Descendants’ Day 2024
Drum Procession & Libation Ceremony
Drum Procession leading Descendants through the Descendant Grove and to the Remembrance Structure
Ceremonies honoring the ancestors who were enslaved at Menokin and their descendants began with a procession to the Remembrance Structure led by drummers Slam Stewart (SlamOne LLC) and Alberto Limonta Perez.
“Drums have been an intrinsic part of African life for countless generations. African drums are traditionally played to communicate, celebrate, mourn and inspire.” (Author unknown)
For the enslaved, drums were often used as a means of communication.
Veronica Williams, great great granddaughter of Sedwick Gordon, sang Negro Spirituals setting the tone for the Libation Ceremony led by Priestess Omiyẹmi Green.
“The libation ritual, as interpreted by many African traditions, is the offering of drink to ancestral spirits. After the pouring out of the liquid and calling out the names of those who have gone home, we affectionately, boldly and loudly say Ashe (so be it).” (August Wilson Society)
At the conclusion of the Libation Ceremony, Alynda Gordon, descendant of Daniel West Gordon, and Nina Henderson, descendant of Stafford Gordon, Jr., took flowers from the Remembrance Structure to the Tree Grove, placing them at the base of a tree in tribute and thanksgiving to the ancestors.
The trees in the Tree Grove were planted in honor of the families who were enslaved at Menokin.
Photos courtesy of Steve Gordon, Taurin Gordon, & Tiffani Joi Gordon