Beyonce and Her Open Complicated Ancestry
Bey’s State of Mind | Kristi Huynh
The power of family history is unfathomable. Its intensity, its tragedy, its stories; ancestry is as complicated as it could get. Not only do you carry it with you as you get older and move forward in life, it even affects you and generations to come.
The burden from a family tree could weigh heavily, taking such an emotional toll, and one of entertainment’s biggest stars has spoken up about her struggles.
“The burden from a family tree could weigh heavily”
Beyoncé recently graced the cover of Vogue, opening up as a new mother to twins and how she has been dealing with her dark, complicated ancestry.
The singer took some personal time, going through a troubling past in her family lineage. During this, she learned she was a descendant of a slave owner who “fell in love with and married a slave.” Her family history has been filled with hurt, abuse, and torn relationships between the men and women.
“During this, she learned she was a descendant of a slave owner who “fell in love with and married a slave.”
The struggle of power between genders and resurgence of racism is distressing, and Beyonce has been very honest about that. “I had to process that revelation over time,” she told Vogue. “I questioned what it meant and tried to put it into perspective.” Because here’s the thing, you do not realize how much the past affects you until it does. You begin to see similar patterns or experiences that happen as the cycle repeats itself.
Trauma from past experiences tend to pass down from generation to generation. A trauma and social expert Dr. Joy DeGruy stated a major reason why trauma is carried on for multiple generations is because many people are unable to properly heal from their suffering before they pass it along through their DNA. In order to identify the events that hurt us, we must realize that trauma can exist in many forms.
“The problem is, we are still struggling with racial instances today”
The descendants of slaves carry a heavy weight of emotions since they deal with three hundred years of trauma to their ancestry. The problem is, we are still struggling with racial instances today. When does it stop? Many generations have dealt with hurt and anger, and this is what Beyoncé has been dealing with as well.
One of the most effective methods to separate from our past and take control of our lives involves creating a coherent narrative. We take that past narrative, learn and understand it, then turn that into positive responsibilities.
Beyoncé is the latest of many celebrities who have discovered their family ties to slavery. Chris Rock, the rapper Nas and Oprah Winfrey are among those who have spoken publicly as well.
“I now believe it’s why God blessed me with my twins,” the singer said of learning of her lineage. “Male and female energy was able to coexist and grow in my blood for the first time. I pray that I am able to break the generational curses in my family and that my children will have less complicated lives.”