Wakanda Lives Within Us

Wakanda is a mystical, fictional, un-colonized small nation in equatorial Africa. Depicted as a third world country, this beautiful place was surrounded by Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. Although technologically advanced, there is a message in this movie. This place of beauty has weighed heavily on mind since seeing The Black Panther.

If you have seen the Black Panther movie, the clouds open up to a village. This colorful village brings utopian beauty to the big screen. What would our natural green spaces look like if left untouched? In most countries, people use the weekend to escape the City. Heading to the beaches or mountains we long for a place of peace. Whether it is the sound of water dancing or trickling from a hidden spring, the reason for escaping is real. The sound of the wind causing the leaves to rustle and create a subtle song, brings peace to those who listen. When you think about it, escaping the woods or water is a modern-day escape to Wakanda.

Why is Wakanda fictional?  Is it so hard to imagine a self sustainable existence? This fictional place called Wakanda actually could exist in each of us. We have the ability to recreate a personal version of Wakanda.  Here at a few ideas that I thought of to create Wakanda in your life:

1. Grow Your Own Green space. Whether you create a garden for lush, visual beauty or for your health by growing an edible’s, growing your own is beneficial. Growing and eating seasonally, as well as supplementing from the market when necessary, means you have a hand in your overall well-being.
2. Embrace the great outdoors. This fictional place had a thriving technological existence. If you paid attention, the scenes throughout pictured people at the marketplace talking and laughing with each other. I did not notice anyone on a cellphone or a tablet. The Wakandan’s were walking, talking and engaging with each other. Recognizing the benefits of technology, disengaging from it once in a while could enable us to create our own Wakanda.

This mystical, beautiful place was considered a third world farming community by other advanced communities.  Perhaps there are some third world countries that hold the secrets to a Wakandan existence.

Wakanda lives in each of us, however we must take the time to find it.

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