Speaking with the ancestors

One of the more peculiar things I have found during my time here in South Africa has been the belief of many Black South Africans that they can communicate with ancestors who have passed away.  People who will insist that they are devout Catholic, Methodist, Baptist or a number of other Christian sects seem to see no contradiction in what sociologists call syncretism i.e. the combination of Christianity with traditional African religion.  Many Black South Africans, especially in the rural areas, are absolutely certain that the ancestors play a very large role in the lives of the living such that the deceased can cause sickness, misfortune, and sometimes even death.  This belief is one of the reasons why such huge expenditure is made on funerals and tombstones, often by people of very limited means, because it is held that if you do not show the proper respect to the dead, they will be displeased and inflict suffering on you and your family as a result.  Furthermore, I have on more than one occasion at my school, witnessed a student go into a type of seizure, in which they are foaming at the mouth, with their eyes rolled back into their head and body spasming violently.  When I suggested that we should call an ambulance or take the child to the hospital, I was told that this was unnecessary as the young woman was simply being touched by the ancestors and that it would pass in due time (which it did).

I mention this because even though most Americans may not give credence to spiritual beliefs such as those described above, I think there is a yearning in every society to connect with those who have gone before.  This is one reason why people make pilgrimages to see places from which antecedents immigrated, why we hold heritage festivals, why we do genealogical research, and why we insist on making certain kinds of recipes from the “Motherland” that otherwise would seem out of place among our hot dogs and hamburgers.  Having grown up as a regular patron of Huntsville Public Library (which I understand has now opened with all of its expansion and upgrades), I always witnessed with some confusion the activities of the Walker Country Genealogical Society.  Being a young buck, to me it seemed like just a bunch of boring, old people doing boring, old work because they didn’t have anything better to do.  I wondered why they wanted to spend so much time and energy on the past instead of living in the present.

Now, though, I think I am beginning to understand.  Heritage festivals and the like are obviously an attempt to preserve a part of our identity which we consider important and that makes us distinctive.  But just as equally powerful a reason, is that it is our own way of “speaking with the ancestors”.  By finding out about and mimicking the culture and custom of those higher on our family tree, we in some way feel that we are in communion with them.

The source of all of these musings was a package I recently received from my mom that contained several sermons that my grandfather on my mom’s side preached back in the 1960s.  Dr. Jauncey was a scholar, scientist, world traveler, best-selling author, self-made man, minister, and perhaps the smartest person I have ever met in my life.  If I ever list role models, he is at the top of my list.  He passed away in 2008, and I miss being able to chat with him about all the things he did during his incredible life.

Reading through his sermons, though, in typewriter print on 50-year old paper which has been yellowed by age, I get the strange and wonderful sensation that he is right here with me – that he is talking to me, just as if I were sitting in his church back so many years ago when the message was originally delivered.  Even though he is not here, I can hear his voice, and see his face, as I read his words line by line.  I realize that in a way, he IS communicating with me, even if not in the African fashion.

P.S.

I also am now beginning to see the value in keeping old letters, antiques, and other relics from another age, since I imagine that many people have a similar sensation when in contact with things from passed-on relatives.  It also makes me wonder whether the electronic communication which forms the majority of most of our contact today will be able to provide the same experience for those who come after me.  I am skeptical.  For that reason, I see the continuing importance of handwritten letters, as the personal nature of someone’s individual script on paper will never be rivaled by an email in your Gmail inbox.

South African English Word of the Day

babalas – hangover

By the looks of his babalas, I’d say he had one too many drinks last night.