Brett & Kate McKay | November 21, 2016 at The Art of Maniless

Up until the 20th century, a man’s roots — his ancestry — formed an important part of his identity. Noble families in ancient Rome displayed wax masks of their ancestors in their homes as reminders of their legacy. In ancient Japan, ancestor worship was common, and families fiercely guarded the scrolls that contained their genealogy. The goal in life was to live in a way that would bring honor to the family.

In the 19th century, it was typical for homes in Europe and the U.S. to prominently display a family Bible that had been passed down through the generations with the birth and/or death dates of ancestors inscribed in the front. Parents and grandparents told children and grandchildren stories about the brave deeds done by their forebearers and the dignified lives previous generations had lived, admonishing them never to act in a way that would sully their lineage.

In the hyper-individualistic and present-focused culture of the 21st century, interest in one’s heritage and family ties has waned — to our ultimate detriment.

I know that I always thought of genealogy as a fairly dull, and rather intimidating subject. So many names and dates and records.

But recently, I decided to start researching my family history, and have discovered that genealogy is far more fascinating than I thought. In fact, it’s downright addicting. You end up just wanting to keep searching for and filling in more and more details about your family tree. Genealogical dead ends turn into white whale obsessions you feel driven to conquer. And all along, the bits of history you gather feel nourishing to the soul. … read more here