*This blog has been edited after we received feedback that African traditions were erased from the blog. This was not our intention at all, and we made adjustments with their feedback in mind to ensure the African presence is not erased in this month’s topic. TMS strives to have all members of our community feel seen & heard. We have edited the examples of ways many diasporas venerate their ancestors.
Connecting with our ancestors can often be a complex and difficult journey for people of mixed identities. The October Meetup created space for our members to share and find ways they honor ancestors and how ancestral spirits can ground us in our identities and guide us along our different journeys.
“It’s during the transitional times on earth when days become shorter, and trees begin to lose their leaves that we find people gathering to honor ancestors,” our meetup host Mike Avila opened with. In a journaling exercise, we asked our audience which ancestor they wanted to honor.
Throughout the evening, our audience shared tearful memories of their passed loved ones, ancestors they’ve never met but learned about through stories, the traditions they carried from ancestors, and how they continue to honor them today.
Mike mentioned how humans had venerated loved ones who are no longer with us. “All over the globe, cultures have created sacred rituals,” he continued, “From the Sioux nations’ tree burial tradition to Cambodia’s 15-day Pchum Ben festival or the various forms of Día de Los Muertos throughout Latin America, and even the modern urban* tradition of pouring out libations for the dead [which has origins in ancient African tradition].” Given that these sacred rituals have been around for so many centuries, The Mixed Space recognizes that each ritual evolves over time and travels through various cultures, countries, and diasporas. The same tradition can be celebrated in different ways across the globe. However, due to colonization and erasures, the importance of cultural perseverance is steadfast. All over the planet, we honor our ancestral legacies with rituals and open ourselves to the spiritual guidance our ancestors can give us.
Mike also touched on how despite our DNA being the blueprint of who we are, our ancestors turned our blueprints into the customs, rituals, and traditions we carry on. “It’s learning old ways and making new customs for my family,” Mike explained, “Connecting with my ancestors is not some external activity. Our ancestors are within us.”
Our other host of the evening, Ariel Bastida, also pointed out the shared phenomenon that one day all of us will be someone's ancestor. “It makes me feel really, really grounded,” Ariel described.
When our hosts asked the audience how connecting with their ancestors has raised mental or emotional wellness, one community member explained that not only has connecting with her ancestors helped her come into herself better, but it has helped her connect more with her living relatives and enhance her creativity. They shared a touching story of how a conversation with her cousin helped her create a bond with her Popo, a name in reference to her grandmother and a person she unfortunately never got to meet. Hearing her cousin describe how much of a loving and generous person her Popo was, made her feel like she was now “encapsulated” within Popo's love and warmth. This simultaneously strengthened the bond with her cousin as she gained a new and special understanding of her. Moreover, the community member explained how her support system improved now that she felt like she had access to Popo’s loving embrace. This newfound connection to her ancestors has even helped the member tap into her creativity, she admitted at a time in her life that has been very difficult.
Connecting with our ancestors can often be a complex and difficult journey for people of mixed identities. The October Meetup created space for our members to share and find ways they honor ancestors and how ancestral spirits can ground us in our identities and guide us along our different journeys.
“It’s during the transitional times on earth when days become shorter, and trees begin to lose their leaves that we find people gathering to honor ancestors,” our meetup host Mike Avila opened with. In a journaling exercise, we asked our audience which ancestor they wanted to honor.
Throughout the evening, our audience shared tearful memories of their passed loved ones, ancestors they’ve never met but learned about through stories, the traditions they carried from ancestors, and how they continue to honor them today.
Mike mentioned how humans had venerated loved ones who are no longer with us. “All over the globe, cultures have created sacred rituals,” he continued, “From the Sioux nations’ tree burial tradition to Cambodia’s 15-day Pchum Ben festival or the various forms of Día de Los Muertos throughout Latin America, and even the modern urban* tradition of pouring out libations for the dead [which has origins in ancient African tradition].” Given that these sacred rituals have been around for so many centuries, The Mixed Space recognizes that each ritual evolves over time and travels through various cultures, countries, and diasporas. The same tradition can be celebrated in different ways across the globe. However, due to colonization and erasures, the importance of cultural perseverance is steadfast. All over the planet, we honor our ancestral legacies with rituals and open ourselves to the spiritual guidance our ancestors can give us.
Mike also touched on how despite our DNA being the blueprint of who we are, our ancestors turned our blueprints into the customs, rituals, and traditions we carry on. “It’s learning old ways and making new customs for my family,” Mike explained, “Connecting with my ancestors is not some external activity. Our ancestors are within us.”
Our other host of the evening, Ariel Bastida, also pointed out the shared phenomenon that one day all of us will be someone's ancestor. “It makes me feel really, really grounded,” Ariel described.
When our hosts asked the audience how connecting with their ancestors has raised mental or emotional wellness, one community member explained that not only has connecting with her ancestors helped her come into herself better, but it has helped her connect more with her living relatives and enhance her creativity. They shared a touching story of how a conversation with her cousin helped her create a bond with her Popo, a name in reference to her grandmother and a person she unfortunately never got to meet. Hearing her cousin describe how much of a loving and generous person her Popo was, made her feel like she was now “encapsulated” within Popo's love and warmth. This simultaneously strengthened the bond with her cousin as she gained a new and special understanding of her. Moreover, the community member explained how her support system improved now that she felt like she had access to Popo’s loving embrace. This newfound connection to her ancestors has even helped the member tap into her creativity, she admitted at a time in her life that has been very difficult.
