Friday 13th - Afri-centric analysis
By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
January 10, 2012At the outset, it must be stated quite equivocally that Friday 13th is neither negative nor Black. It is also not a day that portends illegality, bad luck, frightfulness or alarm.
All of the afore-mentioned are only modern-day, as in the A. D. era, Euro-centric conceptualizations, albeit misnomers, replete with superstition about number 13.
The fact of the matter is that during the B.C. era in ancient Kemet (Egypt), there was nothing negative about the number 13. This negativity is the European derivative that reflects Isfet, that is, the chaos, imbalance, disorder, disharmony and anti-nature way of life that has ruled the planet for the past five hundred years or what deceased Guyanese anthropologist Dr. Ivan Van Sertima termed "the five hundred year curtain."
In its original context in ancient Kemet (Egypt), number 13 represented Transformation, Resurrection, New Life and Rebirth. It was spiritual, positive and powerful at its core.
The stark historical reality is that the United States is founded on the powerful and spiritual belief system of number 13 in ancient Kemet (Egypt). Hence, it is no accident that the Founding Fathers of the United States selected the 4 July 1776 as their Day of Independence.
In other words, the 4th July fell within the Kemetic spiritual pantheon of the "Summer Solstice" which lasted from 21 June to 4 July - 13 days. More specifically, on the 4th July 1776, the United States was then Transformed from a colony of Britain to a sovereign, independent nation-state. Thus, it is no accident that at the time of its independence, the United States also had 13 colonies. Accident?
Moreover, when the US Constitution was ratified/signed on 17 September 1787, thirteen out of the forty signatories were steeped/educated in the ancient Kemetic/Egyptian spiritual belief system called Freemasonry. Accident?
Indeed, the very year, 1776, adds up to thirteen while the month of July represents the 7th month of the year. In ancient Kemet, seven represented Completion; in other words, the Founding Fathers of the United States chose July because it represented the Completion of the American War of Independence from Britain. Accident?
Truth Be Told: The 13th amendment to the US constitution gave the African slaves a New Life as freedmen and it need occasion no great surprise also that Jesus Christ left home at age 13 years "to be about his Father's business"; that is, to be Reborn as "saviour of the world" who "washed us from our sins in his own blood."
Let the record also reveal that the participants at the "Last Supper" included Jesus Christ and his twelve Apostles, thereby adding up to thirteen present.
Furthermore, with the anomalous election of an African-American as President of the United States, now is the time to delete such derogatory labels as "Black Monday", "Black Friday", and "Black Box" from the jargon/lexicon of human interaction/communication.
In the final analysis, as African people all over the world celebrated 2011 as the "International Year for People of African Descent", now is the time to put a positive/powerful spin on Friday 13th. Number 13 embodies respect, spirituality and the achievement of human perfectibility among all peoples.
Now is the time for everyone to heed the poignant, apocalyptic admonition of the slain African-American Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as follows: "Now the judgement of God is upon us; we must either learn to live as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools."
Shem Hotep ("I go in peace").
Dr. Kwame Nantambu is a part-time lecturer at Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies.
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