In the Summertime!
Five years after Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday, a plethora of observances were announced every weekend in June: from Oakland to San Francisco, Berkeley to Antioch, Marin City to San Jose. Some were free, some ticketed. Omnira decided against holding the annual Ritual of Remembrance and instead agreed to support other efforts.
Through Yu-Shuan Tarango-Sho of Sacred Roots, OI was invited to share space with young people organized under BAY-Peace and the Ella Baker Center to celebrate their new abode at Restore Oakland. They were joined by Danza maestra Patricia Juarez, who established an altar outside and greeted the directions with copal.
Inside, represented by Wanda Ravernell, Mandisa Snodey, as well as Heather Easley-Kandinski, an original member of the choir visiting from Portugal, Awon Ohun Omnira built a typical Juneteenth altar with a replica of a slave ship and the crops the enslaved people were forced to raise that made American colonies rich: tobacco, coffee, cotton, and sugar.
They built a similar altar for Oakland’s oldest Juneteenth observance, organized by Barbara Howard of B-H Brilliant Minds in the heart of West Oakland on 32nd and San Pablo on June 27. There, OI acknowledged the suffering of the enslaved by pouring the opening libation and offering a portion of “Oro Egun.”
As we’ve spoken of before, OI is collaborating with the Freedom Farmers’ Market sponsored by Farms to Grow, Inc., for a downsized version of the annual Oakland Black-Eyed Pea Festival. Veteran OBEPF vendors were invited to take part in their opening day, July 11, which coincided with the Annual Temescal Street Fair.
The Freedom Farmers Market holds its annual watermelon-eating contest, won by Oakland newcomer Ki’Ara LaFitte, seen here with Farms to Grow Executive Director Elaine Smith, holding her prize: a T-shirt and watermelon.
From our booth on Shattuck Avenue, where it converges with Telegraph Avenue, we had a view of the street fair stage named in honor of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party.
We will be back on Sept. 12 with Andre Thierry Accordion Soul Music, Awon Ohun Omnira, Wakan Wiya Two-Spirit Drum and more. By then, there should be black-eyed peas in the pod for sale by African American Farmers Association President Will Scott. Hope to see you then!
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