Akiwali Journey: A Jamaican Reality

By Ansell Akiwali Walters

Akiwali Journey, is my (Akiwali Walters) autobiography and is a record of my life’s reality. My journey has been made embracing the values I hold dear, as well as the lessons of wisdom gained from the people and experiences that have impacted greatly on my life. Values, such as a strong family ethos, embedded by my parents, in me and my siblings, as well as the connections of our family relationship have been central throughout my journey.

This autobiography is laced with the memories of events from the tender age of two, going through my infant school years through to primary. It records some interested events during the school years right up to attending my all-age-school where my school life was ended prematurely through unfortunate events outside of my control. It records my early years venture into the world of entrepreneurship, my apprenticeship into the world of horse racing, my sporting endeavours, my career as a fine artist and business owner. These last two activities that being central to my life’s endeavours over the years.
As a full fledge professional Fine Artist, I was afforded the opportunity to travel the globe and to get to share my skill alongside other Fine Artists from the famous Trafalgar Artist Group in Jamaica.

This book relates many events from my realty. I have been involved in many event enterprises from the West to the African Continent. I am fortunate to be able to feature some amazing and solid Jamaican Fine Artists who have been such a bright light on my journey and who have given me abundant support along the way. Amazing human beings like my apprentice master, ‘Sir’ Robert Bryan. This book also shines the spotlight on my sporting exploits in the realm of basketball and swimming and my connection with Aqua Youths Sports Club.

Of course, I cannot overstate the importance of my wife and children to my journey. They have been a source of strong support and encouragement, not to mention a tremendous motivation for me to do the things I do.

This book allowed me to revisit some inspiring moments in my existence. I have been blessed to have met some interesting human beings over my journey. I celebrate the fact that I have been able to display my merchandise and art work at five Summer Olympics, one Winter Olympics game, one Football World Cup Final involving Jamaica’s ‘Reggae Boys’. Also, I have exhibited my works of art in many parts of the world, alongside the Trafalgar members.
Above all, this book honours the importance of family values, self-determination, inspiration, self- belief and collaboration with one another. It is essential to work alongside each other for should you fall, others are there to pick you up. But when you rise, you rise together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: May 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781524682767

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© 2017 Ansell Akiwali Walters. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  05/30/2019

ISBN: 978-1-5246-8267-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-8268-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-8276-7 (e)

Credits, Everton ‘Spud’ Sharpe / photo

Designer book front name ‘akiwali’

Queen Jenevieve

Book photo’s akiwali

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Foreword

Akiwali Autobiography

Akiwali Journey

My Family Connection With Strong Moral Value

My Early School Days 1962-64

Boy’s Town School Tag Drive Days / National Stadium Reggae Concerts

Making Way Through My Journey

My Stable Days – Spending Time At Horses Stables 1973-1974

‘Sir’ Robert Bryan The Man, Fine Artist

Devon House Art And Craft Fair

Reflections - Trafalgar Artists

My Cultural Connection With Some Of Jamaica’s Great And Influential Fine Artists

Fine Artists Consultation Advice For Free

Trafalgar Artist’s Extended Family’s

Our First Overseas Exhibition 1981

Aqua Youths Sporting Club – My Sporting Life Mid-70’S

The Year 1975: Jackson Five Brothers Concert And The Wailers Band At The National Stadium + Exhibition Basketball Game

Barcelona Olympics 1992, My First Olympic Experience.

The Trafalgar Artist Cooperative Art Gallery 1994

Jamaican Tourist Board Cultural Promotion Coconut Grove, Miami Summer 1995

Jamaica 1989 World Cup France Qualification

Holland

Germany

Port-Royal / Polisadoes International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica

