Mama M'Tamanika, currently resides in Atlanta, GA since 1997. Born in rural New Jersey and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. where she was initiated as a Priest of Oshun in 1979. She spent her earlier years cultivating an African cultural presence in her beloved Brooklyn. Over the years, she left a remarkable footprint as an early member of THE EAST, an African centered cultural community organization. She was inspired by the awakening of our African consciousness movement with wearing our natural hair, wearing dashikis & African prints, The Black Panther Party, The Nation of Islam and James Brown's hit song, "Say It Loud, I'm Back & I'm Proud!!!,
Established in Bedford-Styvesant (Bed-Sty.) in 1969, THE EAST, was founded as a community education and arts organization rooted in principles of self-determination, nation building & Black consciousness. It was a dynamic hub for activities for all ages. It provided our own Imani Day Care center and evening classes for adult and served as a home for a school grades kindergarten - 12, a renown cultural entertainment center, a bookstore, a publishing company, a restaurant, a catering service, a natural food co-op, and a bi-weekly Black Nationalist news publication called the BLACK NEWS and the Uhuru Sasa Shule (Freedom Now School grades kindergarten-12).
Its art center served the community as a cultural corridor and quickly became renowned for its weekend jazz club and concert venue, which hosted the best-known jazz artists of the time! Which included Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Hubbard, Alice Coltrane, Gil Scott Heron, Max Roach, Betty Carter, Sun Ra and Roy Ayers and others,
As an early organizer, Mama M'Tamanika (aka Mama M'Tam) was an integral part of THE EAST SISTERHOOD and for a time, ran its kitchen and catering services, which was known for its vegetarian and pescatarian menu offerings. In her search for a deeper connection to her African Identity, Mama M'Tam became instantly attracted to the magnificent, cultural and religious traditions of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, in Southwest Africa by way of THE EAST's regularly sponsored drumming and dancing performances.
Seeking more information, after attending a baby naming ceremony, she was introduced to Baba Olosunmi Lloyd Weaver (ibaye) and his wife Iya Okeshande Stephanie Weaver who with Iya Orisaiye Oseye Mchawi performed her initiation into the priesthood as an Iyalorisa of Oshun. With these elders, Mama M'Tam helped to lay the foundation of Ile Ase, one of the largest African American iles (religious house) in New York with her godparents and several other determined and formi dable sisters & brothers. In collaboration with other African American Iles, Ile Ase created a network that has enabled the Yoruba religious practice to flourish and thrive as one of the fastest growing religions in the world.
