Salam and hello! We have three different delights to share with you today—a poem, a personal narrative, and the November mementos for the members our new writing group, Ink Well Collective!
by Zaakirah Rose. This poem was first recited at our Coffee and Connect event—Roots & Resistance: A Tribute to Assata Shakur—in October. We share it now in full, here, in case you missed it. (A recap of the event will be shared in our next newsletter!)
❝ I am the Black girl that crossed the dark sea
Carrying in my body the seed of the Free
Now home on Native land
I am the woman who worked on the field
Bringing the cotton and the cane to yield
I am the one who laboured as a slave
Beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave
Children sold away from me, husband auctioned off, mamas voided too
No safety, no love, no respect was I due
A prey to white violence, a slave to white lust
No value, low-priced
Back then I sucked salt and bit the dust
Four hundred years deep in the South
But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth
God put a dream like a steel drum in my soul
Freedom gave fire to this body turned cold
Now, through my children, I’m watching the seed grow,
Post up like the Fruit,
Now, through my children, I’m hitting the goal.
Realize child the blessings denied to me
I couldn’t read then, I couldn’t write
I had nothing back then, not even the night
Some days the road was hot with sun
But I had to keep on till my work was done
I had to keep on! No stopping for me--
I was the seed of the coming Free
I nourished and nursed the dream, the struggle
That nothing can smother
Deep in my breast--
The Black mother
I had only one hope then, but now through you,
Black children of today, my wildest dreams must come true
All you dark children in the world today out there,
Remember my blood, my sweat, my tears
Remember my years, heavy with sorrow-
And make of those years a torch for tomorrow.
Make of my past a road to the light,
A revolutionary path
Out of the darkness, the ignorance, the night. ❞
by co-founder Na’eemah Martinez
How every good Bahamian story begins:
“Once upon a time and a good old time
Monkey chewed tobacco and spit white lime”.
“Have ya’ heard of B’rabbi and Br’fox? ‘Vell, B’rabbi is a rascal and his biggest nemesis is Br’fox. No two characters ever did hate each other like those two.
I blame B’rabbi the most though—now hear me out. A fox is doing just what foxes do; why now B’rabbi think he can just harass Br’fox all day every day and not think a fox will come for him? What kinda thinking is that?
That rascal was just bored, I think. Bored and maybe a bit jealous? ‘Cause Br’fox came up with some real clever tricks to trap him. Who can forget the ‘Ta’ Baby’ incident of ‘31? Ya never heard of the ‘Ta’ Baby’ incident? ‘Vell chile! Br’fox made a tar baby to catch and vex B’rabbi. And it almost work too...but unfortunately B’Boukee has a weakness too; he too greedy!
You want me to tell you about the ‘Ta’ Baby’ incident, ya say? I ‘ain gat time today but it’s very famous ‘round here. Ol’ Mrs. Pratt down the road, she gat time, ask her, but make sure ya gat time because the Lawd is my witness, that woman can run on!”
*
Storytelling saves lives.
If you ever sat at your grandmother’s knee or when the best ghost storyteller in the world was braiding your hair, you would agree. I never drank whiskey and walked by a graveyard, and I was ever suspicious of strange looking foods given to me by former enemies. It was the stories that saved me and will save you too. This was how it is in the Caribbean; moral lessons, sighting dangers, knowing your enemies and protecting yourself—all cemented by the stories that were told by grandparents, neighbours, strangers and the like.
Tales are told before we even enter the school systems, and their lessons and warnings become part and parcel of the soul. Algebra may be forgotten but not Anansi’s tricks. Not the fear of the spirit world when you are doing wrong. A suspicious decor hanging in a mango tree triggers a warning in the brain: ‘Obeah? Voodoo? A subtle warning—do not touch! Why? Because of the story of the obeah man who hung spells in his mango tree. All sworn to have really happened, backed up by your own run in with a possible ghost, evil spirit or a shudder from a place you have never been before. See, my neighbour Nova told no lie when she told of the spirit that followed a drunk and disrespectful man from the graveyard!
Still not convinced on the life saving power of storytelling? How many disobedient children ended up in peril? How many people fell for their enemies’ tricks? How many men underestimated the vengeance of a hurt, scorned and broken woman? None of them heeded the warnings of Aesop, Anansi, and countless folk tales of men and women surviving against all odds.
Last but not least…take a look at the first of the monthly mementos for our writing group, Ink Well Collective!
Buttons! These are for members only, but have no fear—becoming a member is as easy as registering here. By becoming a member, you’ll also get emailed updates on meeting times & locations, and the opportunity for your work to be celebrated on Ink Well Co.’s page and SLSoA’s socials! And don’t worry; you won’t have to commit to attending every meeting just because you’re a member. We know life doesn’t always work out that way.
Ink Well Co. also has a new FAQ section, which we’re sharing here for your convenience.
Who can participate in and/or become a member of Ink Well Co.?
Anyone who wants to write with us! While Sakina Literary Society of the Arts is aimed primarily at serving Muslim women and girls, Ink Well Co. was established to meet the needs of all Muslim creatives as an under-served community. Non-Muslims are still welcome to attend and join, so long as all attendees conduct themselves respectfully.
What does a session look like?
At the start of our session, we’ll greet each other and introduce ourselves. Then, we’ll do a 30 minute writing sprint. Once the timer runs out, you’re invited to discuss your craft, plans, struggles, and successes, or share your work.
Do you offer virtual sessions?
Not yet! Ink Well Co.’s goal is to offer writers a way to socialize as well as write in a communal environment. Still, we understand that virtual sessions might sometimes be more accessible for you, so we have plans in the works! Watch this space!
Are sessions structured around writing prompts?
Nope! The idea behind Ink Well Co. is to create a space for writers of all types and genres to gather together to work on their individual projects and tasks...and prompts wouldn’t suit every type of writer/writing. But for those who want prompts, we’re happy to provide them!
I don’t consider myself a writer/I just have homework to work on/I just want to check out Ink Well Co. Can I still come?
Absolutely! As long as you’re respectful and join us in writing something, whether it be homework, a journal entry, or a to-do list, you’re welcome!
I have a suggestion regarding Ink Well Co. Where can I share it?
We’re happy to take suggestions, comments, and ideas. Please submit them to Sakina Literary Society’s contact page and we’ll get back to you. Alternatively, you can discuss directly with Sumayyah at one of the meetups.
Don’t forget—our first meeting is Friday, November 7th at 7:30 pm at Edill’s Coffee House. Drop-ins are welcome, though the cafe has a limited seating for laptop use, so it’s best if you register so we can confirm a seat for you (or just bring a phone, notebook, or tablet to work on instead).
We look forward to seeing you there!
Until next time, happy reading and writing!
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