Reasoning: Empress Menen Day Celebrations

Empress Menen Day Celebrations  to be kept March 25-April 3

by Rastafari Elder Nana Farika Berhane

Greetings,

As Rastafari women, we should celebrate Empress Menen every day.  Recent revelations as to to the correct date of her birth may be a timely reminder of our need to remember her throughout the year and not just on one day, although it is good to make the day for her earthlife the ites of our celebrations.

The celebration of Empress Menen’s earthday is the only Rastafari celebration that we have that celebrates woman, therefore we must be very careful how we handle the change of date.   We must strive to avoid confusion that would halt the mobilization of this celebration which year by year is becoming more popular.

My suggestion is that since the March 25th celebrations are in International Woman’s Month, that we continue them but instead of keeping these celebrations to ourselves, we cease being  selfish, and use the International Woman’s Month celebrations to let the international world know about our Royal Mother, and  get on programs that women are doing and let audiences know of Empress Menen’s achievements and what she means to the world.  I began working on pioneering Empress Menen celebrations when I had a vision of the Emperor commanding me to “Tell the World who Queen Omega is,” as the Rastafari seemed to have forgotten her and she was not being celebrated even in grass roots orders like the Nyahbinghi and the Bobo – just lip service was being given. So who knows if this “mistake” was not ivinely  sent to make us focus on bringing the good news of Queen Omega to the world?

ON April 3rd, we can then concentrate on earthlife celebrations, Nyahbinghis, concerts etc… for the congregation. Those of us who can, could begin our celebrations on March 25 by addressing the international women history month and close them on April 3rd with earthlife celebrations.  In the days between panel discussions, talks about Rastafari women and where we are coming from and where we are going would be in order.  We should not forget the youth and their future too as Empress Menen was devoted to youth, particularly girls and their education.

Have a blessed Empress Menen celebration

Nana Farika