My Ancestors

I have been thinking about my ancestors a lot lately, it all started when KK took me to the British Museum for my birthday about 4 years ago. Viewing all those African stuff made me feel so proud to be a descendant of such great people. Since then I’ve been trying to write a ‘poem’ that’ll do them justice- I’m still trying.

My latest musing about my ancestors started when one of my young friends asked me about ‘old school generation vs the new school’. My answer to him was: “We can't ignore our ancestors, we must find a way to blend the two without losing our identity”.

I’m still not sure what I meant!!!

Yes, some of the things our ancestors (whoever they were) did are archaic or redundant in the modern world but most of their  values are still needed- and arguably the fact that we've thrown them all out in the name of moving with times, is the cause of most of the problems in the world today.

On the one hand I am a believer in maxim 'we should do things the way it was done so that it can be how it should be'. On the other, I have some issues with doing it the way it was done:

Electricity
No electricity means no TV no TV means no Elementary, no Poirot, No Mother She Wrote OMG no Tom and Jerry! Na my ancestors can keep their lanterns.

Communication

My ancestors sent ‘aroko’, so basically they’ll give you something like a leaf to take to someone and it could mean give this child sugarcane or give this child a cane (get beating) depending on how you are told to hold the leaf. Erm I think I prefer modern method of communication, I prefer being able to understand a message when  I’m being sent to deliver it.

Respecting Hubby

In those days women respected their husbands, he is all knowing, what he wants he gets. His commands are never questioned. Erm I respect my husband, I mean I have no choice it’s actually a term of our marriage contract! But I draw the line at calling him  'baba wa' 'daddy wa' (our daddy)- I know I’m lucky enough to have two dads- but he ain’t one of them!

In honour of my ancestors:

I’ve decided to only eat only those things they ate, so bye bye McD, pizza, cheesecake and pasta etc. And pls take note Mr Prime Minister, for that dinner you’ve invited me to, inform your chef to serve iyan and efo riro with eja tutu (pounded yam and spinach with fresh fish) and I only drink palm wine or water straight from the spring in my village.

Who knows I might even decide to do the hairstyles they did. What do you think?

I think to a lot of extent my morals were shapen by the fact that I am a Yoruba girl (albeit corrupted by foreign ideas)- I think the Yoruba culture is so rich and I look forward to teaching my son about being Yoruba- well at least my interpretation of it. (I'm so gonna enjoy exploiting erm sorry I mean exploring being Yoruba with him)