Happy Mother’s Day, Ladies. I pray that you had a wonderful day of recognition, reconciliation, and love.

This is the second article on family. However, we will approach the theme of Mother’s Day from a different perspective. This perspective broadens the concept of motherhood to encompass the idea of nurturing. To achieve this, we must examine the cultural aspect of nurturing among people of African descent. Our Africanism is the foundation we inherited from “The Motherland” or “Mother Africa.” 

I was curious as to why mother rather than father.  Well, let me share a few facts that I found out in my research:

First, it has been widely accepted that Africa is the origin of all humankind, i.e., the birthplace of humanity. It is the second-largest continent in the world and the place where humans first walked upright. This is the land where archaeologists found the oldest remains of Homo sapiens, as well as other evidence that supports this assertion throughout the continent of Africa. Thus, one can conclude that birth is indicative of being a mother.

Second, Africa has the oldest civilizations. Despite the inclination to separate Egypt from the African continent, the Nile River and pyramids are indeed located there. Cleopatra and the pharaohs were part of a rich culture, and many scientific discoveries originated there.  On the other side of Africa was Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa, where archaeological evidence shows prehistoric civilizations flourished long before the Islamic culture took over.  It was a place that had books and traded gold and ivory.

Third, there is immense diversity in natural resources and culture. Diamonds, gold, oil, copper, deserts, waterways, animals, and lush forests are present. There are over 2,000 distinct ethnic groups, each with its own languages and cultures. The colors of Africa are vibrant, featuring many intricate patterns and motifs. Equally important, it is filled with strong, resilient people who have undergone centuries of change but have survived and contributed significantly to the world. Africa is not a country; it’s a continent with 54 countries. 

Africa has given birth to millions of people around the world.  Therefore, it is “Mother” to so many people, places, and things.  It is a remarkable continent.

What are you talking about, Dr. Lou, and what does Africa have to do with nurturing and Black women? We women of color who were captured and taken to North and South America are nurturers because we have inherited the legacy of humanity. Africa is the oldest inhabited continent in the world. We have taught others about organizing communities, establishing families, creating cultures, and developing languages. We have shown the world how to raise children so that they understand respect and responsibility, and we have established rituals for assuming the roles of husband, wife, sons, daughters, and grandparents. We possess a strong sense of community and have defined what that means.

We taught the world that a mother is not defined by blood but by community. Nurturing is not limited to one who gives birth physically, but also to one who provides love and support. It can be a friend, a teacher, a confidante, a critic, a neighbor, or a relative. Women’s roles in many African cultures share characteristics we might need to adopt. I call it community nurturing.