A woman reported missing by her family in Texas has been found living amongst a lost “African” tribe in the Scottish woodlands.
The Kingdom of Kubala claim they have settled in a forest in Jedburgh, with the intention of reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors in the Highlands 400 years ago.
The trio consists of group leader King Atehene, 36, who was previously an opera singer under the name Kofi Offeh, his wife, Queen Nandi, and their handmaiden Asnat.
It has now emerged that Asnat, Lady Safi, is Kaura Taylor from Texas, who has been reported missing by her family in the US.
“To the UK authorities, obviously I am not missing,” she said in a video message from the camp. “Leave me alone. I’m an adult, not a helpless child.”
The group said on Tuesday that they “don’t recognize local laws” and have faced persecution from those who don’t understand their ways.
They have been served eviction notices and have even suffered an attack on their camp when their tents were set on fire.
But instead of bowing to local law enforcement, they say they only recognize the laws of their God, named Yahowah.
Its King even claimed to be a descendant of the Messiah.
Their presence has baffled locals, although the tribe claim to live a simple life, bathing in a nearby stream, living in tents and connecting with nature.
“We live a very simple life of returning to innocence,” King Atehene said. “We connect to nature. We connect to the trees around us. We get grounded every morning. We bathe in the springwater. We are living a simple life of relying daily on the creator for food, shelter and clothing. We live in a tent without walls, but we are not afraid of anyone, for we have the protection of the creator, Yahowah.”
He continued, “Many people do not have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. They see things and they judge without understanding. This includes the government of Great Britain, who say that culture and religion is tolerant in Great Britain, but the Kingdom of Kubala has suffered trials and tribulations at the hands of authorities, who do not understand or tolerate. But the Kingdom of Kubala cannot be destroyed, for we are helped by the creator of the heavens and the earth, our God. Until then, no one will be able to destroy the Kingdom of Kubala.”
They claim they are a lost tribe of Hebrews, with their King descended from David the Messiah, and say their ancestors were cast out when Elizabeth I deported native black Jacobites.
The group said they live a simple life and aimed to fulfill a prophecy to establish their kingdom and bring other “lost tribes” back into the fold.
“We follow the laws of the creator, everything belongs to the ones who made it,” King Atehene added. “We do not believe that any authority owns the land. The earth belongs to the father. We do not know about any eviction. All we know is that we are here to stay and establish our authority and power, just like our ancestors did.”
King Atehene described it as a “journey of pilgrimage.”
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King Atehene claimed, “the prophecy said, ‘after 400 years, when my ancestors are destroyed from the land of Scotland, from the land of Great Britain, they will go into captivity and lose their identity.’But after 400 years, I will come and bring them back to the land of promise. I am following the ancestral call and the call of the gods. The calling from our creator to embark on this journey, is the most important thing in our life. It is a journey of hope – a pilgrimage.”
His wife, Queen Nandi, 43, a mother of seven who was born Jean Gasho, shared a statement on social media.
“We are the Lost Tribes of Hebrews and have returned to claim Scotland as our homeland, a land stolen by Elizabeth the first 400 years ago when she deported all black people from Scotland and England, who were not Africans but natives of the land,” Queen Nandi wrote. “Jacobites were black, from their ancestor Jacob, Yacobho, a black man. According to our Prophet Atehene, Jerusalem is in Scotland, and that he is the seed and offspring of David, the Messiah. The old world is going, the Second Exodus has begun, only those who live off grid, in Tabernacles will be saved, as we enter the Millennium Kingdom of Kubala, and the world is left behind.”
Scottish Borders Council said it had been “working with Police Scotland” to manage the ongoing situation.
“This has included the provision of advice and information about housing options and other support services,” a spokesperson said.
