That last post I wrote on “civilization being built on code” was fun to write. I really didn’t know where it was leading me too. I was just traveling through time from the first known coding system up until present day. It’s fascinating to see how cultures are influenced and intertwined through systems of code.

There was one thing that really struck me though, and that is realizing that “if” we really did all come out of Africa as scientists are telling us, and we then colonized all of Mother Earth, who is truly a native of any lands, except that part of Africa that we all started from?!

It got me thinking on how and when we can claim to be a true-blooded native. Let’s take me for an example. My heritage is Italian, Austrian, British and Irish. Do I feel any true connection to any of these places? No, not really. I’m fascinated to think that my relatives came from these exotic places, but I don’t have much in common with any of these countries. I am white, and I am a born and raised Ugandan, swayed by my parent’s cultural beliefs and values, and this is where my soul rests.

My husband is a Canadian citizen by birth. He was born and raised in Newfoundland, influenced by Newfoundland culture and a heritage, as far as he knows, of Irish and Scottish.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, when did his ancestors move into Ireland and Scotland? When did they move to Newfoundland? When did my ancestors move into Italy, Austria, England and Ireland? I can answer part of that question. My grandmother on my mother’s side, her ancestors moved to England at some point, and my grandmother was born in England, but always claimed to be Irish decent. My mother was born in Canada, but her folks moved back to England where she spent part of her teen years and early adult life before moving to Africa, but always claimed she was English!

So when do we become a true-blooded English man, or a true-blooded Irish woman, or a true-blooded Canadian? When does it become legit to state that this is my native country, that I am a native of Uganda?

I actually think this is a pretty important question to dwell on in this day and age due to land-rights and racism issues. If what our scientist are telling us is correct, I think it brings to light the reality that none of us really belong totally to anywhere in the world, except our original starting point, somewhere on the eastern lands of Africa.

I carry 2 passports, a British passport and a Canadian passport. But my roots are in the soil of East Africa, my home where I was born and raised; I am white from European decent; but my heart and soul is African with a blend of mixed European and Canadian cultures.

If you were to look at anyone in Canada or the USA and their heritage, no one living here can claim that their heritage began on this continent. That is including First Nations. So when do we state that we are true-blooded Canadians or Americans, or First Nations?

At the end of the day, does it really matter? We are all immigrants.

Initially it is really difficult to adjust and become comfortable and integrated into a new culture; I know this  first hand. I still don’t feel totally comfortable in my adopted culture as I have different values and ways of looking at life due to my original upbringing and cultural experiences. My kids though are definitely more integrated into the Canadian culture, although they are influenced by us, their mixed parents cultural outlooks and values. But, they too bring their own cultural sway to Canadian culture as they have also lived and experienced different cultures while we worked and travelled overseas. My grandchild on the other hand has so far not lived overseas, so, she only associates herself with being a Canadian, but swayed culturally by her parents and grandparents.

So who and what is a true Canadian? Maybe one day my granddaughter will move to another part of the world and have a family there; she will now be a new immigrant. Through her cultural belief systems she will create a slightly different sway on her family’s values and cultural ways; and so our “codes and cultural” ways march on hand in hand swaying civilization.

Creating new code

• Maybe it’s time to start taking a different approach on being true-blooded natives verses immigrants.
• Maybe we need to start looking at Mother Earth as our native home.
• Maybe we need to start looking at ourselves as true-blooded Mother Earthlings, and all the people on earth are our earthling relatives.
• Maybe this is a way we can begin to take care of our home, Mother Earth, and to start loving and caring about all of us living and sharing our native land.
• Maybe we can create some new code based on “Acceptance, Respect, Trust & Equality”.

It’s just a thought.