Genealogical researcher William Holland, Atlanta on the left, next to the Queen Mother for the Ghanaian village of Adidokpoe-Battor (Center) and William Akpaglo. The two Williams share genetic markers, suggesting that they are distantly related.
By Alan Boyle
William Holland based on his genetic profile, considers himself a descendant of the noble families dating back more than a Millennium. Between then and now, however, his ancestors have been scattered around the African continent — and some of them were brought to America as slaves. That is the branch of the family to which they belong Holland and his family.
Now, the Netherlands is bringing the age-old saga of his family full circle by inviting his relatives disappeared to come from Africa to America. If the plan works out of Holland, African royalty will meet face-to-face with the descendants of slaves and slave owners in Virginia.
"It is something that has never been done before," Holland told me today, the last day of black history month. "It is something that should not be missed."
The genesis of the Netherlands dates back to trips that took last year to fill gaps in its genetic patrimony. Testing of the y chromosome has suggested that his ancestors were related to a Royal family in the West African nation of Cameroon, but also to a noble family in Ghana, hundreds of miles away.
"I am overwhelmed now," said Holland, who is the grandson of a slave who found himself at the service of the Confederate Army during the civil war. But the Netherlands isn't too overwhelmed to make some kind of sense out of his genetic tangled tale.
This month, during a visit to his genetic relatives in Ghana, Holland put together a story of a great migration. A comparison of his y chromosome markers with those families in Ghana and Cameroon suggested that their most recent common ancestor lived maybe 50 generations ago, or approximately 1000 and 1500 years ago. Ghana's guests, members of the family Akpaglo, said that their ancestors migrated southwards from Sudan and settled in the Oyo Empire. Holland assumes that his ancestors were part of the Cameroonian migration as well.
"From there, it disbanded," he said. An ancestral line eventually took root in Ghana, another in Cameroon. Holland was now of both Nations to trace his pedigree. Armed with the results of genetic studies has been started in two families of Africa.
In Cameroon, the Netherlands has been given a real name ("Ndefru"). In Ghana, family Akpaglo gave three names more Africans during a ceremony for seven hours. New Holland names include Togbe ("old wise man," Although the Netherlands is in her 40s) Korsi ("BORN on Sunday," that he was) and Degboe ("brave person who has gone away and return").
"I'm satisfied now — now that I have four names" Holland joked.
But he is not yet finished. Holland still wants to share the experience he had with his fellow Americans and at the same time give visitors a taste of African America. Holland says that some of her friends and family at home in Atlanta are bothered by the idea that somehow were sold as slaves from their African ancestors. His African friends and relatives say that is not the way it was. So the Netherlands is trying to organize a daylong seminar and reunion on May 22, in Virginia, where his ancestors has worked as slaves, Africans and Americans the opportunity to talk through their history together.
Holland has invited Fon hierarchy III, who heads the Mankon tribal group in Cameroon, as well as representatives of family from Ghana. He hoped that his relatives African-Americans, as well as the descendants of the family of Virginia, who held his ancestors as slaves will be available as well.
"Hope brighten your family on Africa and what happened in the slave trade," explained Holland.
Holland has already heard that "Fon" accepted his invitation, and he is pretty sure that someone from Ghana also will be coming. It is not a done deal yet, but if everything works the way the hopes of the Netherlands, seeking a man to find his roots family turns into a gathering of clans from across the oceans of time and space.
Holland says that his newfound kin africana can hardly wait. "You're past excited now," he said. All in all, not a bad way to end Black History Month.
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