What historical moments, events, or situations did this ancestor experience? What in history did that person sacrifice or endure so that you could exist?

This essay has to be at least 1,200 to 1,500 its for her history class

Requirements: Not long

Essay #1: Thinking Ancestrally (HIST3881/Dr. Kwoba)

1,200-1,500 words

Ancestor [an-ses-ter]

noun

a person from whom one is descended; forebear; progenitor.

Biology. the actual or hypothetical form or stock from which an organism has developed or descended.

A person who serves as an influence or model for another; one from whom mental, artistic, spiritual, etc. descent is claimed: a philosophical ancestor.

Introduction:

“Chickasaw poet Linda Hogan Writes in her book Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World: ‘Suddenly, all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.’

This one beautiful quote recognizes the long lineage of life that gave rise to our existence. How incredible to think that we have risen up out of such love, whether it be the love of a man for a woman, a mother for her child, or the sweet love found in the eyes of a grandparent. We are all tied to a lineage of love that has existed since time immemorial. Even if we haven’t had a direct experience of that love, we know that it exists and that it has made and indelible imprint on our souls. It’s remarkable to think that the entire span of human life exists within each one of us, going all the way back to the hands of the Creator. In our bodies we carry the blood of our ancestors and the seeds of the future generations. We are the living conduit to all life. When we contemplate the vastness of the interwoven network that we are tied to, our individual threads of life seem far less fragile. We are strengthened by who we come from and inspired by those who will follow…

…I consider myself very fortunate to have been raised with a deep appreciation for my ancestors and an awareness of all that they sacrificed to ensure that I had the simple opportunity to exist. It has taught me to properly value the life I have been given. I was blessed to grow up hearing my elders tell me the same stories that they were told as children—stories that had been passed down through our families for generations. These stories link us together through time, carrying forward valuable lessons. They offer us generations of wisdom, providing an unbroken link to all those who have lived before us. These living stories are more than lore. They possess the wisdom of the ages. Through these stories the continuation of conscious evolution is secured.”

-Sherri Mitchell/Weh’na Ha’mu’ Kwasset (She Who Brings the Light), from Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change, p. 11-12.

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Ancestral channeling

request

we would like it if you wrote us poems. we would like it if you wrote us long life sentences. we would like it if you broke sentences and gave us more life than you or we were told could be contained. we would like it if you remained. we would like it if you showed up every day. we would like it if you drank water. we would love it if you would turn off your phone. we would sincerely appreciate it if you stopped pretending to be alone.

commitment

we promise to wake you up if we think you won’t get the point of the dream. we promise to show up if you show up. every day. we promise to make you feel sick when you lie to yourself. we promise to let love through if it’s love you came to do. we promise to make time flexible if you give us all your time. we promise to think of you more often than you think of us. we promise to remember you when you forget. we promise to be wherever and in everything you haven’t noticed yet. we promise to be we, even one by one. we promise to outsmart your mind. we promise to overlove your heart. we promise to echo over your voice. we promise you everything. everything. all we ask.

-Ancestral channelings taken from the book Dub: Finding Ceremony by Alexis Pauline Gumbs

Essay assignment:

Your task in this essay is to pick one of your ancestors who far enough back in time that you cannot name him/her, and demonstrate your critical and reflective thinking about the history that person might have lived through. You are encourage to write and reflect on the following questions:

What historical moments, events, or situations did this ancestor experience?

What in history did that person sacrifice or endure so that you could exist?

What did that person think, feel, and dream about as a result of their experience?

What might life have been like during the historical time period in which they lived?

What historical events might your ancestor have witnessed, participated in, or been influenced by?

How does the history we have studied in class change your understanding or appreciation of your ancestor?

What traumas did your ancestors suffer from in the past that you might be able to heal from in the present?

What stories, real or imagined, might they have to tell you if you could sit with and listen to them?

What would you say to this particular ancestor if you could sit with and speak to him/her?

In other words, you must use your historical intuition and imagination to connect with those who came before you and their experience of the kinds of historical realities we have studied.

Format:

This writing project should be in the form of a long-form personal reflection. While you are encouraged to think critically, creatively, and ancestrally, your work must incorporate at least one quote from the excerpts above by Sherri Mitchell and Alexis Pauline Gumbs and use that quote in your reflection. Your essay must be between 1,200-1,500 words.

Criteria for Evaluation:

1. Reflectiveness (35 points)

Offers a reflective meditation on the ancestor selected

Writing product is original and/or thought-provoking

2. Historical imagination: (35 points)


Offers a history-conscious interpretation of the relationship between the ancestor and his/her historical context 


3. Organization:
 (15 points)

Has an intro/beginning, a middle or body section, and a strong ending/conclusion

Uses smooth transitions between different sections or themes 


4. Readability:
 (15 points)

Uses correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and citation


Independent: Could be understood by someone unfamiliar with the assignment guidelines

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