I think all of us are trying to come to terms with the amazing experiences we were invited into in Cape Verde. From the moment of our early arrival to the last minute of our delayed departure - every element, every moment of our waking and sleeping time was filled with Cape Verdian "morabeza" or welcome. It was truly magical - and I think we are all trying to find ways to process, document and capture those things that were so remarkable in Cape Verde before we get so engaged in what we are doing now and what is yet to come that we forget.

For me every moment of time in Freetown, leaving Freetown, trying to sail to Dakar, in the Cape Verde islands and now as this profoundly symbolic middle passage begins is probably best captured by video, tape recorder and pictures. Words just fail to do it justice.

Last night as I was being nuzzled by Fogo - Johnny Kamarra was up on the wheel singing: "Oh Africa.... Oh we leave from Africa.... Oh Amistad... Oh Sengbe Pieh....
Godbless Mummy.... Godbless Daddy..... Oh Africa....."

Logan was down at the chart table pre-computing his evening stars....
And Amistad was rolling along gently finding her way west.

In my mind - I saw the grave yard where Johnny told me his mother and father are buried.... I remembered the night when Johnny shared with me how his mother had been killed right in the back yard during the civil war. His song like a hymn filled me with the magnitude of just what we are doing.... How amazing it is to be a part of making this whole journey happen... How each of us, every moment of every day engaged in the work Amistad does in the world, is a part of a spiritual journey of going forward while going backwards too. Sankofa - the bird cradling an egg on its back under its back turned beak.

Today - during class Nina, Chris and Toby presented on their research on the island of Fogo. Discussing the brief impressions they got of the people on Fogo being independent, being of a different heritage from the other islands. Our two newest crew, Seco (a Sierra Leonian, born and naturalized in Guinea-Bissau, a 6 year resident of Cape Verde) and Carla (Brazilian journalist working in Cape Verde for the last 6 months) - helped us engage in an animated discussion of Cape Verdian identity. Although our experiences in Cape Verde should not be used to generalize, the impression we got of a confused cultural identity were played out in the conversation that ensued. It was fascinating.... Seco claiming that Cape Verdians are Africans but unable to come to terms with this because of the way the Portuguese taught them to see Africans as less than.... Carla saying that Cape Verdians who say they are not African should be trusted to know who they are..... The Sierra Leonians related to one side or the other of this debate - saying that Freetowners feel they are not African, because they are the descendants of Free slaves.... Mickey, a Black Bermudian, kept saying " I am not African, I am Bermudian" - at which point some people confused Bermuda with the Caribbean.... In my mind though - I thought - what an interesting parallel - Bermuda has just about the same proximity to the US as Cape Verde has to Africa - yet Mickey feels no such conflict.... I, for one, kept wishing the people of Cape Verde could see how wonderful it would be just to celebrate being Cape Verdian.... but clearly they have many miles to go negotiating for themselves the dual identities they inherit - Portuguese and African - Black and White - Kriol and Mixed race..... Stark streaks of independence illustrated on each island, in each individual and as a wonderful collective.....

It is nice to know this dynamic and challenging community on Amistad is able to live in the heart of the matter - singing, working, discussing, and engaging in the work of healing and getting beyond our differences.... And to end today's class, Johnny lead us in a wonderful rendition of "Doumee doumee dou somongay.... Doumee doumee dou somongay..... Doumee doumee dou somongay Ohhhhya." "Let us all come together, let us come together and share, as we are one together."

The weather has been beautiful, rolling in behind us - gently getting each and everyone through some brushed with sea sickness, the flu and a bit of Montezuma.... somehow the Immodium order and the Pepto did not get sent to us - and boy are we realizing it.... but even these ailments are being well taklen care of and appreciating the time we have to get used to the ship being at sea again and to engage in the wonderful discussions and challenges of working together. Tomorrow we will set the topsail - and I expect another thousand images, sounds and moments will some to pass. And all 16 of us will try as best we can to capture in words and still images the spirit that seems to be carrying us along and asking us to be fully present here in a sea filled with blood and memories.

Speaking of such images - back when we were in Liverpool - the Tate Museum there in Albert Dock was showing an African American artist's work, who does this remarkable white on white collages. Sailing the middle passage, I see a few of her works in m y mind's eye: pen and ink drawings of almost scientific precision depicting intricate clumps of brilliantly green seaweed. Inside each strand or pod of the seaweed the artist has drawn African heads....eyes... Today while pulling a bucket of seawater aboard, I noticed several comb jellyfish - translucent - swimming in the bucket - each with one black dot ... for an eye... or a mouth.... or.....

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