Berlin Wall / Reggae Tour

Afrika Here I Come – My First Trek To The Motherland 1989

Mona University Campus Carnival 1989

My First Trip To Tokyo Japan 1999

My Years In The Merchandising Business

Silver Sea And Golden Sea Hotel With The Kay Family

My ‘Heartical Bredrin’ (Brother) ‘A Great Friend’ - Harry Dread

Trough Back

Jamaica Cultural Heritage Maroon & Fiwi Sinting 2009 Celebration

Acca Art Gallery Brooklyn New York 1991

Caribbean And Latin Fine Art Exhibition By Sea – 2003

New York Harlem Still Reaching Out With Our Works Of Art

The Million Youths Rally, Harlem, New York - 1998

The Liguanea Art Festival Kingston Jamaica,

My ‘Azania’ South Africa And Malawi Trek 2015, 2016 And 2018

Timeline

My Competitive Years Of Swimming

Fond Memories Of My Father Akiwali Walters

Family Relationships

Nottingham Goose Fair And Caribbean Carnival

My Family Reunion, Mandeville, Jamaica, March 2016

Summarisation Of My Maiden Piece Of Writing And Typing Akiwali Journey

Brawta

Publications That Featured Us Over The Years, Helping Us To Reach All Those Lovely Souls.

The Electronic Media Houses That Gave Us The Platform We Needed For Showcasing Our Art

Collectors Of My Work Of Arts

Akiwali Sayings

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My parents, Clarence and Amy Walters who had nurture, and guild us thought trying times, those nurturing became the sole of my journey.

A load ‘shout out’ for Dada and Miscemi with a healthy massive Thank,

Sisters and Brothers I value the way we embraced each other, it empowered the sturdiness of our unit, the loving and caring with such strong connection, which had help to make us who we are today. ‘Tank all ah unu’ Thank you’ll.

My Brothers and Sister of The Trafalgar’s Artist Group, we had hold on together though ruff and hard times,collectively we did honour each other and their input,eventually we were able to cultivate healthy fruits and still reaping from our effort, I must say a blessed thank to you’ll.

Everton ‘Spud’ Sharpe your camera had been your shield and your guild, thank to be there for us, when needed with those important flicks.

The Green Family had given me such warm reception during writing and editing, I must said a massive thank to Mr, Bertram Green for his dedication and the path he show me, Thank Debra for everything, I will always embrace your home made herb’s tea, Jermaine, Dayante and Mbangala, you’ll kept the surrounding alive, thank (danke).

From the day Mrs Moodie and I bless eyes on each other, we were able to gel together, as a mother to a son, thank for the care you show me. Junior, Andrew and Safiya please embrace these lines for mother and grandma blessed thank.

Nefertiti the Cultural journey we share it help to mould the part for this written journey, thank so much stay well.

Aqua Family you had allowed me to be a part of such, rounded, caring and inspiring human, which help to make my difference, ‘Sir ‘Howie, Empress Joy Kings and Queens, Hugh thank to you’ll.

‘Sir’ Robert Bryan wherever you are, you had been a great part of my life, coaching me on this special part of this journey, which help to keep me stable, I owe humanity this journey, so I will thank you greatly.

To my family’s @ home and abroad you’ll had put in your pennies into this pie and allowed it to be so sweet, I appreciate ‘apprecilove’ the unit we are, many thank family.

Wombles our link from table tennis days to B., ball time, had been solid,massive thank for the positive ‘Art Life’ we share,it help us to reach and empower other’s, more life’ Maurice ‘mi breada’ my brother jah love.

Empress Jenevieve much thank for your creation’s, it is so positive, each time we meet on the creative street it lift up our positivity, Cuzz (cousin) stay strong love you.

‘Sir’ Edghill you had been a solid mentor from day one, thank and blessed love.

Ital bredrin (Natural brother) Justin we had built a solid friendship since we first meet at that fair in Cardiff, you had given me valuable insight on the welsh culture, while learning about Rastafarian Culture, which even solidified our link, Thanks for those impromptu flicks, it was mend to be.

Barbara you had been that pivot, since I was introduce to you by Donavan, you allowed my work of arts, to speak and reach so many others,thank so much for the ‘overstanding’ we have for each other, I wish you well in your journey much love,

There is bredrin (brother) who had make great differences in many lives, Kingman Cassette Peter, a knowledgeable Musicologist who show me and many more the depth and magic of Reggae Music. I personal must give much thank to Cassette Peter for his none reservation style, more power on your journey King,

Auntie Hyacinth you had been our corner stone, when the sea get rough and the winds change it course, you’re always there for us the Trafalgar Artist Crew, A hearty Thank you Auntie, Queen Hyacinth.

