The Deeper the
roots of the tree, the stronger the tree.
How much do you know about your paternal (father) and
maternal (mother) family tree?
How important is to know the history of your family, the
roots of your existence? How important is it for your children to know their
family history and origins of their family?
African Americans have had a history of family members
torn from the family tree since slavery began. It is no wonder that so few of
us know anything about their family tree or roots of their family. The
difference in slavery times and now is that we are separating and destroying
the roots by choice. Every time a father walks away from his children, every
time a mother refuses to allow the Father to see his children, we are
destroying the roots of their tree. Why do you think the black family has been
so badly damaged in the last thirty or so years now?
Of course, the system of
public welfare has contributed to the breakdown of the African American family,
by making it a benefit to the recipient if the man is not in the home. At the
same time we are not helping matters by breaking off branches that could or may
never be repaired.
So how important is it to know where you came from and
how it plays an important part in your future, well, I can share one example.
Unlike my mother's family, they have traced their family
lineage as far back as where the family originated from in Africa. I can tell
you it has been a source of pride and stability to know the roots of my
existence. To know the names of my grandfather's parents and so on all the way
back to the first woman who began our lineage here in America. To know the stories about them and to be
able to share that knowledge with my sons, it is a wonderful feeling!
On the other hand my father's family was not really close
with their extended family and I don't know anything about his family's history
other then knowing who my grandmother
was. I could never get my father or my aunts to talk about their history.
Therefore unless someone opens up,
(And I have tried) my father's history will be lost forever;
it died with him. This is a source of sadness for me, when I think
about my father's family tree. So many of our people do not see the relevance
in how this affects the family and its lineage. That is the end of that
lineage, without the knowledge of the family tree that tree ceases to exist!
My niece (who was 25 at the time) met a young man, they
began seeing each other and one day she called his house to talk with him.
Somehow they began to talk about their families and through their conversation
they learned that his grandmother was my father's sister and his father was my
first cousin. That is a situation that could have gotten very sticky if they
had not found out they were related. Their relationship had not gotten intimate
yet, but could have very well gone that far. That is one very important reason
to know where your family tree originates.
A tree is only as strong as its roots, in order to make
strong, healthy branches we must begin to recognize the importance of knowing
the lineage of where we come from, not just our ancestral family tree, but the
ancestral tree of our people.
Within the history of slavery we have lost a lot, it is
time to regain what we have lost and rebuild what has been forgotten...
Let each one, teach one and take back what it rightfully
yours....
Every child deserves to know who they are; they cannot be
truly complete without the knowledge of self!
When you do not know your origins or you leave your children without the knowledge of their roots, you essentially cut them off from their heritage.
I am bound to
them, though I cannot look into their eyes,
or hear their
voices,
....I honor their
history
....I cherish
their lives
....I will tell
their stories
