February is Black History Month in Canada! It's a time to study, recognize and celebrate the history and achievements of Black Canadians. Championed by the Ontario Black History Society, Canada's Black History Month was first officially celebrated in 1996. This year’s theme is “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” Explore Kitchener Public Library's resources below.
To kick off Black History Month, we had a conversation with Michelle Bonsu about her work preserving generational knowledge. Bonsu is a Ghanaian-Canadian cultural worker and the creator of Asase Ba. With a strong emphasis on Sankofa, ancestral wisdom and alternate futures, Bonsu produces cultural work that documents her people's stories. She is passionate about oral tradition, African knowledge systems and is the host of the Asase Ba podcast.
Michelle Bonsu will lead an African Knowledge Systems workshop at Central Library on Saturday, February 8 at 2:30 p.m.
In conversation with Michelle Bonsu
What inspired you to create Asase Ba?
I created Asase Ba in 2019 to highlight Ghanaian and Ghanaian-Canadian stories that are often untold or silenced. I wanted to see more platforms amplify our stories and saw this as an opportunity to honour my ancestral legacy of oral tradition. Asase Ba started as a podcast and has since expanded into an educational platform where Ghanaians and the African diaspora can access written, audio and video resources about queer identities, cultural work, and traditional knowledge.
What made you choose the medium of podcasting to tell these stories?
I grew up listening to podcasts. It's one of my favourite mediums and I always loved how creative, intimate and experimental podcasts can be. My work is also available in written format and video, and I'm excited to keep expanding within these mediums.
Can you tell me a little bit about Sankofa and its importance to your work?
Sankofa means "go back and get it" or learning from the past. It’s often paired with an Adinkra symbol, symbols which represent Akan proverbs and serve as a repository of ancestral wisdom. Sankofa is often depicted as a bird with its head turned backward, holding an egg in its beak. This idea is central to my work, which focuses on honouring and learning from my history, culture and ancestral wisdom.
What are some elements that make African knowledge systems different from other ways of knowing?
Some elements of African knowledge are community, nature, spirituality, elders, holistic learning and oral tradition. This is different from Western knowledge systems which prioritize individualism, formal institutions, the written word, categories and a "seeing" worldview.
How has your knowledge of these systems impacted your everyday life?
Learning about my traditional knowledge has helped me feel more rooted in my culture, my sense of self and community. It can be challenging to apply this framework since we live in a world and exist within structures that prioritize Western knowledge. However, applying African traditional knowledge and practices can be as simple as speaking with elders and recording their stories, using interactive storytelling to teach youth about history or working in collaboration with community members.
To learn more about African Canadian History, Bonsu recommends reading Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard.
A big thank you to Michelle Bonsu for taking the time to share her thoughts with us! Learn more about her work on Asase Ba, Instagram and TikTok.
Kitchener Public Library Resources
Upcoming Programs:
African Knowledge Systems with Michelle Bonsu
Saturday, February 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Central Library
Funky Fusion - Celebrating Black History with Jazz Funk Dance
Thursday, February 20 at 7 p.m. at Central Library
Children's Dancehall Delight
Saturday, February 22 at 2 p.m. at Pioneer Park Library
Curated Reading Lists:
We have a great collection of materials that highlight Black history in Canada and beyond. Check out our Black History Month list for children and our list for adults.
Virtual Library Resources:
Explore our collection of free online resources with your Kitchener Public Library card!
- Sounds and Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land is a five episode series that takes you from Kingston to Kensington Market to learn how reggae made its roots in Canada. This series follows some of Jamaica's brightest stars as they leave their homeland behind to shine their light in an unlikely hub of Caribbean creativity: Toronto. Find it on the National Film Board database.
- Ice Breakers is a short film that follows the journey of a gifted Black hockey player. It tells his story through the buried history of a pioneering Black hockey league in Atlantic Canada. Find it on the National Film Board database.
- Ancestry Library Edition has genealogical resources to help you explore your Black family history. Ancestry Library Edition can be accessed at any Kitchener Public Library location.
Enjoy exploring these resources for Black History Month!