Brixton Art collective you’ll had make that Hugh difference with myself and the Trafalgar Artist group, assisting us to set up art exhibitions and helping us meeting other’s on the art stage,s, while on our early days, visiting the Uk, Kingman’s Barry, Bernette, ‘Pablo S.I.P’ and others member’s great thank.

Margaret ‘Honey’ you had been that caring wife/ mother, you have kept our family together while I am away toiling the soil, you were there nurturing our Children and still do sometime, although they are young adult now, myself, Randy,Tafari and Abeo are all collectively saying a massive, Thank You, (Ngiyabonga, Garcia’s,Danke,Merci,Diolch,) with hugs and kisses.

My grown up ‘Children’ thank you’ll for the love we share.

To all my great friends you’ll are special, thank much.

Kingman Zebby give thank for allowed me to be a part of such positive and vibrant art project, turning these timber’s in such great works of art. countries of all size and Shape, into clocks just ticking away, it did bring home to me the level of talent’s that goes without been recognise, great thank to the I and others Kings & Queens who was there to make that difference.

FOREWORD

Akiwali Walters, Fine Artist, Entrepreneur, Sporting Coach and, in my humble opinion, a man of wisdom and high principle, is the author and subject of this ‘journey’. This journey is HIS reality, his voyage through life, that still continues today as the year 2019 opens before us.

Something that stands out for me as a theme throughout this book, and something, which I know, is strongly embraced by the author, is the concept of ‘FAMILY’ and ‘FAMILY VALUES’. It is clear that the ‘Family Unit’ is Akiwali’s protective shield and something he believes we should all look to cherish within our own family.

Over the many years I have known Akiwali, he has shown himself to be someone who is always ready and willing to share his views and the benefit of his wisdom with all who are ready to listen and who can gain some value from them. I count myself among those fortunate to have been a receiver of his sound wisdom.

Much of his wisdom comes from what he has learnt speaking with his elders and partaking of the vast and valuable store of information they have. Speak to Akiwali for even just a few minutes and you will soon realise that talking to people is something that comes easy to him. Be he conversing with familiar faces or new, his ease with verbal interaction is clear. He once told me that his passion is to converse with the Elders as they have so much information to release. He believes those conversations make him a little wiser. I would say that his wisdom has been acquired not only from such interactions but also from his vast and varied ‘life experiences’, experiences that have taken on an extra special meaning when seen through the eyes of this unique and highly creative artist.

Akiwali is a well-travelled man and his love of culture (not only of his own, but also of the various cultures he has experienced through his travels) has in my opinion, contributed to further broadening his views on life.

His love of swimming (indeed he is an excellent swim coach) and basketball (another of his coaching pursuits) have provided ‘time out’ and ‘relaxation’ away from his very active involvement in the art and business venture fields.

Whether he is creating a masterpiece of art or busy promoting and marketing his cultural-themed merchandise, you would be hard pressed to find a more focussed and determined individual. He does not hold back in what he gives to his art and business pursuits. It is the full 100 with him every time. Likewise, what he shares with others, is shared fully and openly (no holding back) as his desire to see others benefit and progress from his input is a strong motivational force for him.

One, of the many, things that has always impressed me about Akiwali is his ability to ‘find a way through’ in circumstances where many others would see no further than the barrier. Like the man, this book is an inspiration and I am sure the reader will enjoy taking this journey with him as I have done. May the journey long continue.

Karl J Christopher

AKIWALI AUTOBIOGRAPHY

AKIWALI JOURNEY

A Jamaican reality

I was born as Dada and Ms Amy’s seventh child, and Christian as Ansell Constantine Walters.

The name Akiwali is from the West African Akimwale of Yoruba origin. People from West Africa are termed ‘Aki’ – as in ‘return’ - and ‘Wali - as in ‘celebration’. Akimwale’s rightful place is to ‘return home’ from university with their diploma or degree’s which a practise to celebration

‘Wali’ is a chanting word for welcoming while dancing, playing drums, and chanting ‘wali wali’. This chant is used for welcoming a new arrival even connected to the Chief/ prominent persons, or married couple from the village. Everyone just chant ‘wali wali’.

The name Akiwali arrived when I went on a basketball tour in the mid 70’s to the Cayman Island, with my team Aqua Youths Sports Club. We were staying at a university in Borden Town, a small town outside of George Town. I met an interesting and mystifying brother from Nigeria. He operated the Community Radio Station at the university. He was the first mainland African that I spent time with reasoning and getting first-hand information about the Motherland. His name was Akimwale.

