marcus garvey pan african university - Blackherbals.com

Continued from page 64 – THE AFRICAN TRADITIONAL
HERBAL RESEARCH CENTRE/CLINIC
traditional healers and herbalists through the prevention
and maintenance of diseases; 4) assist in the training,
upgrade and certification of traditional healers and
herbalists; and 5) preserve Ugandan' African traditional
and cultural healing practices.
Who are the Beneficiaries?
There are benefits for all stakeholders involved in this
effort such as the sick people in the community,
herbalists and other traditional healers, medical
practitioners, farmers, herb harvesters, handlers in
processing, market and distribution, and state revenues.
In addition, this venture guarantees an authentic supply
sources for herbs, herbal formulas and raw materials,
which in turn will help farmers develop a sustainable
market for organic foods and herbs. This in turn,
enhances our mission's objectives to connect Mother
Africa with her children in the Diaspora by
making African Traditional Medicines available
to African peoples and their descendents whereever we
are.
African Spirituality
The health of Afrikan people everywhere has always
depended upon the holistic aspect of mind, body and
spirit. Western medical concepts tend to ignore the
spiritual needs of our people. Contrary to popular belief,
the Afrikan Cultural Shrine is a symbol of Afrikan
spirituality and our cultural history.
Afrikan spirituality existed before any of the present
modern man-made religions and does not share in their
hypocrisy. The troubles that we have today result from
our going against the laws of Nature, ignoring our past,
who we are and what we are capable of becoming. Let us
as a people develop our Afrikan consciousness of mind,
body and spirit. This is our answer to the world around
us. This is where our power lies.
‘"We are an Afrikan people," simply reveals that there
are values, traditions and a heritage that we share
because we have a common origin. We are people of
African ancestry living in denial of who we are. We have
lost our strength as a people. We are losing our children
to systems which miseducate them. Slowly, we are
awakening to the need to claim our cultural legacy.
Culture is a powerful tool for inspiring human beings and
bringing them together in a concerted "family" action.
This cultural process allows people to continuously
affirm their connectedness through being linked to their
origins. This is perhaps our moment of truth. We must
come together as a family. We must do all that we can do
to uplift our people.’ Dr. Marimba Ani
Our Role as a Marcus Garvey Pan African
University’s Community Site of Knowledge
Our first seminar, in partnership with Makerere
University and the Pan African Movement in Uganda,
took place at Makerere University on June 26, 2006.
Our guest speaker was the notable African historian
Runoko Rashidi. It was there that we met Professor
Nabudere and Justice Tabaro. Later in 2007 we were
asked to join the Marcus Garvey Pan African Institute
for African Traditional Medicine. Our relationship with
Marcus Garvey Pan African Institute and Marcus
Garvey Pan African University (in progress) has more
pronounced since 2007:
• Served on the University Board of Trustees
• Served on the University Governing Board
• Served as advisory member of Faculty of Science
and Technology
• Assisted in developing a syllabus and curriculum for
African Traditional Medicine
• Developed teaching materials and courses on History
of African Medicine; African Nutrition; The Human
Body; Herbal Material Medica of Uganda; Code of
Ethics and Professional Conduct for Traditional
Herbalists
• Taught courses at the Mbale campus at the certificate
level.
• Participated in University cultural events in Lira,
Mbale, Kapochawa and Kampala
• Interaction with other community sites of knowledge
• In conjunction with the University and Medicine
Africa, Lira (another community site of knowledge),
we are establishing a “demonstration farm” using
traditional agricutural methods to produce food and
herbs for local use and for export, as a teaching tool
for students in Traditional Farming.
History is the landmark by which we are directed into
the true course of life. The history of a movement, the
history of a nation, the history of a race is the guidepost
of that movement’s destiny, that nation's destiny,
that race's destiny. What you do today that is
worthwhile, inspires others to act at some future time
Marcus Mosiah Garvey
Blackherbals – A Marcus Garvey Pan-African
University’s Community Site of Knowledge
-65- Traditional African Clinic August 2013