Our Founders

Meet the visionary leaders dedicated to preserving and sharing Traditional African Spiritual Practices with the diaspora.

Our Founders

Meet the visionary leaders dedicated to preserving and sharing Traditional African Spiritual Practices with the diaspora.

Nana Abena Nyarkowa

Nana Abena Nyarkowa is a revered spiritual practitioner, herbalist, birth and death doula and cultural educator rooted in the sacred traditions of Africa and the African diaspora. Born and raised in the African Traditional Religion, she is a trained priestess in the Akan tradition of Ghana, West Africa, a practitioner of Palo Mayombe tradition from Cuba, and a devoted initiate in both the Lucumí and Isese traditions of Cuba and Nigeria.

With a lifelong commitment to holistic health, herbal medicine, and ancestral healing, Nayo brings a wealth of knowledge to her teachings on African spirituality, wellness, cosmology, and traditional rites. Her work is deeply grounded in the wisdom of the elders, the sacred power of song, and the spiritual forces that guide communal life.

She is a founding member of Asomdwe Minuaa Sumkwafo,

an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the spiritual music sung in Ghana at spiritual gatherings (Akom), where ancestral and divine wisdom and healing are carried through song. She is also a founding member of Our Heritage House, a grassroots organization established in 2004 in Brooklyn, NY, to enhance access for families to safely experience and practice African culture in a nurturing and empowering environment.

Nayo’s classes are immersive journeys into the heart of African traditions celebrating the beauty of family through African food, song, dance, and the spiritual technologies that have sustained generations. She is a passionate advocate for cultural continuity, community healing, and the reclamation of African spiritual heritage.

Asha Akowe-Halsey

Asha Halsey is a third-generation traditional healer, initiated in the Palo Mayombe tradition and a fully graduated Okomfo in the Akan tradition of Ghana West Africa. With a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Master of Health Administration (MHA), she integrates ancestral wisdom with formal training in health and wellness.

A devoted birth worker and co-founder of Heritage House, Asha is committed to reclaiming and preserving African spiritual and healing traditions through community-based care.

Born on a Friday under the Cancer sun, Asha brings deep intuition, nurturing presence, and radiant energy to all she does. Her favorite color, yellow, reflects her joyful spirit and dedication to illumination and truth. Beyond her ceremonial work, she is an avid cook who infuses ancestral knowledge into healing, soulful meals. Asha’s life work honors legacy, spirit and sacred community bridging the past with the present for future generations.

Monifa Akowe-Halsey

Monifa Akowe-Halsey (she/they) is a cultural worker, spiritual practitioner, and griot devoted to the preservation and protection of Traditional African Spiritual Practices. Raised in a Pan-African household where African Traditional Religion was not simply taught but lived, her path has been shaped by intergenerational spiritual stewardship, disciplined study, and deep reverence for ancestral covenant.

Born and formed within the traditions of her family, Monifa is an initiated priest in the Isese Lagba tradition of Nigeria, consecrated to both Ifa and Yemoja. Her spiritual formation reflects years of preparation, lineage accountability, and a lifelong commitment to walking her path with integrity.

As cofounder and steward of Heritage House, a living sanctuary first established by her parents in Brooklyn, New York, Monifa carries forward an enduring family vision: that African spiritual traditions remain protected, properly transmitted, and accessible to future generations. Through ritual space, education, and cultural programming, she supports individuals and communities in returning to ancestral wisdom and practicing in ways that honor both lineage and the living breath of spirit.

Her work is rooted in cultural continuity, spiritual sovereignty, and the sacred responsibility of transmission, ensuring that what was given is not lost, but carried forward with integrity, love, and devotion.

Learn from Our Founders

Our founders bring decades of experience, deep spiritual training, and unwavering commitment to preserving African traditions. Join us to learn from their wisdom and experience.