Part 1

GG EXPLAINS IT ALL

"Baby

do me a favor and

take out the dried black-eyed peas from the fridge.

I already sorted and

soaked them overnight.

Lord knows I wasn't tryna be rushin'.

Child, fix ya face and hand em to me.

I ain't gotta tell ya;

ya eatin them.

Ya just don't know;

to

ingest black-eyed peas,

is to become filled with a profound beauty,

that allows ancestral tradition to course through ya veins

guide ya through the course of ya life.

Well yes, as a child

I remember the smell of wet dog

creeping into my room to wake me.

How I loathe it.

Mhm.

But my mama not only forced me to eat black-eyed peas every New Years—

not caring one bit

about the rebellious tears that streamed down my face—

but she also imbued in me the feeling of obligation

to put a handful of peas in everyone's wallet or pocketbook

so that they would have money for the entire year.

So that a woman will finally be blessed with motherhood.

Get the ham hock and two onions out the fridge.

Go ahead and start choppin that onion. Imma need it in a min'."

+

The Manding call these black-eyed peas "soso,"

the Wolof call them "nyebe."

An ancient staple of the African diet,

the black-eyed pea grows well in hot,

droughtful conditions.

A symbol of resilience, mercy, and kindness.

Come add the onions in the pot.

"Now

stir it as I add the salt; cayenne pepper; herbs; meat.

When you've made this as many times as I have

you don't need to measure.

Our ancestors take rein, knowing the right amount every time.

After I put the peas in, fill the pot with water till e'erthing is covered.

Put the timer for an hour."

Nyebe, is the kind of cooked food one gives as sadaka—

righteously given charity—

to beggars on the streets of Senegal.

The kind of cooked food given to the poor blacks

inspiring them to survive and thrive.

"Come,

stand by me and witness the power of having

your tradition and culture establishing roots in your soul.

One day, you'll be able to hear them,

the hyms of ya people

caressing ya heart,

encouraging ya to continue to live."