While the “Peace Searchers” honors Vodou adepts as those who search incessantly and passionately for peace and harmony, the images in this section cover a wide range of practitioners of African Traditional Religions (ATR) through-out the diaspora who are the guardians of tradition knowledge and memory-holders.
Our songs remind us we are the roots of the tree of life, “ Se mwen mem, Rasin— o” (traditional Haitian song) and that the battle for peace and justice is yet realized, “… Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on ‘til victory is won” (“Life Every Voice and Sing,” Black National Anthem)
In memorial of the late Rastafarian queen, Mere Jah (d. 2024), together with her widower Pere Jah, were among the eldest Diasporic Africans to repatriate to the African continent. They chose Benin, Republic as their home.
In Nigeria Babalawos and other spiritual leaders are pouring libations to commemorate predecessors vanquished in the Maafa.