Goombay! 2009 and in the Future

We are blessed… another year, another moment in time, another community reunion, another opportunity and gift to celebrate our African/Caribbean Heritage and Culture… Our Goombay!

Asheville has towed its own visions, images and celebration processes in the creation and co-creation of our Goombay! Festival since 1982. The individuals, the YMI the community chose to take a stand to create and give birth to our Annual Goombay! Festival… and stood we have! As our history dictates, and as a community we have moved from a one day celebration to an outrageous, out of the box, never happened before three day celebration… a whole weekend.

It saddens me deeply, the circumstances, imagined or real
abbreviated our Goombay!… excluding our SUNday! As I view our
country’s economic challenges, certainly it creates concerns for
everyone, we are all affected… the question for me is how I choose to
be affected? One aspect has emerged, individuals across our country are
creating new and inventive ways to sustain themselves, their families
and communities, going where they have not gone before… CREATIVELY.

Could it be that circumstances provides a springboard to
catapult us into creating sustainability… even within a local
festival? Could it be?

2010 will offer us another moment to gather and elevate our
visions, elevate our outrageousness, celebrating our beauty, our
heritage, our culture. An opportunity to ask myself… What shall I do?
How will I show up? What stand will I take to support the YMI, our
community, our celebration, our Goombay!? Are you asking the questions?

I choose to acknowledge and give thanks to all who have danced
the dance, drummed the drum to bring about our tremendous and awesome
gathering each year… our Goombay!

Respectfully,
Fatimah’ Rashida Shabazz
Asheville, NC