I always embraced Africa, the land of my ancestry. Over the years, I had memorised his name, which I had not written down. At a certain time, the name would flash across my mind. I loved the name so much that I decided to do some research on it. When I travelled to Ghana in 1989, I spoken to an elderly man and he put me straight. It was then I realised that my African name was Akiwali (The Brave Return) so I wear it with pride.

MY FAMILY CONNECTION WITH STRONG MORAL VALUE

I could say that I am well cushioned, or balanced if you like, being the middle child. I am the seventh of thirteen children, I had been protected from my right and from my left by my siblings. I was the last child that was born in the countryside Manchester, all my other siblings that came after me were born at our family home in Kingston. There was a terrible train disaster that happen a couple months after I was born in 1957, it happen very close to where my mother was staying with the family at the time in Kendal. She and a couple family member when to the site to view the disaster, I was been taken care of by other family members, it’s so amazing I was the baby at the time just a couple of months young and can tell this tale. I love to ask questions and do my owe little quizzing, and I do retain these events in my memory; these are some of the knowledge I hold dearly from my mother. To be exact it was the Kendal train Crash that happen on Sunday 1st September 1957 in Manchester Jamaica a lot of people lost their life.

FATHER

My father Clarence (fondly called ‘Mass Clarence’ by family and friends) was called ‘Dada’ by his children.

Dada was a skilled house painter, a confident security guard, a great pit digger, a proud property maintenance man and above all a caring father. Dada was born in the parish of Manchester, Jamaica.

Back in those days outside pit toilets were dug manually and the dirt thrown from a hole about five metres deep and one and half metres in circumference. He was a very fit, strong, well-built man. I remember on occasion when he was digging a pit in our ‘yard’ (home). He was all the way in that hole throwing dirt up to the side and I was so curious I went to the edge looking down on him. He shouted "bowy move from dah and mine yu drop ina di pit" (‘boy move yourself before you fall in the hole). I moved away real fast. This was in the mid-60s and I was about 7 years young at the time.

In the 1950’s Dada went to America to do farm work. He signed up, along with a few of his countrymen, to do occasional work picking fruits. On one of his work rounds, he was bitten on his foot by a field insect. The incident affected him in such a way that he didn’t return to farm work after that experience.

My father was a multi-skilled person and when it came to earning a bread to feed us he would worked hard and honest. I learned these qualities from Dada. He was a great family man and very stern father. On some of his night shift doing guard work in the Marcus Garvey Drive area of Kingston, MisCemi(his wife Amy, our mother) would prepare his dinner and ask us to take it for him. We would wait until he finished eating to take the container back home. Sometimes he would give us a little ‘pocket change’ (pocket money).

I remember on two occasions, when I was around 8 years young, that whilst playing I ‘buck out’ (stomped) a toe nail – one on each foot. It was so painful when I tried to walk and wasn’t healing quickly enough. Dada put me on his back and carried me to the Bay Farm Road and Olympic Way Clinic, just over a mile from our resident. What he did, showed me what a caring father does. These are some of the values I learned from him.

We would always welcome ‘Mango time’ (when mangos were in season). My father loved his mango he would bring a big bag of mangoes home. He would have String Mango, number 11, and Blackie Mango. He would gave us our share and put his portion away for night fall into a bucket of water. He would sit eating them in the dark and would ‘fulljoy’ (enjoy fully) his mangoes. He was our owe barber, on given Sundays he would have us wash our hair and comb it before trimming, and if you doesn’t do it well, then he would do the combing properly for us and you have to be quiet (no crying). Those were really good times with Dada my father. He was always there for his children and he cared very much for MisCemi his wife. ‘Nuff nuff love’ (lots and lots of love) live on dada’ you is the man.

Image%201.jpg

Catching up with ‘Dada’ at Backto Market, Kingston 1986

MOTHER

Seamstress, designer, hard worker, family carer,

Fondly Known as ‘Miscemi’ (Miss Amy). She was born in the parish of Trelawney, Jamaica.

