Copy of interview with local newspaper "The Marietta Times" which appeared on September 17, 2007

Marietta author recounts history of slavery

Obatiaye Cetewayo

Age: 64

Address: Marietta

Education: Attended Grambling University

Occupation: Author, lecturer and musician

Family: Fiance, Brigitte
Throughout his life, Obatiaye Cetewayo of Marietta has explored issues surrounding slavery in the United States. He has written down many of his thoughts and collected them in a recently published book, “From Plantation Purgatory to the Promised Land". It is available on-line at major bookseller sites.

Question: What subject matter does your book cover?

Answer: The publication chronicles—it’s written in prose and poetry—it chronicles the aspect of the African-American journey from slavery up unto the reclaiming of heritage ... that ... was given to those that were scattered to the four corners of the Earth and a re-gathering of that.

It also illuminates the message that was given forth back with the conclusion—or at least on paper conclusion—of slavery dealing with the Emancipation Proclamation and message that was brought forth later by Marcus Garvey in returning to the Motherland and reclaiming of self-identity aside from what had been acquired through the imposed journey here on the North American continent that basically consists of dwelling in a plantation environment being subservient to the will of the slave master.

Q: What is its message?

A: Aside from the initial assessment of my work, which is sort of, I guess—depending on the view—that it has a very controversial conception because of the fact that it appears to have a racial context, but that isn’t the full depth of the message.

The full depth of the message of my book is for those of the African culture heritage, those that are considered today to be African-Americans—it is a re- acquaintance with the true identity of self and culture as those that are part of the black man family and it really is meant to inspire those who are so submerged in false identity and the misconception of who they are to reawaken them.

This is basically (what) my lectures, I’m lecturing, it revolves around that particular message. And also the broader context of the book is to bring into harmony the flowing aspect of all humanity where everyone was put upon the Earth to participate in a particular aspect of things as the Creator intended it—not based on race or color of skin but the mere fact that everyone has a place upon the Earth and for harmony to be—everything should be in its proper workable environment.

And so the book, like I said, on the different critiques I’ve been exposed to, it brings about a lot of controversy but it’s all good because it brings out the positives and allows a greater explanation of what I’m expressing, which is, as I said, is about a reclaiming or reawakening of one’s true identity, culture identity as well as a basic inheritance of that which was given to the Creator initially to those to return to repatriate. And that is the underlying theme of the book.

Q: What inspired you to write it?

A: Well it came to me, I was moved to do it, the original manuscript was done back in 1995-96 and it sat on the shelf due to I was involved at the time being a musician—I was with the internationally known band called Third World, played percussion and did lead vocals.

The book came back into season and it was time for it to be presented and it came forth in April past and now I’m intent on what I embrace as my mandated mission in life which is to enlighten to give an enhancement of awareness to identity of self without the overshadowing aspect of any degree of racial connotation.

I’d like to remove that eventually. So it’s a work in progress for all humanity—that people come to a realization it’s about working together. but before there can be a successful working together, there has to be a correction in individual houses. As they say, you’ve got to get your own house in order before you can direct the course of how someone else should or should not be living.

Tim Brust conducted the interview.