Rootwork isn't just a blog, it is a field guide for the children of the diaspora. It is a journal, a scrapbook and photo album, filled with insight, rituals, and recipes for the brothers and sisters of the yam. I created this space for my own personal documentation and for those who desire to reconnect with their roots and engage with the principles and practices of afro-indigenous spirituality. My hope is that this blog will serve as both a sanctuary and a reference for those who are seeking guidance on their journey.

"The sweat of our love is in the soil.." - Nana Peazant, Daughters of the Dust

Rootwork or “Conjure” is a practice of collective resistance strategies created by our ancestors. These African derived spiritual practices were crafted to relieve and alleviate the afflictions of racism, discrimination, and economic inequality. As descendants of the cotton, rice, and indigo we are tasked with preserving this culture and continuing its legacy. By uprooting the imprints of colonized consciousness and remembering the ways of our Kin we honor their contributions, safeguard our heritage, and protect Mother Earth for the wellbeing of our children’s children.

“It follows then that primitive cultures normally deal with the physical world at the last stage. What goes wrong in the visible world is only the tip of the iceberg. So to correct a dysfunctional state of affairs effectively, one must first locate its hidden area, its symbolic dimension, work with it first, and then assist in the restoration of the physical (visible) extension of it. Visible wrongs have their roots in the world of the spirit. To deal only with their visibility is like trimming the leaves of a weed when you mean to uproot it. Ritual is the mechanism that uproots these dysfunctions. It offers a realm in which the unseen part of the dysfunction is worked on in ways that affect the seen.” - Malidoma Patrice Some, Ritual: Power, Healing And Community

Some of the topics discussed here include:

- Ritual & Altar Work
- Ancestral Veneration
- Spiritual Herbalism
- Land Stewardship (Farming & Gardening)
- Traditional Foodways
- Spiritual Study & Practices (Tarot Divination, Prayer, Sacred Texts)

Join me and countless others who are a part of the "Returning Generation", remembering the ways of our Elders and reconnecting the roots that colonialism severed.