I grew up hearing my older brothers and sisters calling our dear mother Miss Amy. We didn’t call her mommy, mom or mama. This was because there were older cousins staying with her and they called her Miss Amy, so we grew up calling her Miss Amy. This was except for the youngest of her children, Anette, the ‘wash belly’ who called her Mama. When I came along, I put a little flavour to my dearest mother name with my lisp (tongue) calling her ‘Miscemi’.

Miss Amy ensured that we were always clean and fed. I am talking eleven children surviving from the original thirteen, that’s a tuff one. Dada and Miss Amy had really grew up some well-rounded human. You could not have wanted a better mother than Miscemi. Readers I am referring to me and my siblings. I know you all have your own great and beautiful mother *laugh*.

Over a period of time she worked at various garment factories. One that I recall was when she would travel to Payne Avenue in the Waltham Park Road region of Kingston working for the Ammar’s Garments Factory, which made clothing for their own stores. She was one of the original dress and children clothing cutters. Miscemi would do the cutting for others to sew. My dearest and dedicated mother would be employed by these factories because she was so highly skilled in cloths cutting and sewing. Working in the factories did not take away her time from sewing our school uniforms for the new school year. Often she would have to catch up after the new school year started, because there was so much home sewing to do. This also included sewing for family members and other parents who would bring their children uniforms for her to sew. There were instances when parents come to collect but could not afford to pay for their children’s uniform and my mother would let them take it telling them to pay when they could.

The parents Miscemi sewed for came mainly from our community, Cockburn Pen – now known as Seivwright Garden. This community was well knitted. Abundance of respect to my Booby Drive Family. Anywhere on this universe you are, Ansell love ‘Unu’ (you all).

Miscemi would focus on having the children back into school for the new school year as if there were her own children. She looked after other people’s children just as much she would her own. She was such a tidy seamstress. Often she would ask me to thread the needle for the sewing machine, and sometimes when she wasn’t looking I would try to sew something and end up messing up her work. That’s when I would get a ‘konk’ from her knuckles for messing up her material.

When Miscemi was cooking and any of our friends were there when she took the pot off the stove, even though she had twelve mouths to feed plus her own, she would still find something out of the pot for whoever came by. That is how she was, a real people-person. She looked after whoever was around the house. She cooked with such love, that when we were fed it gave us such energy and joy. The taste was always wonderful. Personally, I could not get enough of her cuisine. On Sundays, it was ‘rice and peas’ with either fried chicken, stew chicken or stew fish. Saturdays was ‘soup day’ and it would be soup from one of her many different varieties red peas, pumpkin, cowfoot, fish, chicken, etc. Fridays, it was fry dumplings ‘Johnny cake’ or fried breadfruit with ackee and salt-fish or callaloo. Sometimes it would be steam cabbage, or on a given evening, she would make boil Cornmeal or Banana Porridge, which we eat it with crackers or hard dough bread. On Wednesdays, she would prepare coconut cream ‘rundown’ with mackerel, boil banana, boil cornmeal or flour dumplings, yam, and coco and sometimes dashing or sometime tripe and beans. Miscemi’s kitchen was to become one of my most celebrated works of art title ‘Down Ah Yard’. I was able to produce this special work of mine into lithography prints with thousands printed and marketed widely. That print is hanging all over this universe.

Miscemi and I have had great ‘one away’ (one-to-one) time together. I spent some very inspirational time with her in Jamaica and overseas. I remember one time in the UK when we were driving from South London heading to Birmingham. On that afternoon, the majority of roads to the M1 Motorway were heavy with traffic. I told her that I could find back roads to take us to the motorway. As a result, it didn’t take us that long to reach the motorway. Miscemi was so surprised saying, ‘Yu know dem road yah so good’ (You know these roads so well). This is one of the many memories I cherish from our dear mother ‘nuff nuff lov’ (plenty of love) Miscemi. ‘All a wi lov yu’

Reviews for Akiwali Journey

[Silvia Novicka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is one of the books everyone should read and I believe it's massive help on your own journey how to become best version of yourself ! Mr . Akiwali's words are very valuable and his journey is very inspiring! I don't want give too much information about his life, but it's definitely beautiful journey! Love Mr. Akiwali and when you read his book he gives you an amazing outlook on life! Precious book from one of the best authors I have read in while!