Zuri Goes Back to Africa
Zuri decided to embark on a genealogy journey to uncover the true history behind her ancestry.
Genealogy journeys (aka Ancestry travel) are quite popular with consumers who want to discover their heritage. Companies like family tree tours and classic journeys host trips around the world for travelers on a quest to discover their heritage. 23AndMe also has a partnership with Airbnb through which at-home genetic testing consumers get travel recommendations based on the results of their DNA test.
However, for Africans like Zuri, the ancestry travel industry has been somewhat slow to connect with black consumers like herself. Notwithstanding, Zuri was determined to go back to her roots, and she brought her two kids along on this life-changing pilgrimage.
Her first stop was back at her Kenyan home. Through the stories told to her and her children by the existing elders, Zuri learnt that four critical facts:
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- Her mother’s name Adia means ‘gift’ in Swahili.
- Zuri’s grandmother, Imani, wasn’t Adia’s biological grandmother.
- As an infant, Zuri’s mother (Adia) was given to Imani (Zuri’s grandmother) as a gift to the chief by traders (possibly smugglers) passing through East Africa on their way to India from the Cape Town.
- Imani raised Adia as her own child and never told her that she was adopted.
That’s when Zuri realized that Imani might have been telling the truth all along. Adia was indeed a “daughter of the sea”- the infant Adia was given to Imani by seafarers!
“Even as a child, my skin was fairer than that of my friends and agemates. But since nobody said anything, I didn’t think there was a skeleton in that cupboard!” says Adia.
That explained why Zuri’s DNA results indicated that she had deep South African roots.
Nonetheless, she still had questions about her European origins. Since she had no way of contacting the traders who brought her mother to East Africa, Zuri went to South Africa to find out more about her mother’s history.
Searching through public records didn’t yield any useful information about Adia’s biological parents. However, after speaking to a South African historian, Zuri made a shocking discovery. Her mother, Adia, was probably given away at birth.
Then came the question: why would anyone give away their baby?
Zuri and the historian soon formed a theory based on the historical events happening in South Africa at around the time when Adia was born.
Adia’s biological father was European (probably Dutch), and her mother was South African (probably Khoisan). Adia was conceived at the height of apartheid.
A Population Registration and Immorality Act had been passed in 1950 probably months before Adia was born. The act prohibited sexual relationships between people of different races.
When Adia was born, she probably had olive-colored skin, and hair that would most likely have passed the infamous pencil test. In fear of the grim consequences for her and her newborn baby, Adia’s real mom probably gave up her and hoped that she’d have a better life outside South Africa.
It’s also possible that Adia’s mother didn’t have a choice in the matter, and was forced to give her newborn daughter up- for instance, by her family because they didn’t want a child who was different from them.
“I’m certain that my biological grandmother gave her daughter up for altruistic reasons.” Says Zuri.
DNA Tracing Results May Shock You, So Be Prepared
Tracking your African heritage using DNA tracing will lead you on an incredible journey of self-discovery filled with layered and complex emotions. It’s a journey that will help you uncover your history and learn firsthand about the places, times and events that your ancestors lived through.
“When I first decided to buy that DNA testing kit, I didn’t know what to expect. However, the test took me on a journey that taught me more about the turmoil of apartheid than all of my years of education.”-Zuri
Zuri isn’t the only one who shares this sentiment. DNA ancestry tests have helped numerous Africans in the diaspora find their way back home. In their different journeys, they’ve learned about the untold stories of African kings and queens, the horrors of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, African religions like voodoo, etc.
Zuri’s advice to anyone thinking of tracing their roots based on DNA testing is that you should do it with an open mind.
“The result may reveal things that will rock your perceptions about yourself, your family, ethnicity and ancestry. So, it’s best you head into it with an open mind.”
Have you traced your ancestry through DNA testing? Were there any surprises? We’d love to hear your story!
Note: Experts at classicjourneys.com specifically curated a guide to help travelers plan a meaningful genealogy trip. It details the different ways to explore your ancestor’s homelands, while also utilizing points and miles to save on travel costs.
Story by: Matthew Macharia
