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Ancestory: Ancient Lessons for Modern Life
Ancestory is a work of reclamation and remembrance.
It draws on the timeless wisdom of African forms of knowing and seamlessly integrates history, research, folklore as well as centuries of cultural intelligence.
Ancestory is a critique and reflection on the challenges of modern existence and gives context to understand, heal and better honour various aspects of daily life, from health and wealth to relationships and spirit.
This is a roadmap of yesterday’s learnings for the journey into tomorrow.
It draws on the timeless wisdom of African forms of knowing and seamlessly integrates history, research, folklore as well as centuries of cultural intelligence.
Ancestory is a critique and reflection on the challenges of modern existence and gives context to understand, heal and better honour various aspects of daily life, from health and wealth to relationships and spirit.
This is a roadmap of yesterday’s learnings for the journey into tomorrow.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2022
4 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 5, 2023
Opinion:
It took me A YEAR to read this! And it is large font. 190 pages. (I.e. a very small book)
Nokulinda Mkhize is prolific, philosophical and intentional about being present in her “duties” and in this book (which may be one of them 😄). She is a sangoma, a graduate, a wife and mom and reprimands with a gentleness that is pleasant but doesn’t absolve you of your responsibility to champion your own growth. (I didn’t mention those 4 things about her by accident. Connect what you connect nawe)
In this book she explores the ways in which our ancient, community-prioritising cultures and practices have informed our traditions and the ways that these can still have room in our modern, capitalist and individualist lives. She uses folklore/folk tales to introduce a topic and describes briefly the relevant ancient knowledge or practise … and then juxtaposes that to the current experience.
It is difficult to swallow. You will have to go into yourself repeatedly and may even cry or put it down so that you can gather yourself to figure out who you are in the narrative of where you are in the book.
The style of writing is reasonably digestible and every topic is like the highlights of a cricket match. The expectation is that you will do your own research and self-work to plug whatever gaps you find for yourself. I appreciated this because I find non-fiction to be unbearably effusive. But be warned: you will feel like the chapter ended but it wasn’t exactly finished sometimes.
It touches on a lot. The contents page looks like this:
Part 1: IMVELAPHI ORIGINS
Part 2: ANCESTORY
Part 3: FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Part 4: HEALTH AND SPIRIT
Part 5: WEALTH AND POWER
PART 6: LOVE IN THE MODERN WORLD
One of my favourite and most difficult considerations was the following quote
“Whatever it was that led people down the path to becoming a problem, whether it be social or emotional issues, self-centredness or arrogance, the outcome is a universe of pain for everyone. When people cannot resolve this pain, the pain travels through each person and then from generation to generation.” Later she writes “We have a responsibility to honour or heal from the traits we inherited…”. This responsibility is ours—whether or not it manifests in only one person.
I would recommend this book for all Africans—whether it is your way of experiencing life or not—there is something you will benefit from it… even if all it does is make you call your grandmother to ask something.
It took me A YEAR to read this! And it is large font. 190 pages. (I.e. a very small book)
Nokulinda Mkhize is prolific, philosophical and intentional about being present in her “duties” and in this book (which may be one of them 😄). She is a sangoma, a graduate, a wife and mom and reprimands with a gentleness that is pleasant but doesn’t absolve you of your responsibility to champion your own growth. (I didn’t mention those 4 things about her by accident. Connect what you connect nawe)
In this book she explores the ways in which our ancient, community-prioritising cultures and practices have informed our traditions and the ways that these can still have room in our modern, capitalist and individualist lives. She uses folklore/folk tales to introduce a topic and describes briefly the relevant ancient knowledge or practise … and then juxtaposes that to the current experience.
It is difficult to swallow. You will have to go into yourself repeatedly and may even cry or put it down so that you can gather yourself to figure out who you are in the narrative of where you are in the book.
The style of writing is reasonably digestible and every topic is like the highlights of a cricket match. The expectation is that you will do your own research and self-work to plug whatever gaps you find for yourself. I appreciated this because I find non-fiction to be unbearably effusive. But be warned: you will feel like the chapter ended but it wasn’t exactly finished sometimes.
It touches on a lot. The contents page looks like this:
Part 1: IMVELAPHI ORIGINS
Part 2: ANCESTORY
Part 3: FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Part 4: HEALTH AND SPIRIT
Part 5: WEALTH AND POWER
PART 6: LOVE IN THE MODERN WORLD
One of my favourite and most difficult considerations was the following quote
“Whatever it was that led people down the path to becoming a problem, whether it be social or emotional issues, self-centredness or arrogance, the outcome is a universe of pain for everyone. When people cannot resolve this pain, the pain travels through each person and then from generation to generation.” Later she writes “We have a responsibility to honour or heal from the traits we inherited…”. This responsibility is ours—whether or not it manifests in only one person.
I would recommend this book for all Africans—whether it is your way of experiencing life or not—there is something you will benefit from it… even if all it does is make you call your grandmother to ask something.
March 23, 2025
This wonderful book was recommended to me by a respected and admired Xhosa language instructor that I had the pleasure of meeting and working with. This is a wonderful read for reflections on love, spirituality, and community that bridge one's cultural identity (and the rich historical contexts of that identity) with the complex nuances of living everyday life in modern society. I come back to different chapters from time to time to not only practice reading/speaking a new language (there are also English translations of the stories and passages included with a chapter), but because of the warmth and wisdom that comes through how Nokulinda shares her story and truth :)
August 29, 2024
As someone who struggled or felt guilty about practicing/honoring ancestry beliefs in my life because of Christianity this book helped me very much. It helped me gain more understanding of my ancestors (the role they fulfill and how to improve the relationship with them) and the need for community and how to nurture the relationships.
I was also struggling a lot with dealing with adulting and her writing made it easier to reconcile and make understanding of these struggles by knowing that the root cause.
I was also struggling a lot with dealing with adulting and her writing made it easier to reconcile and make understanding of these struggles by knowing that the root cause.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews