#BTSpeakingOut – Who are we in 2022?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Michael Rudder

We do not choose our ancestors.

From time-to-time discussion arises about our (Barbadians) ethnicity, identity and even proclivity.

There is a tool which now allows us to discover some aspects of our ethnicity and identity; but of those results some may not be willing to accept or proclaim, as they may have over time chosen to identify with one hereditary stream or the other. The tool I refer to is DNA testing and aligning which is carried out by a few international facilities.

I have had such testing done.

The results – a mixture of African and European DNA did not, however, surprise me as our family had the benefit of research done by our cousin Geoffrey.

Indeed, as I get more DNA updated results I keep getting “new” relatives, even today. However, Geoffrey’s research on the Family Tree went back to the early 1800’s.

In fact, we used the birth of John Thomas Roges Rudder (JTRR) in 1806 to celebrate his 200th birthday in 2006 with a family reunion.

Yes, his family were slave owners and yes, he did marry a woman of colour. We were neither celebrating slavery
nor slave ownership we were just acknowledging our roots based on the facts as revealed. And what a mixture we turned out to be.

One family member, who would call himself Caucasian, produced a photograph of one of his English family whose features were almost identical with those of my brother Trevor.

Among us gathered were the different skin colours which abound in this and some other regions which had miscegenation – interbreeding of different racial types.

That miscegenation whether “forced” or “unforced” took place. Throughout time our ancestors mainly adapted to the culture and also adopted the language and mores of the dominant colonisers whether English, French, Dutch, Spanish or Portuguese.

Where are we today? A small percentage of people have maintained the proclivity to identify with one ethnic group and perhaps remain afraid of doing any DNA tests. That is their choice.

A few acknowledge and may even proclaim their multi-ethnicity. Many, despite their physical appearance seem to wish to be in an advantaged group and wish us to help them forget or reject their multi-ethnicity, why I do not know. I can only speak for myself.

‘I am who I am.

I long ago discarded what Captain Maurice Hutt seemed to make of two treaties which had, I believe, some significance for the British at the time – the treaties of  Kutchuk-kainarji 1774 and Unkiar Skelessi 1833. I did recall the names but not the facts of the treaties and I also had to research the spelling.

I use these examples as the epitome of irrelevant historical facts which somehow seemed to be relevant to the presenter during a history class in preparation for an “O” Level exam many years ago. I was not, nor am I now British in any sense even though I may have ‘imbibed’ some of the best values and ethics of our colonizer.

Who are we in 2022? To discover an answer what we need to do is acknowledge our roots and our ancestors but also recognise that we each are given free will choice. We are also gifted with that part of us which is made in the image of God – our soul.

Most of us may understand that God loves us equally but, if so, why do some believe that God loves Israel and the Israelis more?

I would say that is a foolish notion since I would then have to ask who He loves second and third and on down the ladder. Yet, we know that the Israelis are aided and abetted by individuals and countries near and far seemingly blinded by some supposed superiority. Sad!

Each individual has to answer the question as to who you are. You may come to the realization that you are different today from yesterday.

Yesterday you may have thought you would be glad that Crop Over is back, but today you don’t think you want to embrace many of those activities again. Yes, change is here and continuing

The earth is changing and so are you and I, and in fact all of us.

Then, who are we in 2022? We may just be evolving.