This essay is based on my revelations while reading the book, Rooted in the Earth: Reclaiming the African American Environmental Heritage by Dianne D. Glave
I enjoyed this. Even though I was born and raised in MD (which I don’t consider the South), I was raised by grandmother, who was Southern. So some things I can relate to and other things I can’t simply cuz it wasn’t my experience. Most of my folk practice learning happened in the kitchen as opposed to on the land.
But I remember my grandfather taking me hunting in the woods near our house for rabbit. And my uncles fished all the time too. As a child, I loved having fried fish for breakfast.
Your grandmother brought the South with her and everything you're saying about your uncles prove that the essence of the South can be carried anywhere!
I clearly remember waking up at 4am to get ready to go fishing with them a few times with my cousins.
We would be out there for about 3-4 hours and would come back with coolers filled to the brim. My uncles and boy cousins would clean them. And me and my grandma would get things ready in the kitchen to fry them for breakfast. Good times 😚
Loved this. The GOAT August Wilson made the point that he feared we never should have left the land. That the separation had negative effects. Hard call tho with the brutality of the labor systems.
Thank you, beautiful excerpt and excited about your work. So enriching to sit with these words. Was really nice to hear about your family how yall lived together and off the land. The intention of withholding knowledge of living from the land. 🙏🏽 intellectual and personal, love this so much! 💚
You have great insight, this was a very interesting and necessary piece.
Beautiful ✌🏻
Thank you much!
I enjoyed this. Even though I was born and raised in MD (which I don’t consider the South), I was raised by grandmother, who was Southern. So some things I can relate to and other things I can’t simply cuz it wasn’t my experience. Most of my folk practice learning happened in the kitchen as opposed to on the land.
But I remember my grandfather taking me hunting in the woods near our house for rabbit. And my uncles fished all the time too. As a child, I loved having fried fish for breakfast.
Your grandmother brought the South with her and everything you're saying about your uncles prove that the essence of the South can be carried anywhere!
I clearly remember waking up at 4am to get ready to go fishing with them a few times with my cousins.
We would be out there for about 3-4 hours and would come back with coolers filled to the brim. My uncles and boy cousins would clean them. And me and my grandma would get things ready in the kitchen to fry them for breakfast. Good times 😚
Doesn't it feel good in your soul to recall that? Just think how healing it would be to go fishing again in honor of them
Loved this. The GOAT August Wilson made the point that he feared we never should have left the land. That the separation had negative effects. Hard call tho with the brutality of the labor systems.
Thank you so much for reading!
Thank you, beautiful excerpt and excited about your work. So enriching to sit with these words. Was really nice to hear about your family how yall lived together and off the land. The intention of withholding knowledge of living from the land. 🙏🏽 intellectual and personal, love this so much! 💚
Thank you so much for reading!
Thank you for this.
You are very welcome! Thank you for reading it!