She Who Holds the World: A Global Ode to the Mothers of Africa and the Black Diaspora
The Greatest Holiday the World Forgot to Celebrate
Every year, Mother’s Day comes and goes—greeting cards are exchanged, flowers are sent, and meals are shared. But what if we told you that this holiday deserves to be more than a day of mild gestures? What if Mother's Day was seen for what it truly is: the most sacred and universal celebration of all? A day not just to honor a role, but to honor the origin of all existence—Mother.
Before the first empire, before the first language, before time was even measured—there was her. The Black Woman. The African Mother. The First Mother.
From the Cradle of Civilization in East Africa emerged “Lucy” (Australopithecus afarensis)—the first known woman of our species, whose remains are a reminder that every human being walking this earth shares a mother. And she was African.
This blog is an offering, a libation of words to those mothers—of the past, present, and future. We honor their sacrifices, their spirit, their stories. We honor the single mothers, the grandmothers, the aunts, the godmothers, the chosen mothers, and the entire village of women who carry the world on their backs.
The Four Mothers: Honoring Africa’s Cardinal Matriarchs
Africa, the womb of the world, is rich with rituals that celebrate and revere motherhood across its cardinal directions. Each region has its own way of lifting up women, steeped in tradition, spirituality, and deep reverence:
Northern Africa: The Divine Feminine of the Nile
In Ancient Kemet (Egypt), goddesses like Isis (Aset) represented motherhood, magic, and protection. Mothers were seen as divine life-givers, with rituals centered on fertility, birth, and nurturing. Even today, North African communities celebrate mothers with music, prayer, and gatherings that honor their enduring wisdom.
Western Africa: The Ancestral Pillar
In Yoruba, Akan, and Igbo traditions, the mother is central to community and cosmos. “Iyami Aje” refers to the sacred power of women in Yoruba cosmology. Market queens, matriarchs, and elder women are honored with ceremonies, food offerings, and proverbs that pass down generations of wisdom. These practices laid the foundation for matriarchal strength in the diaspora.
Eastern Africa: The Cradle and the Keeper
Here lies the land of the first woman. Traditions like those among the Oromo and Maasai honor the mother as the center of family life and spiritual well-being. Birth ceremonies, naming rituals, and oral storytelling preserve the legacy of the maternal line.
Southern Africa: The Hearth of Ubuntu
The concept of “Ubuntu”—I am because we are— is anchored in the nurturing role of mothers. From the Zulu to the Xhosa, mothers are not only caregivers but moral compasses of the community. Ceremonial dances, praise songs, and initiations honor their life-giving essence.
From Homeland to Diaspora: The Traditions That Crossed Oceans
Even through the horror of the transatlantic slave trade, African traditions honoring mothers survived. In the Caribbean, “Mother’s Day” celebrations often include Sunday church services, cooking ancestral dishes, and family gatherings resembling West African rituals. In the American South, “Mothering Day” traditions tie back to Gullah Geechee culture, where matriarchs are revered as keepers of spiritual and practical knowledge.
The Haitian “Manman”, the Jamaican “Mumma”, the African-American Big Mama—all echo back to the original archetype: The African Mother.
A Salute to Single Mothers: Warriors Without Armor
To the single mothers raising kingdoms with empty hands and full hearts—we see you. You are the ones who turned every “no” into a “not yet.” Who braided your daughters’ hair while wiping away your own tears. Who showed up at every game, every rehearsal, every parent-teacher meeting, carrying both hope and hardship in your heart.
You are not just mothers. You are architects of resilience.
And now, as you watch your children grow into the people you prayed they’d become, the sacrifices bloom into legacy. You did not just raise children—you raised nations.
A Call to Action for the Men and Sons of the Diaspora
This Mother’s Day, don’t just say it. Show it. Here are ways to truly honor the women who raised you, loved you, and made your world possible:
Give Her Rest: Take on the responsibilities she usually carries.
Honor Her Stories: Ask her about her life. Record her memories.
Create a Ritual: Start a tradition that celebrates her every year—beyond May.
Invest in Her Dreams: Support her passions, not just her roles.
Protect Her: Emotionally, mentally, physically. Stand up for the mothers in your community.
Why AfriKin Celebrates Mothers
AfriKin, as a movement, celebrates the richness and relevance of African thought, art, and life. And there is no richer symbol of that life than the mother. The AfriKin Mother is the bridge between the ancestral and the futuristic. She is the custodian of values, identity, and purpose. To celebrate her is to celebrate civilization itself.
We remember her in drumbeats, in lullabies, in recipes passed down through generations. We remember her when we speak our native tongues, when we dance, when we fight for justice, and when we dare to dream.
Mother’s Day: The World’s Most Important Celebration
Imagine a holiday where every human being, no matter race, class, or nation, pauses to honor the first source of life. Imagine global monuments lit in tribute to mothers. Public rituals. Ancestral tributes. A collective remembering of who we come from.
That is what Mother’s Day should be.
Because to celebrate mothers is to celebrate life itself.
In Closing: Let Us Never Forget Her Name
Let us say her name with reverence. Let us call on the ancient ones—Nana, Mama, Mzazi, Omolara, Isis, Iyami, Makhosi—and thank them for carrying the world before the world even knew their worth.
To all the Mothers of Global Africa and the Diaspora:
You are not just celebrated.
You are sacred.
You are the beginning.
You are the forever.
As your son, I thank you forever for all you have done for me...
— Alfonso Brooks for AfriKin
CALL TO ACTION:
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