Why is Heritage Important?

An African proverb says, "Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested." In a face to face class we brainstormed on the importance of heritage.  Here's what we came up with:

1. Helps you to understand where you come from
2. Provides knowledge on the struggles your ancestors faced and the goals they attained
3. Can give you insight in your health and potential diseases you might have inherited
4. Provides an historical context for discrimination and acceptance
5. Helps us to appreciate the history and contributions of those coming before us
6. Helps us know who we are and where we are going
7. We can learn from the past, challenge ideas and change the future
8. Helps to preserve the memory of those who came before us
9. Can provide a sense of pride

The idea that we can learn from the past and with this knowledge have an impact on the future is especially relevant.  This means that we are in control of what happens and that by understanding our heritage we can shape the future for ourselves and those that follow.

Some believe that learning about heritage is a duty and those that do not learn about their roots will face psychological harm.  More than 500 years ago, Waziri of Sokoto, Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Bukhari wrote a poem about the lineage of his great grandmother, Nana Asma'u (from the book Nayl 'l-Arab Fi Istifsaa'i 'n-Nasab)

"Whoever does not inform his children of his grandfathers Then has destroyed his child, marred his descendants, And injured his offspring the day he dies;
Whoever does not make use of his ancestry, Then he has muddled his reason;
Whoever is not concerned with his descent, Then he has lost his mind;
Whoever neglects his origin, Then his stupidity has become critical;
Whoever does not cause his ancestry to be abundant, Then his incompetence has become great;
Whoever is ignorant of his lineage, Then his intellect has dissipated;
Whoever does not increase his place of descent, Then he has abolished his honor."

As you can see, understanding one's heritage is important to many cultures.  Many people have questions about their ancestry.  As Andre Malraux states, "Our heritage is composed of all the voices that can answer our questions."