#21 A Hunger for Wholeness: Iya Affo (Encore)

Feb 27, 2025

Iya Affo, a Culturalist and Historical Trauma consultant from Bénin, shares her rich heritage and insights on healing. She highlights the often-overlooked concept of historical trauma and its effects on mental health within the BIPOC community. The discussion dives into reclaiming identity through ancestral roots and the transformative power of rituals. Iya contrasts Western trauma understanding with traditional practices while emphasizing the importance of community connections and intuitive knowledge for holistic healing. She passionately advocates for harmonizing traditional and Western medicine to foster true wellness.

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ANECDOTE

Childhood Observations

Iya Affo reflects on her childhood in a Jewish community, noticing differences in family interactions compared to her Black friends and family.
This sparked questions about cultural identity, leading her on a journey to understand trauma's impact.

INSIGHT

Cultural Resilience

Cultural practices and traditions can help mitigate trauma's impact.
Iya Affo discusses how connection to ancestral land, language, and religion contributes to resilience.

INSIGHT

The Power of Names

Many Africans in the diaspora bear the last names of slave masters, impacting their spiritual and psychological well-being.
Reclaiming their true names can be a powerful step toward healing.

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This is a recording from the 2022 Community Conversation between with guest Iya Affo and SAND co-founders Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo.

Very few people are aware of the impact of historical trauma. Historical trauma is trauma so deeply rooted in the subconscious we may not even know it is there. It can leave us feeling anxious, irritable, sad, and hopeless… and we have no idea why. But once we begin to see the larger context of our trauma, then a more holistic healing can begin.

Iya Affo is a Culturalist and Historical Trauma consultant. She earned Western certification as a Trauma Specialist and is a descendant of a long line of traditional healers from Bénin, West Africa. Iya serves as an Executive Board Member for the Arizona ACEs Consortium, is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Arizona Trauma Institute, and is the founder of Heal Historical Trauma Culture & Indigenous Wellness Academy. She has visited more than 30 countries; living in Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Native American, and Yoruba communities, embracing aspects from each culture for personal evolution. She strives to transcend tolerance through cultivating love and respect in hopes of facilitating the decolonization and subsequent healing of indigenous people from all over the world. Iya advocates for the harmonization of Traditional Medicine and Western Medicine for true holistic healing.

Iya's passion is to cultivate intergenerational healing by connecting intuitive ancestral practices with modern neurobiology. As we delve into leveraging our neurobiology to facilitate the healing process, we will also explore re-culturing and the creation of self-harmonizing communities.

Iya Affo’s Website

Topics

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:51 Introducing Iya Affo

02:31 Iya's Personal Journey

05:57 Understanding Historical Trauma

10:14 Resilience and Cultural Connections

11:57 The Role of Names and Identity

16:25 Tools for Healing and Resilience

19:12 The Importance of Cultural Practices

24:35 Epigenetics and Generational Trauma

26:34 Storytelling and Historical Context

26:54 Ancestral Vigilance and Survival Instincts

29:05 Epigenetics and Generational Trauma

30:50 Impact of Historical Trauma on Modern Behavior

34:52 Challenges of Western Medicine in Indigenous Communities

43:51 Traditional Healing Practices and Neurological Regulation

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