When you get a peaceful moment, I want you to close your eyes and imagine a sea of desks in a classroom setting. Behind each desk are little brown, tan and black faces reciting poetry fluently in a language that was created to honor their ancestors. Imagine these children excitedly raising their hands to answer questions from their instructor. Imagine textbooks and reading books translated in this language opened in front of them. Can you imagine it?

Have you ever seen the faces of children when they know the answer to a question a teacher asks? When they have mastered something not everyone else has? When they are extremely proud of something? You could light a city with the glow from these faces. Their joy should be infectious to us all. With children just as with this language, the possibilities are endless.

Hodaoa-Anibo is a language created in 2003 as a tribute to Africans brought to the New World starting in 1619. No, this language did not grow organically. Its growth process was sped up and it was nurtured in a greenhouse of languages. Coffee grounds helped to fertilize its soil. Yes, it is a language, but it is growing like a flower - needing to be watered, needing its share of sunlight… needing love to blossom.

It is not only a work of art, but also a representation of the growth potential in the African American community. It is living and evolving art that pays homage to our bloodline who came before us. Who struggled and wanted more for themselves and for us. It is for their determination to find strength where they could and for those determined to survive because they found something worth living for.

Hodaoa-Anibo is a representation of our struggle past, present and future. A mark designed to remind us that our ancestors who were beaten, raped, maimed and killed didn't endure these violently oppressive acts for nothing.

In order for our community to grow and thrive, there has to be a positive "newness" introduced every so often. Just like the development of a human body. A girl discovering the "newness" of womanhood will find her mammary glands swelling and a boy discovering the "newness" of manhood will stumble into the awkwardness of his changing voice.

In this, our community is the same, and without the introduction and communal discovery of our "newness," we fall prey to stunted growth, communal retardation or self-destruction. I am not saying that this new language is going to save us of ourselves or work any miracles. No. I am simply saying that it has so much potential to do so much good if we can embrace or simply accept its "newness."

So - okay - this language is dedicated to our folks who were forced here. That's understood, but how is slavery relevant to the language other than it being the position of the captives of 1619? Although not by title, our people who were first brought here were the first African Americans. Technically that term wouldn't hold water, since they were viewed as less than human in the first place.

Because of the mixture in lineage of African, European and Native American blood, Hodaoa-Anibo reflects this mixture with Bantu, European and Native American languages. It is somewhat taboo to mention these other mixtures for unspoken fear of being viewed as disloyal to the race.

However, it is also difficult to decipher the statement of fact from braggadocios claims that imply superiority due to these same mixtures. We are all aware of our community's hang ups with hair and skin, which effects have driven a wedge between our own as if we were differentiating those who would work in the "house" from those who would work in the "field." A harsh side effect of oppression.

I don't expect everyone to appreciate or understand the reason behind its creation. On the contrary, I'm actually expecting an epoch of mass disputes. As I just mentioned, our culture is built on division. However, I am grateful for the progressive visionaries who will look above and beyond the negativity and journey together with the rest of us to explore the bright and beautiful possibilities of this language. There is so much room for expansion and so much room for history - folks making a name for themselves in it. "Odaoa" means, "reclaim" and there is so much odaoamaki that needs to be done. We are its future.

© May 2006 By Afromerica