Denial of heritage?

[maggbill]

Hope this discussion is acceptable.  Researching our family tree can be a joy to many people, but there are also those who take the total polar opposite approach to it.  I have often wondered at the lack of interest, but have come to the conclusion that sometimes there can be an element of Denial of  our past, even of our "Heritage Group".  Not sure if that is the correct phrase.  Our background may be very mixed, on the other hand - may have strong influences which in these modern times of "civilisation" are seen to be "different".  I will not use some of the hurtful terms which used to be given - but you will know what I mean.  "Illiterate Irish migrants",  - "Travellers and Gypsies", "Aboriginals", "Coloured refugees", "Asians".....   These are all ethnic groups which we can be totally proud to belong to... but when to the current generation,  their lifestyles, past or present, are seen to be just too "different" to our fast paced, materialistic, "civilised" world.. well, I think that some people just deny their connection and don't even want to know about it.   Looking back at what was acceptable and what happened years ago, may amaze us - but I think if those ancestors could look forward and see what is acceptable to us now, they too would be truly amazed.  Can we look at their lives and accept, without judging according our standards?  Can we realise that sometimes - even with warts and all, they still have plenty to teach us? 

[maggbill]

Hope this discussion is acceptable, and that I am not "opening up a can of worms"..
Researching our family tree can be a joy to many people, but there are also those who take the total polar opposite approach to it.  I have often wondered at the lack of interest, but have come to the conclusion that maybe sometimes there can be an element of Denial of  our past, even of our "Heritage Group".  Not sure if that is the correct phrase.  Our background may be very mixed, on the other hand - may have specific strong influences which in these modern times of "civilisation" are seen to be "different".  I will not use some of the hurtful terms which used to be given - but you will know what I mean.  " Irish migrants",  - "Travellers and Gypsies", "Aboriginals", "Coloured refugees", "Asians".....   These are all ethnic groups which we can be totally proud to belong to... but when to the current generation,  their lifestyles, past or present, are seen to be just too "different" to our fast paced, materialistic, "civilised" world.. well, I think that some people seem to deny their connection and don't even want to know about it.   It could range from "snobbish" denial - maybe even to a form of racism.  (Even though we might Like a certain politician think we are "The least racist person in the room").... Looking back at what was acceptable and what happened years ago, may amaze us - but I think if those ancestors could look forward and see what is acceptable to us now, they too would be truly amazed.  Can we look at their lives and accept, without judging according our standards, but see them with their historical circumstances?  Can we realise that sometimes - even with warts and all, they still have plenty to teach us? 

[maggbill]

Sorry, I would like to clarify my previous post.  I said "to the current generation"... Well, I have to state that in some parts of the world the younger generation are actually opening their eyes to the values of generations past.  I live in Australia, and although I  for example have no genetic links to  the Aboriginal groups, I know that within the past few years, the younger aboriginal (and "part" aboriginal) generation have actually come out strong and proud of their heritage, their knowledge and wisdom.  So, maybe my thoughts in the previous post relate more to my own "older" generation!!

[Erato]

"Our background may be very mixed ..."

Gads, I wish I could find some mixing.  I have found precisely two direct line ancestors who were non-British.  Two.  It was a red letter day when I discovered a French Huguenot 7x g-grandfather.  French!!  The other is a German ggg-grandmother.  That's the size of it.

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi

I understand your point and that several groups are trying to deny the past and want to alter what as happened.
I think we should embarrass all our past no matter what. We should look forward and make sure we do not repeat a lot of the mistakes of the past and we can only do that by admitting the wrongs and learning from them and not brushing them aside and ignoring them.

John

[Guy Etchells]

...Can we look at their lives and accept, without judging according our standards?  Can we realise that sometimes - even with warts and all, they still have plenty to teach us? 

Yes certainly, but today is in many ways no better than the past, there is still a lot of racism in the UK, there is a section of Scottish society who show racist aggression against the English, at the other end of the spectrum slavers like Coulson saved tens of thousands of Africans from torture and death, he did not go into Africa and capture people to sell as slaves but bought people who were prisoners of war, who would otherwise have been tortured and killed by the African King,  who had captured them as was the practice in those days (kill your enemies, as then they cannot attack you later).

The past is often remembered as part of an agenda, rather than the full historical facts.
Cheers
Guy

[Mowsehowse]

I totally agree with your post Guy, and I wish that the facts of white slavery were as often discussed.
Raids along the coasts of UK and captured people enslaved on the African mainland often in brutal conditions.
No-one mentions that.
Not that it mitigates, but it would add some balance.

[maggbill]

Wooopssss .....

Sorry was having troubles with my rootschat connection for a while - and it appeared that the first one had not gone... sorry to be repetitive!...
Will check out the other one.

[maggbill]

Sorry that this post of mine has come through twice.. Now - I don't know what to do?  Keep going with this one, and ignore the other?   Not that I want to ignore the comments on the other post lol!...

I relate to the posts re slavery and racism etc., but actually when I posted the comments, I was thinking more of how some individuals actually don't want to recognise their own personal history and ancestry. 

When I found out that my previously thought Scottish family was Irish on all sides going back only 3 generations, - my first comment - was "Oh what??? Irish???"... And I do know that the Irish arriving in my home city of Glasgow in the mid 1800's were not well received or accepted.  Now the major part of my life has been in Australia - hence the comment about many of us having "mixed' ancestry - it is one of the things I love about Australia.  My ancestors  - Scottish/Irish - are a mix of illiterate labourers, Poverty, large families, - later generations going on to "Improve" and become teachers etc.... Would I feel the same about my heritage if they hadn't gone on and "achieved",  "progressed", - or if there were sadder, less "acceptable" events, like criminality?   Interesting question eh?