, it was declared that we, as a people transplanted from our original homeland to the Americas, constituted a New Afrikan people. This term was used because of the fact that we are an amalgamation of various Afrikan ethnicities. It was carefully observed that we were no longer divided on a tribal basis. Thus, we had become a New Afrikan people living here in America; one nation with one spirit, and with the same common goals and destiny. At that point an independent movement started with the creation of the Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika (PGRNA), with all descendants of Afrikan slaves being automatic citizens thereof.

What does this have to do with Afrikan spirituality? It has much to do with it. We owe the thought of taking the New Afrikan political approach to the next level into the realm of Afrikan spirituality to the great elder Medahochi Kofi Omowale Zannu who was actually one of the original members of the Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika. It was Medahochi Kofi Omowale Zannu that decided to take our spirituality not only from the ancient level of being, but to interpret it in the context in which we are living.The New Afrikan approach recognizes the validity and profundity of ALL Afrikan spiritual systems. The New Afrikan approach does not overlook our most direct West Afrikan heritage, but it seeks to integrate West Afrikan spiritual systems in a holistic fashion. The New Afrikan approach does not see the need in looking all over our West Afrikan heritage for spiritual salvation. At the same time, we seek a modern interpretation and understanding of some of the most ancient truths to ever exist in the world. We advance upon the spiritual genius of our Ancestors with their blessings. One important part of the New Afrikan approach is that we too take our experiences here in the Americas and integrate them within our spirituality. For instance, why cannot Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Marcus Garvey be deified and exalted to the Ancestral realm? Are the deities of the Odu Ifa concrete, or is there room for those who have done great things here in the Americas (even though they did not practice Afrikan spirituality)?

We seek to rid ourselves of the conditionings and trappings brought about from Western religious miseducation. No longer will we allow our traditions to be demonized, nor will we take part in such an anti-Ancestral thing. Thus, even though Western religion has been conditioned into the psyche of Afrikan people around the world we must acknowledge the fact that the Afrikan deities are in our blood!

Within Haitian Vodun the masters there saw a need to collectivize the spritual reality of the captive Afrikans on that island. In that they saw that one of the most common denominators was the concept of the serpent deity. All over Afrika this deity, usually depicted with Its tail in Its mouth, was found to represent the collective ancestry of the Afrikan people that produced its particular symbol. Among the Haitians there was alarge influx of Fon (from Dahomey/Benin) and Ba Kongo peoples. The Fon call one aspect of their serpent Ancestral deity by the name of Da or Dan. The Ba Kongo referred to this entity often as Mbada or Mbaza. The Afrikans of Haiti combined these terms and hence we get Damballa. The full name of this deity is Damballa Wedo; Aida Wedo, being the feminine aspect of the circular serpent deity in Daxome, lends Its name to the overall concept and is very important.

Thus, Damballa Wedo represents and is the collective Ancestry of all Afrikan (Black people only) people. We chose this name in order to reflect an organization and spiritual family that encompasses the entirety of existant Afrikan spiritual tradition.

In an attempt to take the New Afrikan approach to the forefront, the Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order is dedicated to a nationalistic philosophy of bringing Afrikan spiritual truth to Afrikan people in North America. But this will not only be within the realm of spirituality. This will cover the whole of life as the sacred Afrikan scriptures teach us to do. The Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order is dedicated to the complete freedom of Afrikan people in every realm of life. Our concerns:

• the mental and spiritual enslavement of millions of Afrikan people right here in the 21st century
• the overwhelming 80% Afrikan/Black representation of the 3.5 million incarcerated in America
• the twenty year economic parity gap between Afrikans/Blacks and Yurugu (so-called "white people") here in America and the gap between Afrikans and others around the globe
• the terrorism that the police agencies by way of the American government have been executing upon Afrikans here in America
• the health of the millions of Afrikans here in America who cannot afford health care
• the upliftment of our Ancestors who fought the good fight to preserve our bodies and spirituality
• the history of our people being properly told and reverenced by its descendants and others of understanding

The Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order will seek to reach out and connect with others within Afrikan spirituality who wish to broaden their appeal and network together, whether it be through inter-business relations, the sharing of our Afrikan spirituality, or just plan old community as the name implies. Our base is in Stone Mountain, Ga and the teachings are based upon but not limited to the Odu Ifa/Kpoli of the Vodun-Ifa spiritual systems of the Fon, Ewe, and Yoruba and the upliftment of Afrikans across the U.S. by way of its Ancestral Wisdom.

