GRIOTS REPUBLIC - AN URBAN BLACK TRAVEL MAG - OCTOBER 2016

zation has nearly obliterated or ostracized
many tribal and ancestral practices. Droves
of natives have over the past few hundred
years, traded in their ancient teachings for
lessons found between the pages of Bibles
and Qur’ans. Some natives even refer to
ancient faiths as forms of witchcraft and
idolatry.
It was during his time in undergrad at Middlebury
that the former architecture student
decided to embrace that which had
been labeled taboo through the help of a
friend whose father is a Ghanaian spiritual
leader.
“He’s one of the first people that reached
out to me like, dude, all these things you’re
practicing are not really authentic and this
is where our culture exists and who we really
are.” Chakauya, who at that time decided
to drop Patrick and go simply as Simba
(which means “the power of God”) shared
that his Christian background made him
apprehensive at first but he believes his
newfound convictions have made him more
comfortable and self-assured.
On the Butsu website, he gives viewers a
personal view into this part of his life as
his own personal shrine is featured on the
site’s home screen.
“Everywhere I go, I set up a shrine,” he said
adding that he changes the water each day
and keeps it looking beautiful in honor of
those who came before. “You nourish them
the same way you need to be nourished.
You ask for guidance, protection, good
health and they answer in abundance. It’s
a sacred place and you’re the one who
gives it all the power it has.”
“If you’ve lived in different countries
throughout your youth you don’t really
know where you belong. And as you move
further and further away from home, this
(spirituality) is one of those things that
grounds you in the western world.”
Chakauya shared that while he is internally
cogent, his boots won’t be staying put too
much longer. The world traveler plans to
explore much more in the future.
“I want to go to as many places as humanly
possible during my lifetime.”
Ebony is the editor in
chief of the Indianapolis
Recorder Newspaper and
Indiana Minority Business
Magazine.
You can connect with her on
Twitter @ebonythewriter.