Months in the African Cultural Calendar
The African Cultural Calendar (Africalendar) combines both our history and the purpose of a calendar to tell our people’s story in time. A year in the Africalendar is a journey through our history from the Nile Valley to the diaspora. The months in the Africalendar represent our history from the beginning to the current time. The first month is called Kemet. Kemet is from our beginning; it is one of the first great societies our ancestors built. The year in the Africalendar ends with a renewal period called Kwanzaa. With the African Cultural Calendar, we journey through our history and cultures as time flows from Kemet to Kwanzaa.
Afrimonth: Kemet (Jan 2 to Jan 31)
The africalendar starts from almost at the beginning of the people’s history. The first month in the afriyear is Kemet. The word Kemet means black. It is the name that Africans in ancient Egypt called themselves and their country. Egypt has been called “the light of the world” and Kemet is the light that starts the year. The history of Kemet is the history of civilization and it is an achievement of the people. Our history cannot properly be written without starting with Kemet. Our people from the Ashantis to the Zulus place their origin in the Nile valley, where Kemet flourished. Kemet reflects the beginning and that is the reason that the africalendar begins each year with the month Kemet.
Afrimonth: Nubia (Feb 1 to Feb 28/29)
Nubia is the second month in the African cultural calendar. It is similar to February, in that it has 28 days or 29 days in a leap year. Nubia is one of the great civilizations that form the foundation of the people. It was located south of Kemet but it preceded and may have even given birth to Egypt. Nubia and Egypt shared many similarities. Egypt adopted symbols of royalty similar to those of Nubia.
Afrimonth: Meroe (Mar. 1 to Mar. 30)
Meroe rose to prominence after Nubia. It was a capital city of the well known empire of Cush. It was located along the Nile valley, close to modern day Sudan. It shared similarities with Nubia and Egypt including writing styles.
Afrimonth: Axum (Mar. 31 to Apr. 29)
The afrimonth Axum got its name from the society that existed on the east coast of Africa. Axum is an old civilization that predates biblical times. This highly developed society existed for thousand of years and became known to the outside world as a Christian society. This was the home of Queen Sheba mentioned in the bible. Axum is still alive today. The Ethiopia we know today is a part of Axum, Queen of Sheba’s empire.
Afrimonth: Ghana (Apr. 30 to May 29)
The afrimonth Ghana recalls the empire of the same name from the west coast of the continent. The empire of Ghana existed for over 1200 years. It extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the west bank of the Niger River and south from the Sahara.
Afrimonth: Mali (May 30 to Jun. 28)
After Ghana comes Mali in the africalendar, in the same way that Mali rose after Ghana had shown the way. Mali is the second of the great empires in West Africa. Its boundaries stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to Gao on the east side of the Niger River and south from the Sahara to the tropical forest. This was the country of Mansa Musa. Mali was known internationally and maintained commercial and diplomatic ties with foreigners.
Afrimonth: Songhai (Jun. 29 to Jul. 28)
Songhai was the last of our great empires on the Continent before the start of the Diaspora. Songhai rose after Mali and included all of the people and territory of Mali. However, Songhai extended further to the east including parts of Chad and northward into the Sahara. Songhai covered almost twice the territory of Mali. It included the famous cities of Jenne, Kano and Timbuktu, the renowned centre of higher education.
Afrimonth: Nzinga (Jul 29. to Aug. 27)
Afrimonth Nzinga recalled one of Africa’s greatest daughters, Queen Nzinga, the unconquerable. Nzinga was queen of Ndongo and Matamba in modern day Angola. She waged a long fight against the slave trade and the invading colonizers and their religion. Her fight for freedom and independence exemplifies the struggle of the people since the year of the push and pull.
Afrimonth: Quilombo (Aug. 28 to Sept. 26)
Quilombos were found throughout the Western Hemisphere, especially in South America. In other places they were called Maroons' society. Quilombos are example of African resistance throughout the diaspora. The term itself is an African word and may be considered one of the first African words planted in the diaspora. They were organized settlements of Africans who rejected assimilation and refused to be enslaved.
Afrimonth: Tubman (Sept. 27 to Oct. 26)
The afrimonth Tubman is named in honour of Harriet Tubman, Queen Mother of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman was born around 305 otd and she freed herself from slavery. She was disappointed that there were no one in freedom to welcome her; so she returned to slavery to free her people from bondage. Harriet Tubman led hundreds people to freedom in the North and Canada. During the Civil War, Harriet served the Union troops as a cook, scout, spy and nurse. After the war, she established an old-age home for African-Americans. Ever the Queen Mother, she looked after her people in both slavery and freedom. She has been called "Moses to Her People" but Harriet Tubman was "Queen Mother", in the true sense and meaning of that role.
Afrimonth: Yaa (Oct. 27 to Nov. 25)
The afrimonth Yaa is named in honour of a truly outstanding Queen Mother. Nana Yaa Asentewaa was Queen Mother of the Ashanti in what is now Ghana. When Yaa was born around 334 otd, the war against the oppression of the colonizers was already fifty years old. After a hundred years of struggle, when all seemed lost, their power broken and their king exiled, Yaa stood up, she refused to break and she refused to go quietly. On Nubia 27, 384 otd, Yaa renewed the battle against oppression. She laid siege to the enemy's fort and fought for the people’s freedom. She joined the ancestors in 403 otd but Yaa should never be forgotten and that is reason we mark time with her name.
Afrimonth: Garvey (Nov. 26 to Dec. 25)
Marcus Mosiah Garvey earned a place in the africalendar for being one of our greatest leaders since the "year of the push and pull". Garvey’s message to Africans at home and broad is that we were once great and we can be great again. Yes, we can! Marcus Garvey is our only leader who believed that it is possible for Africans to be whole again. Garvey was born in Jamaica on 20th Nzinga, 371 otd; Garvey gave the people’s struggle to renew their lives, its clearest and loudest expression. Garvey’s message to the people is as clear as black is beautiful. He is honoured in the African cultural calendar for his vision, leadership and courage.
Afrimonth: Kwanzaa (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1)
The last day in the afriyear is Garvey 30th. Kwanzaa in not considered an afrimonth; it is a renewal period. This renewal period is name after the first fruit festival Kwanzaa. It is a period that symbolized how the people have renewed themselves after the year of the push and pull. In the renewal period the old year and the days are transitioned. The seven days in the renewal period are named the same as the principles of Kwanzaa. The date in the renewal period is given by the principle and the year. The first day in the renewal period in the current year is Umoja .
