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About this sound
TEXT: Outdoor memorial The memorial is behind the Ted Weiss Federal Building at the corner of Duane Street and African Burial Ground Way (Elk Street). There are no restrooms outside near the memorial.The Circle of the Diaspora includes signs and symbols engraved in the perimeter wall. The symbols originated in areas and cultures throughout the Diaspora, reminding us of the complexity and diversity of African cultures. The term Diaspora describes the forced and deliberate transporting of Africans during the slave trade from their homeland, and dispersing them throughout the New World.The 24-foot Ancestral Libation Chamber represents the soaring African spirit and the distance below the ground’s surface where the ancestral remains were rediscovered. The Sankofa symbol is engraved on the exterior. Reminiscent of a ship’s hold, the interior is a spiritual place for individual contemplation, reflection, and meditation. The Ancestral Reinterment Ground is the final resting place for the 419 human remains unearthed in the early 1990s. They are reburied as close as possible to their original positions. The coffins were placed in seven crypts, and seven burial mounds mark the locations. Seven trees serve as guardians for the entrance to the Ancestral Chamber.
Why parks record sound
The NPS Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division monitors soundscapes in parks across the United States. Natural quiet is treated as a resource to protect, like clean air or dark skies: noise from aircraft, vehicles and machinery can mask animal communication and change the experience of a place.
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Sources & credits
- Text: Outdoor Memorial by US National Park Service – Public domain