Guest Blog: Farlu and Jeflante: Necessary Factors in Afrikan Centered Realities by @IyaAdjua

Farlu and Jeflante: Necessary Factors in Afrikan Centered Realities

The Afrikan word Farlu (far-loo) means dedicated and the Afrikan word Jeflante (Jeh-flahn-tay) means reciprocal relationship (Online Wolof Dictionary, 2008). The conceptual meanings of these words, the adherence to and practice thereof are mutually necessary for Afrikan people. Mentally, physically and spiritually we need Farlu and Jeflante to maintain an Afrikan centered reality. The ideas derived from these words are not temporary, short lived or unstable. For Afrikan people Farlu and Jeflante are mandatory in that they are complementary to the establishment of life long cycles necessary to our human existence, for our Afrikan Centered Realities.

In regards to the human existence of Afrikan people, we remain collective in nature (Naim Akbar, 2004; Katherine Bankole, 2001; Wade Nobles, 2006), hence, Farlu and Jeflante are one with the other. These ideas are equally necessary to complete a cycle of knowing thyself, loving thyself and the continuing nurturing of Afrikan people. In a world of hostility that remains in existence for a majority of Afrikan people, we all need one another to survive and continue the proliferation of our worldwide existence. Farlu and Jeflante are mandatory in this regard.

With Farlu and Jeflante at the center, Afrikan people can attain life expriences of multiple dimensions. We can access many avenues to achieve our life goals as long as it includes the collective. Specifically, the concepts of, Farlu and Jeflante empowers the building of more extensions onto life journeys that are inclusive of Afrikan people as happy, loving and worthy. Farlu means dedicated and Jeflante means reciprocal relationship and Afrikan people who are unsure of where they belong in the human family struggle with these ideas due to a confusion derived from an “I, Me and Mines” mentality. This is not our Njia, our pathway (Molefi Asante, 2003), the possession of an “I, Me and Mines” mentality requires being Farlu (Jeflante cannot apply here as there’s never any reciprocity in this kind of relationship) to another set of people different from our Afrikan ancestors who left legacies, who lived, who struggled, who died, for our existence.

It is a voluntary betrayal of our Afrikan humanity to practice the ideas of Farlu and Jeflante towards our fellow human groups because doing so is usually to the detriment of our own Afrikan selves. The dilemma for many Afrikans is the belief in a false universal that glorifies Europeans as the ulitmate human. The actuality is that humanity has no ultimate universal being because the human is a part of the living being family and Afrikans are human too.

In seeing the whole picture of Afrikans as humans too, equality must emerge as a significant aspect and this is where Farlu and Jeflante are central to our Afrikan realities. Many Afrikan people think that being Farlu and having Jeflante only towards our fellow human groups is more valuable than a primary orientation towards our Afrikan selves. However, such thinking is the furthest from the truth because Afrikan people have always been a part of the human family. Our allowance of expendability is precisely why we need Farlu and Jeflante in our lives as a permanent way of thinking. These kinds of thoughts are essential to our Afrikan being and contributes greatly to our continuing existing within the human realm. Since Afrikan people are still here we must decide what kind of existence will we manifest during our mortal reality. I contend that it must be one that is inclusive of Farlu and Jeflante for a continuing Afrikan centered reality.

Iya Adjua, PhD www.wehemymesu.com