What do YOU do to honor your ancestors or ancestry?

Question

As late as the early 20th century, farmers in Rogaland, Norway, sacrificed an oxen to their primal ancestor on the family burial mound everytime someone died.

Traditional culture in places like Mexico and Korea have a day set aside each year to decorate family graves, and throw a big party or feast in honor of all the family dead.

Nowadays, many people have a "family wall" of photos, or treasured heirlooms . . . I have many of my father's books, and some owl stuff from his office, but as a heathen, I also do an annual feast for the dead, among other observances.

What do YOU do? How big a part do your ancestors play in your daily life?

Answer 1

I have an empty shell casing on my pc desk.It is laying across the starboard
side of a old model ship.
This is from a twenty-one gun salute at my Dad's funeral.Sometimes when I look at that
old empty shell casing,I think my heart is just
as empty as it is.I miss him.

Answer 2

To start out I appreciate your question. As far as honoring I dont cause the only thing I know is that my family comes from Ireland and Scotland. I f I had the resources I would love to more than ever to visit these 2 countries. All I have here is who they were that lived in the states nothing to refer back to these other 2 countries. Just some hear say is all that I have to go on. I really truly admire those folks that can trace their ancestors.

Answer 3

My family is void of tradition---any tradition, actually. We never celebrated family events much, not even birthdays. Deaths were a cause for a simple funeral, a grave something to be left neglected. As my family is overwhelmingly Christian in belief(I'm the lone Atheist), there is the thought that death will bring reunion, so there is not appreciation shown to the departed in this life.

I honestly cannot tell you anything about my ancestors past my grandparents. There has been no oral tradition, no heritage passed down. The family I come from is proper, reserved, sterile. There is emphasis on manners and the appearance of honourable respectability.

Depth is lacking.

Answer 4

I order sweetened iced tea and eat sweet potatoes, blackeyed peas, cornbread (no sugar, no flour recipe), buy fresh tomatoes and muscadine jelly. I patronize places that serve fried okra and collards, even though I don't care much for them.

I ask people where they're from, seeking for common ancestors and/or acquaintances. I acknowledge living relatives most people would be embarassed to admit. I call myself a "Birthright Methodist" due to the generations who've shared this faith and those who came to it within the last 100 years or so (the newcomers). I tell the stories to my children and cousins, some older than I, and seek the characteristics among the young that have stayed true to our DNA. I choose to spend vacation time and limited money staying in touch with my cousins.

This is all part of my Southern WASP (Huguenot and German ancestors not withstanding) heritage.

Answer 5

As a genealogist who has been actively tracing back my family history for the past 8 years it plays a big part of my life. I do have the wall of family photos going back to the 1860's but I also travel around New England, Quebec and the UK finding their grave sites and leaving flowers. Those ancestors that fought in wars I make sure they have their appropriate markers and a fresh flag.

I am an atheist so there is no religious significance in it for me but I respect the people who passed a piece of themselves on so that I could come into the world.

Answer 6

Blood Quantum was devised & instituted by the government in hopes of completely annihilating all of the indigenous (Native Americans / American Indians) people of this continent. No one could possibly foresee the end result which is now causing a huge rift between some of those who are enrolled in a federal or state recognized Nation (tribe) and those who have indigenous blood running through their bodies ( and their hearts!). If you check the Rolls you'll also find many people who did not have ANY indigenous blood. Many were either intermarried or adopted into the Nation. At one time you were considered Cherokee if you had even one drop of Cherokee blood. It's a shame that even now the forced enrollment of the indigenous people of Turtle Island (aka America) prevents our People from becoming united.

Answer 7

I am who I am and my ancestors play an important part in my life.As a matter of fact I'm working on a few issues connected with my ancestors ,their lives and their life stories which are part of the history.One process which involves my grandfather and his death is one of the secrets of World War II.It came to light
quite recently when Russia turned supposibly into peaceful nation and had to confess all their sins.They are still denying facts and process takes about 80 years now.I have almost die on territory of USA,cause I've touched a forbidden subject.I'm still fighting for my family's property which they lost right then in year 1939.

Answer 8

Thank you for bringing this up. We have the day of the dead parade here in SA which the whole city honors the dead, but for me, I have been very remiss in honoring my ancestry. I guess in my mind I thought I was honoring them by having children and hoping that my child will want to know our family history and where his roots come from, I have a dried rose from each of my grandmothers graves and their death announcements and heirlooms from my great grandparents, but now you have made me think of other things i should do. Thank you

Answer 9

I honor my ancestors through keeping family pictures of them on the wall, and through genealogy. On Memorial Day I place flowers on their graves, and I visit their graves frequently. Ancestors I have known in my lifetime such as my late mother and father I actually talk to in my head. Being Germanic Heathen, I also honor them at special times such as Winter Nights, and at every symbel I attend.

Answer 10

In Hellenismos, there is a annual festival called the Genesia.

Family and friends may also make periodic offerings at the grave throughout the year, particularly on the anniversary of the ancestor's death.

Answer 11

I try to honor them every day. There are things that remind me of certain ones...scents, tastes and things I see that cause me to stop for a moment and savor their memory and presence if I feel it. I visit the cemetery often and walk among the graves remembering and feeling the peace of the place. When ever I cast a circle I take a moment towards the end of what ever I am dealing with there to honor them. My room has a wall that has many pictures of ones who are gone. I feel their presence on a regular basis.