Celebrating the Native, African and European cultures at Heritage Day 2018

6th year offering a Libation to honor the Ancestors at Hampton"s Heritage Day. I had no idea that the very next day, I would be holding my fathers hand as he passed into the realm of the Ancestors.

For the second year, I performed a Historical Reenactment of Ancestor Mary Peake who risked her life to educate the free and the enslaved.

Thanks to Bro Greg "TwoHawks" and Sis Diane for the beautiful Native welcome. Asante sana to the Goddesses Bonney and Kerri for drumming for the Libation. Thank you for all your hard work Seamus...another beautiful and memorable Heritage Day as we celebrate the three cultures that laid the foundation for Hampton today; the Native who were here and were massacred, the African who were brought here against their will through the horror of enslavement and the European who settled here. I pour Libations for the spirits of our BELOVED Ancestors! Sage burns..Ashe...Aho

#TheSANKOFAProjects

Giving Voice to the life of Ancestor Educator Mary Smith Peake

Giving voice to the Ancestors and excavating the untold stories of the freedom fighters and pioneers who paved the way has been the focus of my work since my time at the New York African Burial Ground Project nearly 30 years ago. In 2015, I began performing Historical Reenactments of Ancestor Mary Smith Peake and have continued to give voice to her life and story. She was a free woman and risked her life and safety to educate free and enslaved Africans. She taught the children of the enslaved the newly freed and is known to have recited the first public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation under the Emancipation Oak tree on Hampton University. I've performed at Heritage Day the past two years and for the National Park Services Freedom Seekers Summer Youth Experience at Fort Monroe last July.

Honored to do this sacred work!!! Honored to tell her story. Honored to honor these beloved Ancestors!!!! Left photo Mary Smith Peake Right photo; Reenactor Chadra Pittman Walke

Image on left from Under the Freedom Tree by Susan VanHecke Image on right Pittman Walke as Mary Smith Peake at Fort Monore- Freedom Seekers Summer Youth Experience #TheSANKOFAProjects #MarySmithPeake #FortMonroeNationalMonument