On The Ancestral Path: Searching for Truth

There is a question we all have as humans that is inherent in each one of us: what is the truth behind everything we can observe in this world?  This quest(ion) has been the inspiration that sparked mass movements of epic proportions, over thousands of years and around the globe. Every culture comes with its own truths. Every education comes with its own truths as well. Whether it’s based on logic, research, history, hope, faith or belief is arbitrary. The fact remains that humanity is divided because of our different perspectives of what truth is, as it relates to our understanding of the world.

There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of religions and belief systems that all teach and practice what they believe to be the truth behind spirituality and the world. Some of these systems are very tolerant of others. Others, namely Christianity and Islam, are not. Ironically, these happen to be the two largest religions on the planet. I think it’s safe to say that these two systems did not achieve this status through peaceful means. In fact, history proves their methods of conversion to be just the opposite. They've made their strongest arguments through force and destruction, to make sure their truths become more relevant than any others… an argument that has not yet been proven or validated to the world, despite all of the blood that has been spilled in their names.

When a child is born, he becomes a victim of the education that is exposed to him. This means that whatever values or beliefs that are specific to the environment in which the child is raised will be transferred directly to him as part of the natural learning and growth process. This puts a child in a very weak position, especially if that child is being taught the values that do not belong to his culture.

The education of the Earth Center teaches that it is one’s culture that determines what is important for the individual. It is one's culture that determines even what an individual should strive for in life. This just simply makes sense. Even while we are on a mission to seek truth, at least our culture has its own concept of what truth means for us. This continuum of exposure from a cultural perspective is also a recorded history of that culture. From generation to generation, the truths of any said culture are passed down through the ages. This assures several things, but most importantly, it assures that the education and practices of that culture will not fade away.

But what about the one who is taught the values of a culture that does not belong to his ancestors? How does he identify with the history of his foster-culture?  Here is the difference: the one who is raised according to the values of his culture will, at the very least, know that the and all of his ancestors for as far back as he can trace, have honored the ways of that culture.  He will know this even if there are aspects of his culture that he compares to other cultures as he grows and may disagree with. This may give that individual a sense that maybe he was not the only one throughout the history of his culture that did not find every aspect of it appealing. Therefore, if his culture has remained in tact, why would he rebel against it? That would give the impression that he is above all of the ancestors who contributed to the preservation of his culture. Such an individual will still have a great advantage in the fact that he will be able to identify with the goals and values of that culture or simply put, he will be able to identify with who he is.

Now, the one who can be considered an orphan to a foster-culture is, without question, in a much weaker position. He is subject to be educated by his foster culture, and even taught to despise all aspects of his mother culture. Ironically, he will also be drawn to his mother culture like a magnet to metal because of the very blood that runs through his veins, which will always be there as a reminder. There will be events that the individual will experience which will force him to recognize that there is something inherently different about him in comparison to his foster-culture. However, he may not realize what is different, because he will only make comparisons according to how his foster culture educated him regarding his mother culture. He will, nonetheless, have a thought or an urge to investigate outside of his limited and often skewed exposure. But in most cases, fear becomes the determining factor behind the lack of motivation or refusal to investigate or find his birth mother. In the mind of this orphaned individual, this would be a very risky endeavor. What if his mother rejects him? What if he doesn’t like the lifestyle of his mother? What if he doesn’t like the food his mother will cook for him? What if his mother is mean and strict? Even within these thoughts, the individual still finds himself a victim of the ways of his foster-culture, without recognizing this fact.

The knowledge of our ancestors taught us that we did not choose who our parents would be or the culture we are born into. Master Naba said on several occasions, “If your mother is a witch, then you are just the child of a witch!" One can see how this reality can be uncomfortable if the culture that raised you embedded a false perception about what being a witch entails. Blacks in the diaspora, especially those here in America, are the greatest examples of cultural orphans as it relates to having and preserving an identity that is not their own. But our blood will continue calling until we respond, or until we die. This we can be sure of.

If truth is what we seek, it appears to be more logical to seek it through the education and values that our ancestors have passed on to us. It does not matter if the truths of one’s perspective culture are absolute or not. What matters most is one being able to identify with his ancestors, which in turn will open the door for him to identify with himself. It is only there that one will find the truth…and that, my brothers and sisters, is the truth.