Do you know where you are from?
Do you know where you are from? I don't mean only the state or city, but do you really know what it means 'to be from' there? Are you aware of the influence the place where you were born in and were you grew up has on your life?
The book that told a part of my own story
A couple of years ago I got a present from my parents; back then a recently published book*. The book tells a well researched story about a man growing up in the area I am from, the south of The Netherlands. Never had I realized that the culture of this area contains a vast history and specific cultural aspects. It gave me a wonderful insight on how life must have been for my ancestors, which has a history of mining coal from the ground.
Coal had been mined in the area for a long time already, when around 1900 the mines were nationalized. Until somewhere in the 1960's, most people in this part were (in)directly occupied by the coal mines, that were situated in this part of the country.
Multiple generations of men have worked long shifts underground, in small confined spaces, hacking coal from the walls with heavy manual tools. Whole generations of women were day-in-day-out taking care of the household, the children and making ends meet.
All while the catholic church had a big influence in the area. The church and the mines provided structure and income, but also had control over people to a huge extend.
*Het geluk van Limburg by Marcia Luyten
Why should you care about your roots?
It is easy to go through life without knowing much about the area you and your family are from. The history, the culture and the values tied to it. The story of my family is probably different from yours', but all stories contain elements that make us human.
Love, relationships, family tragedies, working conditions, poverty and wealth, war and peace, etc.. One way or another these are all part of any area of the world. The way they appear in the world might be different, they play a role in most stories nonetheless.
You won't have a miserable life only because you've never researched anything about your roots, the place you are from. Knowing more about it, though, can enrich your life and present to you an untapped source of power and inspiration.
Realizing that my grandfather and other men in my family had been working under extreme conditions for most of their lives, often dying young due to dust having accumulated in their lungs, has brought me gratitude and a sense of strength.
I am grateful that my working conditions are better than that and at the same time I feel that the persistence and bravery these men must have had, is a part of me as well.
While my particular story might not resonate with you, I encourage you to start connecting to your own roots, to see what that brings you.
Here is how to start
I'd say start with asking your parents and family members, whoever is available for it. Ask them what they know about the conditions they and their parents grew up in. Topics to look for are financial well-being, religion, the way marriage and relationships were looked upon, etc.
Maybe you feel like going to a city archive to dig up information, maybe you can find a book or documentary about the area you are from. With today's internet, you'll be surprises where you can get information from.
Each time you find new piece of history, reflect on it. Are there aspects that you recognize in your own life? Are their traits, opinions or ways of looking to life that are similar (or the total opposite)?
There is no real end-state here, the journey of looking for information is the goal, with some more knowledge about yourself as a nice bycatch.
