Home / Who We Are helping / Elders and Wisdom Keepers

Elders and Wisdom Keepers

In every generation, our progress depends on those who came before. These are our storytellers, teachers, healers, and quiet warriors who carry the lessons of struggle and survival. Our elders are the living archives of our people’s history. Their memories hold the blueprints for resilience, community, and identity. Yet too often, their voices are overlooked in a society that prizes youth over wisdom.

IFBAA honors our elders and wisdom keepers as the cultural backbone of the global African community. We believe that intergenerational exchange is not optional. It is essential. Through dialogue circles, oral history projects, mentorship programs, and community gatherings, we work to preserve ancestral knowledge and ensure that it continues to guide our future.

In a world driven by speed and change, the wisdom of our elders reminds us to move with purpose. Their stories teach us patience, dignity, and integrity. These values strengthen our families, our institutions, and our spirit. By uplifting their voices and integrating their guidance into leadership and community development, IFBAA ensures that tradition and progress walk hand in hand.

We recognize that our elders are not just keepers of the past; they are architects of the future. When we listen to them, we reclaim our continuity, and in that continuity we find the strength to heal, rebuild, and rise together.

Stories Related to Elders and Wisdom Keepers

The Legacy of UZIKEE and Januwa Moja

Avoiding Ageism

Generational Entrepreneurship

This article explores the artistic and cultural impact of UZIKEE, Washington DC’s ancestral sculptor, and his wife Januwa Moja. From their unique artistic vision to their role as cultural preservers, it highlights how their work embodies the transmission of tradition, memory, and community identity across generations. The piece emphasizes the importance of honoring creative legacies while inspiring new generations to engage with ancestral knowledge.

Focusing on the nuanced dynamics of age in society, this article examines how respect and authority are negotiated between youth and elders. It discusses the risks of overprioritizing youth at the expense of wisdom, as well as undervaluing young voices due to inexperience. Through examples in leadership, innovation, and community engagement, the piece encourages balanced intergenerational collaboration where both energy and experience are celebrated.

This article investigates how business knowledge and opportunity often flow across generations, particularly in industries more commonly passed down through families than taught in formal education systems such as crafts, trades, hospitality, and small-scale manufacturing. Highlighting stories of collaboration between experienced mentors and emerging entrepreneurs, it underscores the value of blending hands-on experience, inherited wisdom, and fresh perspectives to drive innovation and economic resilience.