Wanda's Nia 2023 Birthday Party

 Wanda’s Program:

1. Welcome and Libations (with Dar lighting the Kinara)

2. Introductions & Testimony, Talking about Wanda

3. More food, talking, dancing 

Habari Gani?

Nia: Purpose

Why are we here?

What is our legacy?

How is our being, value added?

We don't want to over-consume, leave a deficit

Ase to the yet-to-be-born who've been here before

Ase to those seated with us

The unseen and the seen

Ase to potential

Ase to earthseed, water, air, the oceans, and the trees

Fire

Can't forget the refiner

Master Shaper

Ase to human genius and sentient beings' wisdom

May we make strong bonds between us

We say Ase to those above

To those below

To those inside

To the place where light brightens our days

We say Ase to the place where the light retreats

We say Ase to the North

We say Ase to the South

We say Ase to the East

We say Ase to the West

We say Ase to all the Points on a compass grounding flesh to earth

We are one

No greater than the particles covering the beach

We call the tiny rocks sand

We say Ase to those great people, women and men whom we honor

Peace makers

Conjurers

Warriors

People who believed in freedom

People who could not rest

We come by our restlessness honestly

It's in we genes

If we world incorrect, we straighten it out

We who cannot rest do this

It a DNA thing

We, some of we, be born into it

It a thing we do

Change the world with our hands

Speak right words

Walk good

It's in the choreography

Like some of us born with rhythm

You know

We call the names of our mamas and her mama and our great grandmamas, great-great grandmamas and our great great great great grandmamas and she sisters . . . and we keep calling even when we don't have a name. We know they're there cause we're here.

It's in the blood, but it's bigger than blood memories

We in this together people

We share one earth

One world

Pachamama

So call your motherline . . .

We honor a mother father creator who doesn't make mistakes. We are here on purpose-- Nia. It's that Nia thing. Tomorrow's principle is kuumba or creativity. The 7th day is imani or faith.

Yesterday was Ujaamaa or cooperative economics. Umoja or unity was day 1, Dec. 26. Day 2 was Kujichagulia or self-determination and Day 3 was Ujima or collective responsibility

And again Ujamaa was yesterday and today is what? People

Nia or purpose

We say Habari Gani?

What's the news?

Nia

Purpose

We call the names of our heroes but you know the song, everyone is searching for a hero.

Does anyone remember the song. . .

Mariah Carey's Hero, Lyrics

There's a hero

If you look inside your heart

You don't have to be afraid

Of what you are

There's an answer

If you reach into your soul

And the sorrow that you know

Will melt away

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you

It's a long road

When you face the world alone

No one reaches out a hand

For you to hold

You can find love

If you search within yourself

And that emptiness you felt

Will disappear

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you,

oh, oh

Lord knows

Dreams are hard to follow

But don't let anyone

Tear them away, hey yeah

Hold on

There will be tomorrow

In time you'll find the way

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you

That a hero lies in you (2X)

Mmm, that a hero lies in you

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Mariah Carey / Walter Afanasieff
Hero lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music

Photos: TaSin, Ava, Juanita, Dar and others