African Culture Quotes

“Most people write me off when they see me.
They do not know my story.
They say I am just an African.
They judge me before they get to know me.
What they do not know is
The pride I have in the blood that runs through my veins;
The pride I have in my rich culture and the history of my people;
The pride I have in my strong family ties and the deep connection to my community;
The pride I have in the African music, African art, and African dance;
The pride I have in my name and the meaning behind it.
Just as my name has meaning, I too will live my life with meaning.
So you think I am nothing?
Don’t worry about what I am now,
For what I will be, I am gradually becoming.
I will raise my head high wherever I go
Because of my African pride,
And nobody will take that away from me.”
― idowu koyenikan, Wealth for all Africans: How Every African Can Live the Life of Their Dreams

“You can no longer see or identify yourself solely as a member of a tribe, but as a citizen of a nation of one people working toward a common purpose.”
― idowu koyenikan, Wealth for all Africans: How Every African Can Live the Life of Their Dreams

“Put your hand over your heart and say aloud, “I am not alone.” Your ancestors walked before you and we, your sisters on this cosmic quest, walk with you.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“What I desire desires me.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“You are the goddess. You are the temple. Your life is the prayer.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“The witch is a dangerous person. Neither his appearance nor his behaviour betray his satanic nature. He does not wear special clothing, he does not have magical instruments. He does not boil potions, does not prepare poisons, does not fall into a trance, and does not perform incantations. He acts by means of the psychic power he was born. Malefaction is a congenital trait of his personality. The fact that he does evil and brings misfortune owes nothing to his predilections. It brings him not special pleasure. He simply is that way.”
― KAPUSCINSKI RYSZARD

“*Africans, Embrace One Another*
--------------------------

My fellow African,
when you look at another African,
what do you see?
Do you not see the reflection of yourself?
Do you not see someone who was once a victim of the dark past?
Someone who has now emerged as a survivor at last;
just as your forefathers did before the shadows enslaved your kins!
Do you not see the same colour of your skin?
Do you not see the same texture of your hair?
Yes, you see yourself, it's clear.
Now, since you're looking at your reflection,
don't you wish to cover yourself with affection?

Beloved Africans,
you were once the victims of confusion in the past.
But you shouldn't remain in that disillusioned class.
Today you're free and enriched with resources to maintain yourselves.
Let the victim mentality go as a start.
Like the three wise men, embrace your survivor status.
Be wise and be resourceful.

Africans,
you have the permission to celebrate your roots,
your heritage, and the teachings of your books.
Go on and heal your bodies with your traditional herbs.
And teach your children the secrets of your ancestors.
Tell your children that your ancestors were self-sufficient.
Efficient, your ancestors lived well
— with little to nothing.
Yet, they were the happiest.
The merriest.
Embrace the secrets of your traditions,
just like the seas.
You're safe and free.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“Let my path be blessed. Let the path of all those on this journey be blessed. Let the path of all those not on this journey be blessed.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“We fear that if we heal our trauma bonds, we are betraying the tribe. No, our ancestors want us to heal the bloodline. That is evolution. That is why you were born.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“Unbury your ancestors. The spirits of the people you love want to be unburied.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“Abundance is the way of the Universe. Walk by a field and notice how many kinds of flowers and insects there are. Don’t you want your children to be abundant? Don’t you think that your Creator wants you to be abundant, too?”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“You are being called to bear witness to your own joy, magic, and power. Will you heed your own call?”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“We are not here by accident. The sages predicted this time. We are out of alignment with Asase Yaa, aka Mama Nature. Life is out of balance. You see what is happening. There is upheaval in the atmosphere. Old systems are being dismantled, structures are breaking, and illusions are being exposed. The patriarchy is in shambles. This is the moment to summon the sacred within and step boldly into our sacred energies as queens, warriors, sorceresses, and lovers. We must nurture the goddess within to course correct.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“No more saying that you’re not worthy, no more feeling like you’re not enough, no more watering yourself down to make other people feel safe. No more to not living up to your own dreams and full magic. No more.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“You are not betraying your ancestors by healing your trauma.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“The holy grail is you. You thought yourself to be rejected, lost at the crossroads of fate and free will. You were treated like a stranger. But you were home all along.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“People always point to an idyllic view of the healers of old, who didn’t seem to need money—at least in our present-day imaginations. The equivalent of a “thank you goat” for a healer living in Chicago is someone swiping their bank card for her services.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“You now stand in an elevated circle of goddesses who are here to guide you in your shift from surviving to thriving.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“Throughout the diaspora, we have countless traditions to wield the wand that commands life to bend.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“I have seen disparaging comments on social media toward my fellow African American and Afro-Caribbean people throughout the diaspora. People saying things like, “they’re wearing beauty shop dashikis” or “they’re grasping at straws because they don’t know anything about Africa.” Listen, we get our healing the way we need to. And if I put on a beauty shop dashiki, it’s because that is what I have access to. And I will rock it—proudly—and be connected to my motherland and my Source in the way that my womb energy tells me is connective for me.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“I’ve had motherland-born African family tell me I don’t have a right to my Africanness because my ancestors were sold. I have had multi-generation African American family tell me I don’t have a right to my Americanness although I was born and raised on Black soil in the U.S. of A. I have had Guyanese family tell me I don’t have a right to the culture that birthed my parents, grandparents, and their great-grandparents because I am a “Yankee.” For all these folks, I am an orphan. But that’s their problem, because only I get to define me, and I own all of my spiritual, cultural, geographical, and genetic DNA.”
― Abiola Abrams, African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy

“Never forget your home as you sojourn in foreign lands my son. We’ve waited for your return to our beautiful land where winds still whistle your name and wooden gongs pronounce you a worthy son of your ancestors daily. That soulful journey to our mystical river to cleanse your naked feet is in the journal of your life written by your forebears. As it’s written, the full moon will guide you through the narrow path to your destination. You'll arrive at a special place where your ancestors will witness your transformation into a Shaman, a spiritual healer you’re destined to become.

On the appointed day, as your name travels throughout our land, choice palm wines will find worthy palates to celebrate your soulful return. As your ancestors had written in the book of promises about your return before the last moon of the year, African sun will massage your skin during the day and harmattan wind will fan you to sleep at night. Hurry back home my son.”
― Fidelis O. Mkparu, Soulful Return

“The dream is for Africans to realise who they were originally meant to be.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“I WAS ABUSED!
I WAS A VICTIM OF ABUSE. HE SPIT SPUT, DOGGED MY SPINE, DAMAGED MY RIB, PUNCHED MY FACE, RIPPED MY CLOTHES OFF.
MOURNED ON MY BODY,
SQUEEZED MY SKIN, PIMPED AND POUNDED THROUGH IT, CUT MY HYMEN INTO TINY PIECES OF FLESH, GONG GONG THE CATHOLIC BELL.
RUN THROUGH ME, POISED AND MY BACK WAS HIS BRIDGE.
PRUNED MY UNRIPE SKIN, FETISH ON MY SKIN I WAS THERE WATCHING HIM.
SEPARATED FROM MY BODY AND SOUL.
A VINE WITH OUT FLAVOR THAT WHAT HE LEFT.
A VINE WITHOUT TASTE THAT WHAT HE LEFT.”
― Tapiwanaishe Pamacheche, Depth of colour

“Africans have always shown skin. In Africa, the Sun forms part our attire. We don't hide from the Sun, we wear it. To wear something is to have your skin exposed to it. Showing skin, in the context of the African culture, has nothing to do with sexual connotations.”
― Mitta Xinindlu