Black/White girl

April 18, 2006 - Tuesday


Black White Girl
Current mood: ponderous

Today I was told that my friend was almost certain thet I was part Negro. I could go on to explain the reasons why, but they have no relevance in this blog. It was very endearing coming from her. She's an amazing, classy Jewish/African American woman and I respect and love her deeply. I told her that I didn't think (or wasn't aware of) having any negro blood, although I wouldn't mind if I did.

She went on to tell me about her philosophy that when something is in your blood, even just in the tiniest bit, one is somehow more connected to the culture. You don't have to know it or have been raised with it.

Case in point: Someone recently was told that she is 1/8th Native American. Her tribe is the Lenape (Delaware, as named by the white man). She said what was interesting was that those people (her people?) were simplisticly creative wearing a simple beaded headband with a feather or two hanging down. They prefered simple and elegant beadwork over more ornate fashions. This leads to the interesting part... her mother (1/4 blood) has had this amazingly intimate love for beadwork. It has been her art of choice since as far back as she can remember and she created lovely beaded fashions long before they were cool. She was so connected to this before we ever knew the truth about who her grandmother was.

A dear friend of mine who is Native American (Lummi tribe) was expaining to me that he was not surprised. In his culture, anscestors live on in spirit through you. Even if you are unaware of who your anscestors are.

I find it interesting to think of all the peoples and cultures centuries back that incorporate my bloodline. Especially since I don't even know what it all is. I wonder about the time before we ever adapted to our climates and became Asian, European, African, and what not, when we were all just one people in the beginning. We are clearly coming to a point in our "melting pot" that we are becoming one race again. Will we then migrate and adapt centuries from now and our current cultures will become once again the forgotten people of the past?

I decided to tackle the National Archives and see what I could find.

If my behavior and being is dictated somehow through unknown channels of DNA or "spirit" to my ancestors, then it seems more important than ever to find out who these people are. It's a very daunting task, but I'm saddened to think of those who weren't considered worth records like the descendants of slavery. Saddened once again at the aftermath in that they may never know their true roots.

My question for everyone today is this (and please, please answer as best you can in your comments):

Do you know who you are?

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