Eku Odun,

Feliz Ano Novo,

Happy New Year!

Blessed that be the ties that bind…thank you Auntie Lucy

Those who have gone before me, continue to live within my heart and soul; I am a thriving extension of that living heritage. ~R.Califa Calloway

Live from #MAAGI! -blogs, blogging, blogger…

#Dancestory2013 – Live from #MAAGI! Midwestern African American Genealogy Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. Having launched from post-crash SFO, simply ecstatic to have traveled well and arrived safely. Institute Director, Charles Brown, Jr piloted the way to ensure my stay,  as I touched down and was warmly welcomed by kinship Kreative Pandemonium, Weedie and Andrea for a wonderful night in “ da Lou”. Gillespie Hall ushered a good night’s rest in the dorms upon the Historic Harris-Stowe State University. This historically Black public University is in the forefront for producing some of the nation’s first Educators.

My morning was like *whoosh*, the trek is fast here with jewels and gems of #Genealogy information shared, specializing in various topics of African Ancestored Family histories.   After ooohhh’s and ahhaa’s at the breakfast chat listening to a wealth of personal stories connecting to Africa to freeborn Africans in Virginia, my class of the day begins with Bernice Bennett blogtalk host of  “Research at the National Archives and Beyond” with over 164,00 listeners to her show.  Bernice gives us an assignment to produce our own blogtalk radio show – by this evening *gulp* I volunteered to help brand, suggest talent and contribute creative content *wink*     Check back as this assignment continues to unfold and shall be featured upon Bernice’s show forthcoming.

My study trek core is “Genealogy as a Profession” led by the nationally acclaimed Angela Y. Walton, [see “The Beginning Genealogist” in the featured links section ] co-presented along with leading researchers in the field, such as Shelley Murphy of Afro American Historical Genealogy Society – Central Virginia Chapter, and Nicka Smith, photographer, genealogist blogger with noted site of East Carroll parish and chronicling her journey: http://blog.atlasfamily.org  Ms. Angela is a researcher and Blogger and nationally renown for her research and work on Oklahoma Native American records.  She presents a multitude of reasons to blog, recanting compelling stories and more. The class was led to engage in a brisk “lunch brunch” chat on Afrigeneas.com.  This chat session online is a like a freeway of information exchange of core members, experts and community associations. It was completely exhilarating to participate with the organization that sponsored my tuition as I was enthusiastically congratulated.

About the blogtalk show, we’ve come up with a name for the show, listened to select “Congolese” music for consideration of background music and elected our host…stay tuned for details and look forward to a wealth of tips forthcoming on this blog. ~R. Califa-Calloway, #Dancestory2013

#Dancestory2013 – BKNY Steps UP 4 OAK!

JUL3rd- A twitter-call out to Dance-kinship and Ms Denae Hannah answers! – Denae Dance Theatre creates performances from the physical collision of pop culture with high art. Current project: FIVE STAR CHICK. 411: denaehannah.com #RiteOn

#Dancestory: Algiers/New Orleans – ‘cross river ties

R. Califa, pictured at the historical colonial holding grounds in Algiers for Africans, before being sold to Market ‘cross river to eventually Congo Square; it also became the holding area for Cajuns dispelled from Nova Scotia; Today it remains a historical landmark, sacred space and didactic learning experience about the folks and culture of those times as it were – bearing “the names” of those African nations actually brought to port./~nzo.califa

See Her #Dancestory2013:  http://youtu.be/1nQfV3evqBI