Rethinking Traditions For Traditions Sake

I was thinking about the rituals and traditions that many practitioners of Black/African religions/paths are involved in, some respectfully, some not so. In particular, the serving of rum as libations or offerings as well as cigars and cigar smoke to the ancestral spirits. It came to me that maybe these "traditional" products aren't appropriate offerings to our spiritually cultivated ancestors and ancestresses (the Egungun in the Yoruba tradition, *Nananom Nsamanfo in the Akan (*as I learned from studying materials by Kwesi Ra Nehem Ptah, Akhan, Odwirafo), *Kuvito in the Fon, Ntoru/Ntorotu in Khemit, etc. If anyone that knows the history of slavery, The MAAFA, The Black Holocaust, *the Great Perversity, it is known that rum was introduced to the Afurakanu/Afuraitkaitnut, Black race by the white alien mutant albino oppressors. They also forced our people to work in their rum factories and pick tobacco in their tobacco fields. Many of our people died in these fields and factories or because of the horrific hours and conditions they were brutalized to work themselves to death in. Do our spiritually elevated ancestors and ancestresses REALLY want us offering them these items that are painful reminders of the savage, torturous brutality that they endured?? Think about it. When something truly angers, embarrasses or pains us, many of us try our utmost to put it out of our minds or to remove it from our realm of existence. That being the case, wouldn't it logically and intuitively make sense that our ancestors would have reacted the same way, since we are all genetically and soulfully related and connected as a people, then and now?

Yes. Maybe there are ancestors/ancestresses that accept these offerings, but think about it. Just like we have degenerate/corrupted/misled/suffering people incarnate (in the flesh) that exist at this time, here on the planet, who are addicted to rum and other liquors (which are also known as spirits, curiously enough), tobacco products and other drugs, wouldn't it also make sense that there are discarnate (spirit) beings who once lived, that died with these same issues? Ones who never worked their addictions and/or imbalanced/unhealthy habits out and who developed a lust, craving, desire for these addictive substances??

 The truisms: "As above, so below",  "On earth, as it is in the heavens" come to mind. This being said, according to doctor Carol Barnes, these substances combine with the melanin of Black people and cause degenerative and often addictive, death dealing conditions in the bodies of *Abatumm rich peoples (Afurakanu/Afuraitkaitnut). With this in mind, DO WE REALLY want to offer such poisons that are hurtful reminders of our Egungun's, Ntoru/Ntorotu, Vodou, Nananom Nsamanfo's violation, rape and degradation, to our honored and highly respected Egungun, Orisha, Vodou, Nanom Nsamanfo, etc.? No disrespect is intended by what I am presenting here to any Afurakanu/Afuraitkaitnut who claim to be practitioners of any African Traditional or Spiritual paths but out of MUCH RESPECT and LOVE for those who sacrificed and came before WE, I present this revelatory idea to give WE something to meditate on. For I too AM learning and often have to retrace I steps as a part of I healing and correction process. Ifè, alaafia, korira ati ibukun.

*Learned from the Nanasom Nhoma Afurakani/Afuraitkaitnit Ancestral Religion Journal written by Kwesi Ra Nehem Ptah, Akhan, Odwirafo