AKINSANYA KAMBON

The title “Buffalo Soldier” was given by Indigenous Americans after an incident in 1867 involving Private John Randall. The military assigned Pvt Randall to a solo mission escorting two civilians on a hunting trip for protection and to do the hard work and heavy lifting. When danger approached, the hunters ignored Pvt. Randall’s warning to leave the area. They were attacked by 70 Cheyenne warriors. Both hunters were killed.  As Pvt. Randall attempted to escape his horse was shot out from under him. He crawled away and took cover in a ravine. Still fighting he suffered a gunshot wound in his shoulder and eleven arrow wounds. With each arrow wound only making him stronger, similar to how a wounded buffalo responds with increased aggression when being cornered, Randall managed to personally fend off the attack and survive. 

According to legend, the Cheyenne were the first to spread word of the “Buffalo Soldiers”, likening the African American soldiers to their revered buffalo for their ferocity, tenacity, and dark curly hair, broadcasting “White Eyes has some new kind of warriors.”  The 9th and 10th Cavalry were charged with fighting Indigenous Americans in the most difficult terrain, and hostile territories. However, over time, social, domestic, and marriage relationships were formed between the two groups – African soldiers and the so-called “Red man” – due to their common denominator of both suffering the oppression of the European settlers.

Kambon highlights the “Buffalo Soldiers” as some of the most powerfully skilled equestrians throughout history. Predating colonialism, their advanced knowledge of care, training, and riding horses originated from the Bornu Cavalrymen and their ancestors before them. The Bornu were assigned to patrol the West Coast of Africa to behead Christian and Muslim slavers. These people who were kidnapped and tortured had great extraordinary skills and knowledge which had been passed down through generations and now served the advancement and development of the New Land. Descendants of the Bornu would then become the “Buffalo Soldiers” of the United States Army.

“Where we get these misconceptions is that most people in this country believe that the people in Africa were in a place of void, but the fact is they came from a highly evolved civilization of thousands of years. These people were highly skilled and had great knowledge in a number of different things. The Bornu Cavalrymen were so great because they had learned how to train horses, camels, and in some parts of Africa even elephants. They would learn these skills when they lived with these animals. They slept with these animals. They knew these animals, and the animals knew them. And they passed that knowledge on.” – Akinsanya Kambon

Akinsanya Kambon depicts figures as equestrians to reference their authority, wealth, and intellect, explaining that “the power is in the spirit of the individual being able to control an animal that is physically much stronger.” 

The equestrians themselves range from portrayals of African deities and legendary United States historical figures, and Kambon often draws attention to underrecognized or marginalized individuals throughout history by placing them on horses, camels, and elephants. 

“When I make these [equestrian] pieces, I try to make them look like they’re one with the animal. They become one with the horse, they become one with the elephant, or they become one with the camel. [Western people] get on the horse’s back, stick spurs in their side, and terrify the hell out of the horse. That’s not the way they were taught in Africa. In Africa, there is a way you take a horse and a camel, and you touch them in a certain place, and the animal will lay down on the ground. Then you get on its back and the animal gets up with you on its back. But before you do that you become friends with the animal, and the animal becomes confident in you.” – Akinsanya Kambon

Educating on the historical lineage of Africans across continents is central to Kambon’s practice, as he shines a light on the heritage that many African Americans are deprived of learning about in U.S. public schooling. For example, “Equestrian Bass Reeves, US Marshall” portrays the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi River, whereas “Equestrian Dogon King” draws from the Dogon traditions Kambon learned through his travel to the Bandiagara escarpment area in Mali. 

“Most of my corrected and accurate information comes from elders. When I go to Africa, I talk to people, the old people, and I sit down and listen. Most of the stuff that has been written is incorrect and people don’t know that it’s incorrect. My responsibility is to correct it.” – Akinsanya Kambon