Updated
May 17, 2004
Gambia Tourist Support - Reg Charity No 362/2003
World Respect for God
Kunte Kinte makes his way 'Back Home' to his ROOTS in Gambia, he was taken as a slave to America, but nver forgot his homeland, Mary felt it was time for him to go home
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Roots is the story of one slave taken from Gambia to work in America, his African name was Kunte Kinte and he struggled all his life to hold on to his name and his African identity and always tried to go home.
The book was originally presented as the family history of Alex Haley (the author) but has since been shown to lack real historical evidence of a genuine thread from Haley to Kunte Kinte and the Gambia.
But the book paints a vivid image of what went on and the lack of fact does not reduce the power of the story to tell the truth about slavery and those who supported it and opposed it.
Sadly, slavery and/or oppression still exists around the world even inside Gambia and it is to be hoped that actions like this of Mary's will show the Gambian people that although a Nation may behave without love & respect individuals can be good and loving - everywhere.
Comments to GTS
A few weeks ago a received an email from America from
Mary DellaCroce
Some years ago Mary started an Organisation called 'World Respect for
God' her aim is to promote peace and love by making quilts and sending
them to world leaders to promote those aims.
She wanted to know if GTS could help her in her mission to get her quilt back to the Gambian people and she asked where it might be sent.
I suggested the National Museum, or the Museum in Arch 22, Tanji Village Museum, the Roots Museum in Albreda and even our own Lifestyle Museum in Brufut, I also suggested that if it was framed it could maybe visit each museum on a rotation.
Mary decided she would like it to come to GTS as a starting point and she'd leave it to us to decide.
The Quilts journey to the UK was not straight forward Parcel Force do not deliver to P O Box numbers and so back it went to America - At last it is in the UK having travelled thousands of miles.
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In October 2004 the Quilt will travel back to Gambia and be placed in a frame of Gambian Mahogany to protect it, with a message from Mary to the people of Gambia, expressing her sorrow "for the evil that existed during his lifetime. His stolen feedom was a crime against all humanity"
The message Mary is sending is one that others may wish to contribute to - GTS would like to raise the funds to make a frame worthy of the Quilt and sentiment that it carries - should you wish to make a donation towards the framing - please contact me.
Any funds over the cost of the framing will go into the GTS Charity account and the names of all the contributers will be noted with the quilt as a demonstration of our committment to make a change in the world.
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