African Ancestry has brought in seventeen people who traced their ancestral roots to Sierra Leone. Some of the men and women are thrilled to be here to reclaim the citizenship that was stolen during the slave trade.
The brutal slave trade forcefully shipped more than 10 million Africans out of the continent to the new world between 1550 to 1850. For many years now, tens of thousands of African Americans are trying to trace their root back to Africa.
The 17 people are the 2nd group of Sierra Leonean descents to be brought here by African Ancestry after the launch of its family reunion in April Last year bringing 10 Black Americans who traced their origin to Sierra Leone. 16 out of the 17 people are from the US and 1 from the UK.
“500 years ago, a woman or a girl was abducted from this shore not expecting to live or know where she was going, and she survived. I am reclaiming her passage today by standing on this sand” said Error Reid the Sierra Leonean descent from the UK as he emotionally expressed how delighted he is to finally come to the country of his origin.
One of the African Americans of Sierra Leone descent Sherita Fryarsays in her 36 years of existence she spent almost all her life tracing her root. Edward Geter another African American cited that he had no true home, adding that he cannot wait to receive his citizenship. 55 years old Reggie Wills is somehow disappointed that his search took forever but he is thankful and grateful to finally be here to get his citizenship. Furthermore, this is the third time Takeyah Young has come to Africa but the first in Sierra Leone and she feels at home to see majority of black people who are just like her.
In Sierra Leone, Bounce Island was the departure point for thousands of Africans on the terrifying journey to the new world. Many could not survive the horror and dreadful sail during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. But the ancestors of these 6th, 7th or more generations endured the pain and today their posterity is here.
To the folks the moment is a long-awaited celebration that finally comes to reality. To the end of decades of search, to the beginning of another chapter of deep sense of belongingness.
