“To gain knowledge for the future, demands wisdom of the past.”
💖Welcome to the Sankofa Newsletter Blog!
The word Sankofa originates from the Twi language of the Akan tribe of Ghana, West Africa. It means “go back and get it.” The Akan people believe the past and the future are eternally intertwined and any pursuit of knowledge must demonstrate this understanding.
The Sankofa Newsletter is a mini-guide to culture and news. A monthly publication that features four articles to inspire, enlighten, and stimulate intellectual curiosity. Get a free copy delivered to your email inbox today. Share, Like, Subscribe. Happy Reading! LaSheba Baker, Blogger
😊 Note: For email subscribers, you can click the blue title at the top “Edition” to connect directly to the web blog. This may provide a better copy to read.
Culture & News
The Benefits of Music
Music has a diverse set of tones, rhythms, and sounds that can invoke emotion or stimulate memories. Many societies have music as a key element in their cultural traditions. Physicians also recommend music for a variety of health benefits. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.”1 Scientists have found music can be useful in learning a foreign language, evaluating memory function, and testing sound capability of a fetus in utero. So, there are several useful purposes for music. Enjoy the music videos posted at the end of this newsletter. And add to your listening pleasure with a big ole bowl of Gumbo in celebration of its national holiday!
Reference:
(1. ) Johns Hopkins Medicine (Health). “Keep Your Brain Young with Music.” Retrieved on September 19, 2020. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music
Babbel Magazine: How to use Music to Help You Learn a Language
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/how-singing-can-help-you-learn-a-language
Live Science: 4 Unusual Ways Music can Tune Up the Brain (2014)
Art/Film/Literature News
Children’s Books
💖Anya goes to Jamaica (& Nigeria ) by Nikko FungChung & Fuuji Takashi (2019 kindle edition)
Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Jamaica-Anyas-World-Adventures-ebook/dp/B07QFCJRKT
💖IDIA of the Benin Kingdom by Ekiuwa Aire & Alina Shabelnyk (2020 kindle edition)
Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Idia-Benin-Kingdom-Our-Ancestories/dp/1777117925
Here are a few children’s books that introduce world travel, culture, and history. The Anya book series features a little girl on a cultural adventure to Jamaica and Nigeria. She explores their food, games, music, clothing, and hairstyles. It has a fun storyline and cute illustrations. Next, take a trip back in time to meet IDIA of the Benin Kingdom, a young girl destined to be queen. This book has a good storyline and beautiful rich illustrations. These are great books for children and adults!
NPR: Where’s the Color in Kids’ Lit? Ask the Girl with 1000 books and counting (2016)
Independent.CO.UK: If We Want Our Children to Thrive, Teaching Them to Read is Not Enough-They Must Learn to Enjoy It (2018)
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/children-reading-pleasure-learning-read-a8666611.html
Brightly: Black Boy Joy 30 Picture Books Featuring Black Male Protagonists
https://www.readbrightly.com/picture-books-featuring-black-male-protagonists/
Business/Non-profit News
Wellness Tea
Ms. Miracle Reese is a nurse and entrepreneur. Her company, TasTea Wellness Blends, offers loose-leaf tea blends of natural fruit and herbs. The teas are caffeine free and have a variety of blended flavors: elderberry, passion flower, green leaf, mango, orange, hibiscus, and peppermint.
Book Review
Oven Baked Secrets
Eugeena Patterson is a retired school teacher, blogger, widow, and grandmother. She has super snoop skills that lead to a life changing discovery. Her faithful sidekick Mr. Amos is not a gentleman-friend, he’s just a friend, of which she adamantly tells everyone. Find out more in the book: Oven Baked Secrets (A Eugeena Patterson Mysteries Book #2) by Tyora Moody (2015,162 pages, kindle edition).“What exactly are you up to, Mama? You’re not snooping around are you?” (kindle p. 62). This cozy mystery book has a great plot, good writing, and a cast of memorable characters. Definitely plan to read more of this series.
Tyora Moody, “Author of Soul Searching Mysteries with a Dash of Romance” Website
Video (3)
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