GRIOTS REPUBLIC - AN URBAN BLACK TRAVEL MAG - OCTOBER 2016
In the October Issue of Griots Republic we cover GLOBAL DESIGN! From interior to sound design we plug into the subjects that interest urban travelers. Black Travel Profiles include: Brooklyn Circus Founder, Ouigi Theodor. Up In Air Life Founder, Claire Soares. Fashion Influencer, Jason Andrew and Blogger A.V Perkins of A.V Does What. This issue also includes interviews with International D.J., DJ Super Nova and street artist and designer Jerry Gant. This is Black Travel!
In the October Issue of Griots Republic we cover GLOBAL DESIGN! From interior to sound design we plug into the subjects that interest urban travelers. Black Travel Profiles include: Brooklyn Circus Founder, Ouigi Theodor. Up In Air Life Founder, Claire Soares. Fashion Influencer, Jason Andrew and Blogger A.V Perkins of A.V Does What. This issue also includes interviews with International D.J., DJ Super Nova and street artist and designer Jerry Gant. This is Black Travel!
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zation has nearly obliterated or ostracized<br />
many tribal and ancestral practices. Droves<br />
of natives have over the past few hundred<br />
years, traded in their ancient teachings for<br />
lessons found between the pages of Bibles<br />
and Qur’ans. Some natives even refer to<br />
ancient faiths as forms of witchcraft and<br />
idolatry.<br />
It was during his time in undergrad at Middlebury<br />
that the former architecture student<br />
decided to embrace that which had<br />
been labeled taboo through the help of a<br />
friend whose father is a Ghanaian spiritual<br />
leader.<br />
“He’s one of the first people that reached<br />
out to me like, dude, all these things you’re<br />
practicing are not really authentic and this<br />
is where our culture exists and who we really<br />
are.” Chakauya, who at that time decided<br />
to drop Patrick and go simply as Simba<br />
(which means “the power of God”) shared<br />
that his Christian background made him<br />
apprehensive at first but he believes his<br />
newfound convictions have made him more<br />
comfortable and self-assured.<br />
On the Butsu website, he gives viewers a<br />
personal view into this part of his life as<br />
his own personal shrine is featured on the<br />
site’s home screen.<br />
“Everywhere I go, I set up a shrine,” he said<br />
adding that he changes the water each day<br />
and keeps it looking beautiful in honor of<br />
those who came before. “You nourish them<br />
the same way you need to be nourished.<br />
You ask for guidance, protection, good<br />
health and they answer in abundance. It’s<br />
a sacred place and you’re the one who<br />
gives it all the power it has.”<br />
“If you’ve lived in different countries<br />
throughout your youth you don’t really<br />
know where you belong. And as you move<br />
further and further away from home, this<br />
(spirituality) is one of those things that<br />
grounds you in the western world.”<br />
Chakauya shared that while he is internally<br />
cogent, his boots won’t be staying put too<br />
much longer. The world traveler plans to<br />
explore much more in the future.<br />
“I want to go to as many places as humanly<br />
possible during my lifetime.”<br />
Ebony is the editor in<br />
chief of the Indianapolis<br />
Recorder Newspaper and<br />
Indiana Minority Business<br />
Magazine.<br />
You can connect with her on<br />
Twitter @ebonythewriter.