A FAMILY OF WAYFARERS

Jamaica-born Ike Anderson and Natalee met on a school bus when they were 15. Now, 26 years later, they have travelled to 22 countries in search of their ancestral lineage while homeschooling their three children. ADILA MATRA catches up with Natalee, who gets candid about their findings, moving to Ghana, and their initiative that helps young adults of African descent trace their roots.

- ADILA MATRA

What prompted you and Ike to explore your ancestral lineage?

We had everything that the society asks one to achieve [for a happy life] but felt something was missing! We were guided to an adventure that was tied very closely to our ancestral past. We grew up in Jamaica with ancestors of diverse backgrounds and wondered who they were and where they came from. Why and how did they end up here, on this island in the Caribbean so far away? And how do we honour their journey, one [that was] riddled with severe hardships?

What have been your findings regarding your lineage after travelling to 22 countries?

I have come to see very clearly that humans have more in common than we have differences. We also discovered our full ancestral make-up. We took many DNA tests to isolate our ancestral make-up and the path they took over centuries. I am 66 per cent African mix, 22.5 per cent Central and South Asian/ Indian, and 10.2 per cent European mix. Ike is 82 per cent African mix and 17 per cent European mix.

You are a Jamaican family. How and why did you decide to settle down in Ghana? Was it easy for the kids to adjust to the culture of the place?