For Black people and people of the Diaspora, giving libations is a way of remembering and honoring the ancestors.
It’s a way of remembering the names of those no longer with us in the physical form, honoring the legacy that continues to live on within us.
When we give libations, we pour liquid to honor the cycle of life, bringing our remembrance of their spirit back to the earth so new life can flourish.
We say Ase—a word stemming from the West African Yoruba tradition to give thanks— giving thanks to the essence and the life force energy of our ancestors.
The sound of the water that plays throughout the meditation represents the sounds of the Atlantic ocean, honoring the Diasporic journey and the lives lost during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
The libations begin with honoring Nina Pop, a black trans woman who was murdered inside of her Missouri apartment in May. Too often we…
