I’m in Norfolk, babey!!!!!!!

My momma and my sister grew up in Norfolk, VA. My daddy grew up in Baltimore. Most of my family (ancestors included) are from this part of the South.

I left Bmore for Atlanta when I was like 3 years old. I ain’t got NO memories of Norfolk outside a few family trips to see grandma over the years.

I ain’t been to Norfolk i’m bout 5 years. I ain’t grow up here, but riding around this town, I’m feeling more at home than I do in ATL.

The ancestors said welcome home, baby. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😌" title="Erleichtertes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Erleichtertes Gesicht">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💕" title="Zwei Herzen" aria-label="Emoji: Zwei Herzen">

Grandma Little’s house https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☺️" title="Lächelndes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht">

If you look real close, you can see Grandaddy Anansi spying on me https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👁" title="Auge" aria-label="Emoji: Auge">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🕷" title="Spinne" aria-label="Emoji: Spinne">

I just took great pleasure in sweepin my grandmama’s porch for her https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Laut schreiendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Laut schreiendes Gesicht">

If you know, you know https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👁" title="Auge" aria-label="Emoji: Auge">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧹" title="Broom" aria-label="Emoji: Broom">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✨" title="Funken" aria-label="Emoji: Funken">

It took my grandma less than an hour to ask me if I got a wife yet https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😂" title="Gesicht mit Freudentränen" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Freudentränen"> Grandma, I got some bad news for you https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥴" title="Woozy face" aria-label="Emoji: Woozy face">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🏳️‍🌈" title="Regenbogen-Flagge" aria-label="Emoji: Regenbogen-Flagge">

THEY TORE DOWN ALL THE FARMLAND BY MY OTHER GRANDMA’S HOUSE AND THEYRE BUILDING SOME BOUGIE ASS HOUSES ON THE WATER https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤬" title="Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Symbolen über dem Mund">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔪" title="Küchenmesser" aria-label="Emoji: Küchenmesser">

Me: I ain’t know you had white friends growing up, Dad

Dad: Oh yeah! They had the weed!

CHIIIIIIILE the stories my grandma was just telling about my great-grandma Mackey!! She said she was so strong, she’d lift up a man and throw him to the ground like it was nothin.

She said G-ma Mackey would steal folks husbands and the women would be too scared to do anything https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Laut schreiendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Laut schreiendes Gesicht">

There’s SO many big, beautiful spiderwebs in my grandma’s yard. I didn’t even notice them all until this morning. I felt such a strong & distinct grandfather presence when I first stepped back there yesterday.

The more I actively revere and acknowledge Anansi’s presence in my life, the more I see and FEEL it.

He even sent a tiny white spider to live in the side mirror of my car https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Laut schreiendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Laut schreiendes Gesicht">He told me to keep the web clean for him, so I clear it out whenever it gets too full of debris https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🕷" title="Spinne" aria-label="Emoji: Spinne">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🕸" title="Spinnennetz" aria-label="Emoji: Spinnennetz">

This is so beautiful to me because I’ve felt a strong connection to Anansi since I was young. My first storybooks growing up were Anansi tales.

Even as a toddler I felt so inspired by this idea of a figure who was gifted dominion over all worldly knowledge and storytelling. I’ve always thought he was so cool https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Laut schreiendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Laut schreiendes Gesicht"> And I’ve carried that fascination with me into adulthood

Whenever I’m hotboxing my car, the little spider in my mirror peeks out and watches me. Like stares DIRECTLY at me. With his cute lil mandibles and 4 front legs sticking out https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥺" title="Pleading face" aria-label="Emoji: Pleading face">

I see this and I know he is watching over me. Not just protecting me, but studying me. Watching my growth. Making sure that I grow into the person that I need to become.

And I can’t express just how much this means to me. Like I said, my EARLIEST creative inspirations came from KWAKU ANANSE.

I don’t think even *I* fully grasp the depth and weight of his growing presence in my life as I begin to step into my destiny as a writer. Phew. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🕷" title="Spinne" aria-label="Emoji: Spinne">

I used to be really scared of spiders growing up https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😂" title="Gesicht mit Freudentränen" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Freudentränen"> But I realize now that I only acted scared because of socialization. I LOVE spiders!! They’re so cool!! Scary too!! But that’s part of why they’re cool!!

Yo. When I learned about African spirituality. When I learned that SPIRITS and the spirit REALM are real things...when I learned that KWAKU ANANSE IS A REAL AND TRUE DEITY?!?!?

Contextless shots from Norfolk Botanical Gardens

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐢" title="Schildkröte" aria-label="Emoji: Schildkröte">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐢" title="Schildkröte" aria-label="Emoji: Schildkröte">

I just explained to my dad how I give offering to the river/Kalunga, and then explained how our ancestors revealed their existence to me.

Never in my LIFE have I seen this loud-talking ass nigga SPEECHLESS. Just awkward silence. I had to turn the radio on. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💀" title="Schädel" aria-label="Emoji: Schädel">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☠️" title="Totenkopf" aria-label="Emoji: Totenkopf">

I’m in the airport about to leave Norfolk https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤧" title="Niesendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Niesendes Gesicht">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤧" title="Niesendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Niesendes Gesicht">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤧" title="Niesendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Niesendes Gesicht"> Said my goodbyes to grandma & Kalunga. Now enjoy these videos of the neighborhood strays around my grandma’s house

BEHOLD!

BRUVVERS

Triplets..........I’ve seen them nuzzling each other’s heads.....

also here’s my great uncle george & aunt willie may’s poochie. lookin like a surprised mop