I envy thee, Alex Haley. Aye, I envy thee, for having such a great ancestor and having knowledge of it. I have not indulged (yet) in any further investigative research into my own roots, having been content to go only as far back as my great-grandfather, so I have not known yet your great ancestor's contemporary in my personal lineage. I doubt he suffered as much as your great forefather did, though life was harsher back then for my ancestors too...

Kunta Kinte is an amazing man for so many good reasons; despite the saddening fact that he did not realize his dream of recapturing his freedom, ever - perhaps especially due to that.

"There is a memorial to Kunta Kinte in Annapolis, Maryland.^[3] It is one of few monuments in the world to bear the name of an actual enslaved African; other examples include the Zumbi from Palmares Quilombo (a black leader of rebellions against slavery) statues in Brazil and Bussa statue in Barbados. It depicts Alex Haley, book on his lap, telling his family's story to three children." For more, click here.

That memorial and any other homage in whatever form that is erected to the memories of men and women such as Kunta Kinte, his daughter Keisa (Kizzy), Quilombo and Bussa are so well merited and deserved - for none should ever forget what these individuals have gone through. There are enough untold tragedies in this world - any one of those that has been recorded for posterity has to be preserved for posterity, for as long as the world endures as it is. One day, such sufferings shall be no longer a part of the world - until then, we must remember. It is touching to see and hear any reference that is made to Kunta Kinte, wherever it may occur, be it a Kanye West song or a Will Smith movie.

Kunta Kinte is a symbol of "gentle unruliness" for me and for many more due to his resolve and constant stance. He never accepted his condition as a slave. As long as he could, he kept attempting to escape. His body may have remained in bondage, but he remained a free man in every other way there is.

Kunta Kinte did recapture his freedom in utter completeness though - he became a free man once again and acquired the greatest of all freedoms when he departed this world and entered the realm beyond. A realm where slavery never existed and never will.

Kunta Kinte is a saintly man too, in *my* book.

Labels: Black History