There's a time and place for everything. Sometimes, speaking is necessary. At other times, silence is golden. Our people have known the power of quiet since ancient times, and it has always been about more than having nothing to say.
For us, silence is a form of protection. Many birth and death rites and traditional initiations require intimate periods of silence to protect and embrace newness. Among Sierra Leone's Mende people, someone who is silent is understood to be demonstrating composure and discernment.
Silence is a part of our creative expression. In our folktales, quiet creatures like tortoises and Anasai the spider are admired for their wisdom. In traditional African masquerade customs, masks often lack mouths or feature closed lips, further demonstrating our people's longstanding belief in the potency of the unspoken.
The ancestral knowledge of silence as a strategy of refusal also shows up in resistance movements. In 1917, thousands marched in complete silence through New York City, condemning anti-Blackness. They didn't speak, but their message was heard.
When Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos silently raised their fists in the Black power salute in 1968, we raised our voices in solidarity.
Silence is a weapon. Our people have leaned into its power for centuries. How can you use this ancestral gift?