By LaMar Anderson | October 22, 2020 | 6:00am
Can you please tell us about yourself and your business?
My name is Shamika Webb, and African Traditions LLC was founded nearly three years ago. It was during a pilgrimage to the motherland where I entered into Ghana, and on one of the tours, there was an opportunity to go into a slave dungeon in Cape Coast. Our second was El Mina dungeon; some call it a castle. Where, here the ancestors began to provide a download to remind people who they are, where they come from, and how we have the ability to take absolutely nothing and create something beautiful out of it. In that human experience, and although we are here in the western world and the diaspora, we can not forget who we are and where we come from. We are our ancestors.
The store is not just art. It has clothing, accessories, and events such as Sip and Paint parties, Spoken word, also drumming classes where you learn how to build the drum and play correctly. Lastly, there’s our Kemetic yoga in which we work our energy. Understanding that we are supernatural divine spirits having a supernatural human experience. At Afrikan traditions, you learn who you are; and how to embrace that empowerment.
Have you been selling in Leimert Park Village for the last three years?
Leimert Park is very new to me. I had come as a consumer for quite some time. It was nice to see things happening and wanted to be a part of that. Although were brick and mortar, I take advantage of the opportunity to come. This is our second month vending here. We take Sundays because we are closed to come out here and network with our people.
Before your trip to Ghana and the motherland was part of your supernatural human experience studying history and your connections to the ancestors, or was it thru the download that you decided to do what you do? Was that the impetus for African Traditions?
If I went grassroots, it is in my DNA. It is innately a part of who we are as highly melanated individuals. Our alchemy is now at a peak where we are reading things. We are hearing things, we are communicating, our frequency has changed. So it was at that moment I knew that Leimert Park was something I wanted to share with the community. There is an even energy exchange.
How often do you frequent Leimert Park and Los Angeles?
This has become more relevant in the last seven to eight months before COVID. I would come once every three months. Now where things are, as I mentioned, the frequency has changed. I am definitely compelled to be here more often.
How can we connect to support you; and African Traditions LLC?
Oh, that’s easy. Simply support each other by shopping Black. Reaching back to Black Wall Street to communicate-exchange-with each other to circulate that dollar. On the website, we have our inventory if you want to shop online. We carry antique and modern art as well as instruments, accessories, clothing, authentically made handcrafted in the villages of Ghana.
Where is Afrikan Traditions brick and mortar store located?
We are located at 900 S. Valley View Blvd Suite 110, Las Vegas NV 89107, nearly five minutes from the downtown area and 15 minutes from the Las Vegas strip.
You can also find us on any of our social media platforms.
FB @ cultureinVegas
IG: @afrikantraditions
Afrikan Traditions
900 S. Valley View Blvd. Suite 110 Las Vegas, NV 89107
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