Trail Running in Wakanda
I didn’t know if I was going to get up to run.
The madness of everything going on here in the United States with the protests, rise in violence and event the shooting deaths of two people already had me tense. Then, like a cruel joke played on someone at the absolute wrong time, I was alerted to the passing of actor Chadwick Boesman. After several minuets of disbelief, followed by denial, it sent me into an emotional spiral, ranging from shock, anger, sadness to disillusionment. I spent the next several hours in pure grief. Chadwick, as the Black Panther, became an actor who had come to symbolize so much that the Black community desired to see in themselves. 2020 proved again, to take what we love so dearly and it took our Brother and my desire to get up and do my planned trail run.
By 1 am all I wanted to do is sleep. That night had really taken a lot out of me emotionally and I really didn’t care what time I woke up. When I opened my eyes, I could tell it was still very early in the morning. It was going to be an overcast day. I stepped outside and you could see the fog across the NY skyline and smell the ever accompanying morning dew. But in the far distant I could hear someone calling me. Or should I say, some thing. It was the Mountain. It was calling out to me saying that I needed to run. That I needed to heal.
When I got to South Mountain Reservation I set my mind for an 8 mile trail run. The Reservation has a number of different trails and I try to diversify my workouts but this morning I wanted to run my favorite. Ironically, when I discovered this trail some years back, I gave it my own personal name “The Wakanda Trail. ” It was because of how much I was spiritually in touch with nature as well as feeling a sense of being transported back to my ancestral Homeland of Africa. I saw this trail as a challenging training ground in mind, body and soul and, of all the trails I run, there was not a second thought that this would be the one I would run today.
For the past several months I have purposely ran without music as a way to increase my mental focus and to quiet my mind but, for this one, I decided otherwise. Fela, the musical Afro Beat legend and African Human Rights activist from Nigeria would be the one to be the soundtrack of my journey through the mountain. As I started my run, the powerful and overwhelming horns from Fela’s “Water No Get Enemy” blared into my ears. I am not going to lie. I have never cried when running, but as soon as those horns hit, tears flowed down my eyes.
“Water No Get Enemy
dey talk of black man power;
dey talk of black power, I say”.
In this case the tears was not of sadness but of prideful rebellion. The feeling that we as Black people, whether here in America, across the Diaspora and the African Continent itself, have been in a constant struggle to take back our humanity and freedom. The rhythm from the horns and drums, a trademark of Afrobeat, had set the pace for me. I found myself going at a pace of almost 2 minuets faster than my normal mile. Listening to “Water No Get Enemy,” that line, “Dey talk of Black man power” when you’re running through the woods? It just hits different.
It will be a while until real freedom is achieved for Black people in this world but, until then, I shall allow the trails to both strengthen and heal so I can continue to press on.
I pushed, I pressed, I journeyed. In the movie Black Panther, there are scenes where the living travel to the place of where there ancestors are to seek guidance. This is not just lore from movie but spiritual practices in many cultures, especially those of African and Indigenous cultures. As for myself I am one to believe we carry the DNA of our ancestors and so the connection to them has never left. So, for what would turn out to be 10 instead of 8 miles, I spoke to my ancestors seeking knowledge, guidance and healing. I breathed and let the trail provide me the clarity I needed for my path and purpose. I guess that is why I called this my run through Wakanda. Because Wakanda represents all we as Black people of the Diaspora truly seek: to be seen in all our greatness and to be healed from the scars of constant physical and emotional battle. That said, it will be a while until real freedom is achieved for Black people in this world but, until then, I shall allow the trails to both strengthen and heal so I can continue to press on. To the ancestors, thank you for allowing me to journey to you and please take care of our Brother Chadwick.
#WakandaForever