Recently, a series of e-mails took place between myself and Mamaissii Dansi Hounon, a Hounon of the Vodou of both Ewe and Tchamba lineage. For me, the most profound realization was the dichotomy between the intellectual understanding of all our African roots, and our ritual recognition of this reality. Understanding that all life and energy originated in Africa, we may feel that our respect and propitiation of our ancestors automatically implies respect and propitiation of our African beginnings. It is simply not so. To quote Mamaissii: "If they have taught you how to plant, cultivate and harvest the grain, and you give thanks only to the baker of the bread, they will feel quite offended. If you do not mention your ancient African ancestors with your mouth, then you will not be heard by them." It struck me as a profound, and practical, truth. A truth that the Foundation needs to highlight.

It is a continual struggle not to be trapped in the Eurocentric Logic Pattern that places intellect before experience. While ultimately, all spirituality, and our expression of it, can be logically understood, it can often only be so viewed if the experience proceeds the understanding. Egun/Egungun worship is an example of this. To understand, as science has discovered, that all of us share the same genetic code as a single African Mother, is simply an intellectual artifact. It has no spirit or power in our lives. To acknowledge, propitiate, honor, love and connect with this stream of timeless energy has profound power and influence on our daily existence.

If we only honor our Western blood lineage, it is much like connecting to a small pool of water. If we extend our reach to the Spirits and Energy that initially created and nurtured us, we sweep away the dams and dikes created by the ugliness of prejudice and Manifest Destiny, and become part of a vast and powerful energy stream that can sweep us to our destiny