Have you ever wondered why God didn’t create us and put us in the air? You know, he had (and still has) the power to that but he didn’t! Instead, he put us in our families, cultures and tribes for a reason. He made us for relationships and fellowship with him and with other people. That’s why he says if you claim to love love him, you will love others!
We all belong to a culture or tribe. It’s not a bad idea for our kids to know about it even if we don’t physically live there or even if they were born in a different country. Part of understanding and appreciating our identity is celebrating elements of where God has chosen to plant us – our roots E.g – our culture. Language, Dressing, poetry, Books etc.
I am Gladly Nigerian (honestly not proudly so at the moment because of the way our Government is currently operating but I have hope that in my time, I will see the good of the land). In the meantime, I’m thinking of a ways to help my son appreciate his roots even though we are in a completely different environment. He came from God, and was planted in a Nigerian, Yoruba family…
The Bible records that Moses was trained by a nanny who turned out to be his mom. I am so certain she constantly told him about where is actually from hence Moses trying to defend his people even though it was in the wrong way. Hannah kept Samuel to herself to be weaned. In that period, she must have drummed it into his ears, the story about his birth and who he is which contributed to him being well behaved despite being in constant contact with the sons of Eli.
All through the Bible, God kept telling the Children of Isreal to pass on the history of his wondrous works to their children no matter where they find themselves.
Are you currently in Diaspora with your family, don’t forget to tell your children where you’re actually from, talk to them about their history and heritage. If possible help them learn the language, food and elements of the culture. I make it a point of duty to go traditional on Fridays. Its a way of celebrating my culture and it helps me feel connected even if I’m far away.
It could also be a great conversation starter to educate others that Black, Brown, white are all beautiful with very lush heritage. I have also co-op-ed my son (at least for now till he can decide) to put on African attires from time to time. Particularly in Summer when we have the Luxury of a good weather.
I got these Yoruba flash cards from @mangoprep. It’s available on Amazon and Etsy. For us @inlushmeadowkids we love these Yoruba Language Flash Cards because it has different themes- Numbers, Parts of the Body, Alphabets, Greetings and Family. The size is big enough for kids to clearly see and they can easily connect with the images used. It could also be a great resource for children with additional (special) needs. The pack contains 57 cards and It’s offcourse colourful and it was obviously done with kids in mind. Trust is to spot colorful resources.
We hope you enjoy using it. Tag us if you get one. They are available on Amazon & Etsy. If you would like YouTube Videos for Yoruba Language, please check out SOKIDSTV –
With Love,
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