I’ve always dreamed of Africa.
At twenty, my dream turned into a plan- I’m going to be an anthropologist in Africa!
As I started my sociology and anthropology degree in the 90’s, long before African studies were introduced in Israel, I was shocked to find almost no anthropology courses, let alone African anthropology. I decided it won’t do, and set out to fill the gap with different classes on the history and archaeology of Africa. That was fascinating but still wasn’t enough for me. And so I went on to spend long exciting hours in the library with ethnographic books and films. It was the place to also explore physical anthropology and early humans.
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
One of those books was about Lucy- an ancient female skeleton found in Ethiopia. Lucy really captured my imagination. She got her name from a Beatles song that played while the research team were celebrating her discovery.
Looking back, I’m not really sure why I was so moved, that I had to visit her at the museum in Addis Ababa when I finally went on my year-long adventure to East Africa after graduation.
I guess that to me Lucy represented my deep and ancient connection to East Africa and to the Great Rift Valley.
The Great Rift Valley
I remember being at awe when our sixth grade Geography teacher taught the class about it. It was so impressive to me. Only years later, I realized how meaningful it is to the world, to humankind and to me.
The Great Rift is a 25 million years long birth. Mother Earth gave life to new wonders: The Red Sea was born with her coral reefs and colorful marine life, along with the beautiful animals of the endless savanna of East Africa, mighty volcanoes, rivers, lakes, and humankind- yes, that’s us…
Our ancestors, the first humans, Lucy, were born in the heart of the rift, in East Africa, a part of this magnificent birth.
The birth is ongoing
Mount Kilimanjaro, which I love and called home for two whole years, is part of this continuous creation. The mountain was born about 20 million years after the rift began. And so Mother Earth continues to birth wonders and the rift continues to transform.
a Little Girl's Dream
A girl born in Israel- close to one end of the Great Rift, her family came to Israel from Yemen- on another part of the rift, and her soul is connected to East Africa- a powerful part of the great birth, where human life began.
Realizing the depths of my connection to the Great Rift, and to East Africa- the cradle of humanity- my dream of being an anthropologist faded, making way for life-changing experiences among the tribes I learned about in Uni. Hunter gatherer tribes- the original people of humanity, the colorful Nilotic pastoralists and many more.
I found something deep and wonderful that had nothing to do with research and academy. I found a homecoming. I was home with my Mama Africa.
Back in Israel I delved into Shamanic wisdom about community, Mother Earth, the circle of life, and femininity. For the next 20 years, I guided women and girls back to our femininity through tribal wisdom and was a storyteller of our tribal legacies worldwide.
But that’s a story for another day.
Our Human Legacy
Here’s what’s important.
I keep on living my life and finding inspiration along the Great Rift Valley. For the past four years, I’ve been learning from the tribal elders, writing and teaching their precious wisdom forward.
This is our human legacy.
I looked for it in Anthropology, History and Archeology. I searched for it in countless books. And although I’m grateful for that valuable education, it led me to where I am now- learning from the tribal elders, from the spirits of our ancestors, from the rocks, the lakes and the mountains of Mama Africa.
Get excited with me about our wondrous world.
A world of mighty births, dreams of the soul, and Lucy in the sky with diamonds…
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