Learning with Granny!
Developing An Interest In Ancestors
The children were talking about relatives and
ancestors.
"What's the difference? " asked Ann.
 "Let's
get out our family tree and we can discuss the differences, " said
Granny.
Terry fetched the chart and propped it up so they could
all see it while Granny continued.
"As a family we all share recent 'ancestors' -
just like we share a 'common ancestor' way back in time just before our first
early human ancestors broke away from the chimpanzees."
"How do we know about all this?" asked Vinny
looking through some of the time-charts of Early Human History.
"It's all been documented from
in-depth studies on thousands of fossil remains" answered Lee.
 "I
know that brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins are
relations" said Margie, "…but what's an ancestor?"
" An ancestor is a person or people who you have
descended from - a long line of people who came before you, like your Mother and
Father and their parents, their parents parents and their parents parents
parents and so on - far back in time," said Granny trying to explain this
difficult subject.
"Where did the ancestors of all the people in
South Africa come from Granny?" asked Ann.
"They are from all corners of the earth, from
across Africa itself, Europe, Asia, India..." "My
Dad's family came from Lebanon' interrupted Vinny. "My Dad's ancestors came
from Germany", said Lee.
"With the help of written history, we can trace
our ancestry very far back and paleontology is helping us go back much further
and learn about our origins. As we learn more, it seems that we will find that
everyone's earliest human ancestors originated in Africa," said Granny.
Many of us are privileged to know our grandparents and
even our great grandparents and we can learn a lot about our relatives and
ancestors from them. We should write down what they tell us so we can pass the
valuable stories of the past down to our own children and grandchildren.
"We had to make a small tree of our family for
school once," said Terry.
"So, could we make a chart that goes from us right
up to the common ancestor of all humankind?" asked Ann, who always wanted
to see 'the big picture.'
"We could certainly start by
making a family tree for your different families" answered Granny. "
Let's do it Granny", said Margie producing a pencil and paper with her name
on. "I've started with me - because it's my family tree", she
explained.
 'That's
fine - but it's going to be a lot of work" said Granny. Enter
the image on the right for tips on making your own family tree.
Finding connections to early human ancestors is not as
simple as making a family tree of our own relations. Although there have been
many fossils found, each represents just one species in a vast time period and
scattered all around Africa.
"What are you laughing at Lee?" asked Vinny.
"I'm looking at Ann's face, it seems that the chimpanzee - with whom we
share a common ancestor - is a very, very distant relative and she is
going to need a very very large piece of paper."
"All this talk about 'trees' has made me think of
the story about the baby born in a tree during the floods in Mozambique"
said Margie. "She will have a great story to tell her children one
day."
 Angelique
Of Mozambique
Born 29th February 2000
On a day that 'wasn't there'
And with no-one around to care
A woman climbed up into a tree
As there was nowhere else to flee
The wind blew hard and the rain came down
And the swirling waters did many drown
The waters from within announced the arrival
And a reason to clasp a branch for survival
Lost and alone in a world of water
A mother delivered her little daughter.
'Please send a boat' she begged from her branch
'Please let my baby be given a chance'
As she looked up with tears in her eyes
A giant steel 'bird' came through the gray skies
She saw an 'angel' with a face white as snow
Come down a rope and say 'Time to go'
He plucked them both from their fragile 'nest'
While the infant searched for the warmth of the breast.
Once inside the noisy 'bird'
Greetings of welcome could be heard
Cheers for the rescuers from all who were pleased
To've been saved from the roof tops, water and trees.
The swirling waters had swallowed their beasts
'How would they honour their dead at the feasts?'
Their thoughts were not for where they would live
But the fact that they had nothing to give -
To the baby girl who had started her life
Determined to be born in spite of the strife.
'This one will get publicity -
A tiny girl born up in a tree!'
They were deposited safely on dry land
Where many were ready to lend a hand
Wrapped in a cloth and oozing charm
She was gently placed in her mother's arm
'Both mother and babe were fit an well'
The medic's report was pleased to tell.
Captured on picture, the news soon spread
Just as predicted, the whole world read
'Two thousand years ago' - so the story went
'A babe to save the world was sent'
This child has no bed of straw
No gifts from kings you can be sure
But her smiling mother speaks of 'Luck'
As she nurses her child on the back of a truck
We question, as they drive away
'Where are they headed and where will they stay?'
Will they be victim of the scourge
Of disease predicted the land to purge?
Those who survive will be put to the test
And need the guidance of the very best
The world is awakening to the fact
That people differ in what they lack.
For some, their material needs are few
And charity must be viewed anew
"People who give - get back ten fold"
This we have learnt from what we've been told.
But the secret is not being 'top of the list'
It's knowing what's needed, and caring - that's missed.
The material needs of the masses are few
Blankets, food, shelter and medicine too.
But the greatest need for the babe in the tree
Is education so she can be free.
Free to develop her own mind and explore
Her past, her culture and what lies before.
This little soul has made it through
We hope she'll learn to give credit where it's due
To a brave young mother who proved herself wise
And a rescue team who came down from the skies.
So if you think of Africa or visit Mozambique
Be sure to give a thought to our little Angelique.
Jennifer Leigh Marais
Some interesting links
Click on http://www.dianfossey.com/cont_frm/kids/circleoflife.html
to read about the gorilla's 'Circle of Life.
See how other budding scientists are learning about their 'roots' at http://www.janegoodall.org/rs/rs_history.html
Interesting Reading
'Gorillas in the Mist' by Dian Fossey - Her life
studies covering fifteen years, four gorilla families and three generations.
'In the Shadow of Man' by Jane van Lawick Goodall - She
studied the families and the behaviour of chimpanzees and has documented the
family trees of those she knew so well in Africa.
Next Month...
Next month we will take a closer look at some of the
very early human fossil finds in Africa and meet a few of the dedicated people
who have made a full time commitment to sharing their finds with the world.
If you would like to e-mail Granny
your questions and ideas please do so at granny@scienceinafrica.co.za
Until Next Month, Happy Reading!
Granny Jenny
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