Ancestry and Genealogy determine who we are. They have created our present, and will mould our future. Ancestry involves signifying and tracing all your ancestors, starting with you. The word “genealogy” refers to the study of the descendants of families and persons from a common ancestor or ancestors.
The history of Genealogy is roughly divided into three stages:
The oral tradition
Early written records
The recording of births, marriages and deaths and the keeping of public records.
Before humans could write, memory played an important part in recording ancestral information. This kind of recording was developed by means of verse. In this way all the major and important events – often of noble lineages and royal ancestry were recorded for posterity. Unfortunately, only a small part of these verses were later recorded in writing. This loss of information occurred in South African history as well – e.g. the Khoisan drew rock sketches to record their experiences and until today researchers are still searching for and deciphering these.
Early written records provide interesting material for research into past lineages. Some researchers claim there are lineages derived from Adam, Abraham, Mohammed and Jesus Christ!
The recording of public records (births, marriages and deaths) began in about 1500 A.D. in Western Europe and continues today. Public records in most other Western countries, including South Africa, were ushered in during the 19th century.
In South Africa Genealogy traditionally started with the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck in 1652, as written records exist from that time. It must be remembered that South Africa consisted initially of the Cape Colony only, so the earliest records are found in what later became known as the Cape Province. Past records also show many lists of slaves that arrived in the Cape by ship. By looking at these lists and the history of these immigrants’ lives, the past becomes reality for us, their descendents.
Initially the settlement at the Cape was small, centred on the present city of Cape Town. With the pressures of farming and the desire of many of the earliest servants of the Dutch East India Company to remain at the Cape, however, the settlement rapidly expanded.
Ancestry should be regarded as an important aspect of our lives today. Through discovery knowledge grows; through knowledge understanding and appreciation of all of our founding fathers and mothers emerge. Recognising this unifying factor may lead to a more tolerant and inclusive modern society, as we discover the common thread of our nationhood rooted in our past.
