Everything has a beginning. A starting point. An origin. That beginning may be very clearly understood. Sometimes however, it’s a little difficult to understand how something actually came to be. And sometimes, the truth of the origin is simply denied. Why is this important? Today is the beginning of the Pickled Roots blog. Truth be told – the seeds of this blog were planted long ago. Long before I even knew why I was watering seeds. So, let me back up a bit to bring you up to speed.
I’ve always been proud of my heritage. I loved learning about my family history – as far back as Africa. I studied traditional elements of African culture and spirituality, then elements of Asian culture and spirituality, then elements of Hawaiian culture and spirituality, then….well you get the picture. Over time, I was exposed to the traditions of other cultures. There was a part of each of them that was strangely familiar and impassioned my spirit.
It didn’t take long for me to recognize that what I was actually drawn to was the interconnectedness of the cultures. I’d later come to understand that interconnectedness as a universal thread. For example, Nigerian and Japanese cultures place high respect for the Elders in very similar ways. In some cultures, food is prepared with a loving sacredness that reminds me of the energy put into soul food cooking. There are so many other examples. While there may be subtle differences in the actual ingredients used or the cultural expression itself, it all comes back to the universal thread – one of love, respect for humanity, and our sacred connection to the universe and all that dwells within.
This universal thread and the all the seeds that contribute to it have become my passion. I absolutely love exploring and expressing elements of culture, particularly indigenous cultures from around the world. There is a complex purity that invokes a sense of truth for me. For so long, I didn’t know why I was drawn to experience these cultures in the way I have. Some may say I was wasting my time. Today, I recognize that I was watering those seeds to give birth to Pickled Roots. This is my way of preserving the root of the cultures that have brought me solace, wisdom, comfort, lessons, and fun. I’m honored to welcome you to Pickled Roots with all my heart and soul. And so it begins.
