Lineage | Shelajit

My ancestors were once unseen.
I am here to tell their story and transmute their suppressed pain.I am here to offer them the honor they deserve.
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As a full Chinese American girl growing up in southern California I thought that being white was better than being me. I thought that identifying with my heritage would make me stand out even more when all I wanted to do was fit in. Staying disconnected from my lineage kept me feeling safe.
Yet in my life, I was guided to places where I couldn’t help but learn about my people.I learned that my Chinese ancestors were often indentured servants and slaves in the places I lived.In both Nevada City and the island of Maui, it was my ancestors that built the streets, railroads, and water systems that still exist today.They were taken advantage of with the hope of a better life, exiled & killed.I felt disgusted. I felt how unseen and violated they were. I heard whispers from my ancestors that they needed to be acknowledged. I began to honor them for the path they paved for me. I began to feel their support and the pride and power of my lineage.
Rather than denying the past or my privilege today, I dedicate my existence as a celebration back to my lineage.They are who teach me who I am and remind me that I come from the earth.My full, raw, wild-expression of my art is my way honor to them and share all that they could not.
I am proud of my ancestors and who I am. Thank you, I feel you and honor you in every movement, every song, in every breath. You are seen you are celebrated, I love you.
Filmed, edited and colored by Sasha Nitze
Music by Noetik the Alchemist