What does Shabazz mean?

Shabazz is the Arabic form of the Aramawi word Shapazz which literally means "noble" but also refers to descendants of Shapazz (Shabazz) one of our revered ancestors. It is recorded from very early in our history as a tribal\ethnic designation for our people alongside the name Aramawi (the exalted people) that later came to be called Hai Ko`ptah (those of the house of Ko`ptah), Copt or Egyptian. (e.g. - When Pharaoh Khufu prepared to summon a prisoner to be beheaded so the lector priest Djedi could demonstrate his magic and resurrect him, Djedi said,"Never so. Not an Aramawi Sovereign my Lord. It is forbidden to do so to the 'At Shapazziah (i.e. - the Noble Flock\Tribe of Shabazz)".

How can people join your tribe?

Membership in the Tribe of Shabazz is obtained through Aramawi African blood ancestry, by marriage, adoption, or conversion, and induction into the Tribe. While the majority of our number have Aramawi (Copt/Egyptian) ancestry, we have some members with ancestry from diverse African Nations. We maintain an open door policy for considering individuals and families of African descent that seek a tribal home, who present themselves with acceptable spirit and intention and who are willing to walk with us on the ways of right and truth (Ma'at) as the Most High God guides us to the fulfillment of our Divine Purpose.

A lot of the people I've seen in your tribe look like African Americans, how are you Egyptians?

There has been so much distortion and manipulation of the information consumed by the masses that this question could easily fill volumes. We begin by noting that the term "Egyptian", although it is perfectly acceptable to many Aramawi People, is actually a misnomer that resulted from the confusion and misinterpretation of early Greek "Travelers" visiting our homeland. In Pre-Ptolemaic days we did not call ourselves Egyptians. The terms we used to call and define ourselves along ethnic, national, and racial lines were based in our language and culture. 

While it may take some effort to remember, it is an irrefutable fact that people from the area now known as Arabia first came to Kemet as invaders, doing so would reveal a presence of Africans (Egyptians\Nubians) on the banks of the Nile River for several thousand years. Contrary to the commonly held image of Egyptian People that has been widely represented in films, on television and other media, Egyptian People were and are "African" (e.g. - having black skin, thick lips, broad noses, wooly hair etc.) Even pre-Ptolemaic Greeks such as Herodotus who visited Egypt over 2000 years ago, noted the black skin and wooly hair of the "Egyptians" he found upon his arrival. 

Just as individuals of Asian and European extraction have been assimilated into the Aramawi bloodline, so too have individuals who hail from various parts of Africa -- and for a longer period of time. What qualifies members of The Tribe of Shabazz is first and foremost their Aramawi ancestry which each member can trace back through his or her lineage.

Are you Muslims or are you associated with the Nation of Islam etc.?

Members of the the Tribe of Shabazz, namely the Aramawi People, have followed the Most High God since long before Islam, Christianity, or Judaism existed and we will continue to do so and in our traditional manner. Our use of teachings or instructions provided by teachers elders or leaders of our Tribe containing later derived beliefs and ideologies should not be taken to indicate endorsing the practice of these beliefs or ideologies. Rather it is a recognition of that part of their teaching or instruction that corroborates and in fact originates from our traditional knowledge, wisdom, and understanding as handed down from our ancestors. As one of our elders said it, we are born submitted to our God and we are peaceful by nature.

Are you Africans or Asiatics (otherwise asked why is the Tribe of Shabazz sometimes said to be of Asiatic origin)?

Members of the Tribe of Shabazz, are Aramawi People generally, and specifically those Aramawi of Kemet. First, let us state for the record that the Aramawi, no matter where they are from or located, are unequivocally and uncontrovertibly a Black African people. Second, we note that the names Africa and Asia are both of "African" origin and were used as geographic and not ethnic names. Third, we maintain that since the appelation of Asiatic to the Tribe of Shabazz is encountered amongst the Nation of Islam, 5% Nation of Gods and Earths, and those affiliated with some form of Islam, the reasons for this are best left for them to explain. We offer however that the names for Asia and Asiatic (Asiyat/Asiyati) being similar to some of the names we used for Nubia and Nubian (Ta`-Seti/Seti) were reinterpreted in order to teach our people with al-Islam (as was much of our original teaching), and to reach the mindset of our people who were in (self)denial of our Aramawi identity and in ignorance of our Nubian heritage.

As one of our elders explained it to us, by "Asia" it is meant in these teachings "Africa". Understanding such phrases as: Asian Black Nation, Asiatic Black Man, Jungles of East Asia to reference Africa as opposed to Asia yields the following: African Nation of Kemet, African Aramawi of Kemet, Jungles of East Africa. Whatever the origins of Asia and Asiatic in the discourse of our people, the African interpretation is clearly more in line with our origin history and civilization. Though it would be appropriate to call ourselves Ta`-Setian or Nubian, we are not of the continent now called Asia nor an Asiatic people in the commonly understood sense of the word. Our Nation, Kemet, straddles both the continents of Africa and Asia but the land of our origin is Africa. In our understanding we are Africans in the commonly understood sense, and Nubians according to our indigenous sense; having our origins in Nubia and being of Nubian (Aramawi) extraction.

What is the meaning of Africa?

Ha Ifricat or Africat (H-`frct or `-frct) was a name given to the landmass of "Africa" settled by the back-migrating 'Amawi called Kan'aani (Canaanites), Fanikhaw (Phonecians), or Punim (Punics) who left Can'aan under pressure from the Semitic Asiatics and settled in North Africa around the metropolis of Carthage (Cart Hadast). After the Romans defeated these Africans in the 3rd Punic war, they applied the name to increasingly larger parts of their North African colonies and eventually to the entire continent.

What is the meaning of Asia?

Siyat or Asiyat (stt or istt) was a name given to the landmass of "Asia" by the Aramawi of Kemet as revealed in many of our writings. It specifically refers to the land outside of Kemet to which people of "Africa" had migrated bringing their language culture and civilization otherwise known as (South) Western Asia, but eventually was applied to the entire continent.