What is the Maafa?
The Translation

The Maafa translated into English means 'The Enslavement of (Mama) Africa'.

It is derived from a Kiswahili word meaning disaster, terrible occurrence, injustice or great tragedy. When capitalised it refers to the oppression of African people murdered, raped and inhumanly enslaved by invading arabs and europeans.

The definition includes the subsequent subjugation, contamination and loss of indigenous African cultures, languages, spiritual beliefs and encompasses the historic and ongoing commercial exploitation of Africa’s human and natural resources through enslavement, colonisation and neo-colonialism.

Why Mama Africa and Enslavement?

The words Mama Africa and enslavement in the English translation of Maafa have a special symbolic relevance.

Mama Africa is a direct reference to Africa being the birth place of humanity and the cradle of civilisation; it reminds us that the people and culture residing in the Diaspora who were stolen from the continent remain African; it also reasserts that all African societies held the role of women and motherhood in high esteem before the Maafa and the contamination of foreign cultures, languages and religions.

The word 'Enslavement' is used to make a definitive ideological distinction between 'slavery' by the oppressors and the 'enslavement' of African people. It remains immoral and inappropriate to commemorate 'slavery' which relates to the actions of the oppressor. British slavery is not the same as African enslavement. The only respectful commemorative process is that of a remembrance or memorial focused on reversing the injustices committed whilst restoring the history and legacy of the African people and culture lost through the process of enslavement. Slavery memorial is not the same as African remembrance.

The Oxford Dictionary defines enslave as;
'[To] cause (someone) to lose freedom of choice or action'

The Cambridge Dictionary defines enslave as;
'[To] control and keep someone forcefully in a bad situation'

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