I have adopted the New Afrikan Spiritual Creed from my spiritual father Baba Medahochi Kofi Omowale Zannu (with his blessings).

In accordance with the natural laws of nature, the first being self preservation, and recognizing that no free people (nation) in ANY way the religion and culture of other free people (especially when the dominate forms of religion they practice are from their former and/or current oppressors and enslavers of a foreign culture), we declare the purpose of the Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order to be as follows:

To study the sacred literature of West Afrika (Ifa, Afa, Fa, Akan, BaKongo, Vodun, Igbo, etc.), and the teachings of the West Afrikan sages.

To gain an applicable understanding of the philosophy and ritual of West Afrika with particular emphasis and focus upon the Nago/Yoruba, Ba Kongo, Evhe/Fon(Dahomean/Benin), and Akan spiritual systems directly from Afrika, and the New Afrikan survival rites that developed here in America such as Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Roots faith systems which all have Afrikan origins.

To honor, in full, our Afrikan Ancestors, our heritage (blood lines), and the very West Afrikan deities that run through our veins (the Orisa, the Nkisi, the Abosom, the Vodun, etc.).

To foster the development of an Afrikan World view based upon Afrikan spirituality and philosophical systems. This means that our overall approach to life will be handled from an Afrikan perspective both culturally and philosophically.

To promote and develop ritual and cultural practices designed to enhance consciousness of ourselves, Afrikans in Amerika, as a nation desiring self-determination. This will often mean a reinterpretation of ancient sacred scripture and myth into modern New Afrikan terms relative to our current development and situations.

To study and develop systems of governance and social organization, particularly gender relations, family structure and rites of passage, based upon Afrikan tradition, and to enhance our efforts towards nation building.

To study indigenous Afrikan languages, sacred chants, and dance to enhance our spiritual and national development.

To disseminate information about and involve New Afrikan people in Afrikan spirituality for the purpose of self/collective healing and nation-building.

To promote the development of an intelligent and efficient priesthood dedicated to healing the New Afrikan nation and the Pan-Afrikan world.

To empower families with information to develop their own relationship with the Orisa, Vodun, Nkisi, Abosom, Rab, etc., and their family Ancestors.

As such, we are open to all suggestions and comments on how we can improve and start solving some problems from our own cultural and spiritual base. In this manner, the Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order is a call to all of the Afrikan traditions whether it be Akan, Kongo, Ifa, Vodun, or any other indigenous Afrikan spiritual system. We are one, and the Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order which is the physical and spiritual expression of the New Afrikan Vodun site, are my testimony to the commitment to bring this oneness into a living and daily reality.

Finally, we have decided that it is best to guide our members and supporters through a curriculum and guide to membership that grounds us surely on a nationalistic Afrikan foundation.The curriculum will not be listed here but does include first and foremost the study and overstanding of nationalistic literature and how nationalism relates to Afrikan spirituality; developing a true overstanding of Ancestral veneration; guidance on how to let go of the fetters of Western religious miseducation; holistic teachings on how to be Afrikan within an anti-Afrikan society (family, financially, etc.); overstanding the role of Ancestral priesthood; and breaking free of negative ancestral spirits that may be causing havoc in your life (unwanted white ancestors, negative Afrikan Ancestors, etc.)just to name a few.

Follow this link,Stages of Membership, to read the processes in relation to becoming and maintaining membership in the Damballa New Afrikan Vodun Ancestral Order.

Feel free to read excerpts and purchse our publications at the following link Publications

Please continue to visit this page for things to come. Please feel free to contact me at awo@newafrikanvodun.com.

Peace and Eternal Blessings