Like no one has ever written on this topic before. But, as it happens, I’m re-reading Freemasonry and Its Ancient Mystic Rites, by C. W. Leadbeater (1986, 1998). The Old Perv. So now I’m thinking about a familiar subject. Freemasonry has its colorful origin myths. Those are fun, but the modern sensibility is pretty tame. The Illinois Grand Lodge is typical: “Since the middle of...
Mom asked me today if I remember the tomte’s name. No, I don’t think I knew the tomte has a name. But I’m intrigued by the question. Back up for a bit. We have a tomte (“house elf”). Of course we do. Our ancestors came from Sweden. Honestly, if I didn’t have one I’m not sure I’d admit it. A tomte is a guardian of the house, like the lares and...
I like this article as one of the clearest introductions to a complex subject I know. Ethnicity, Nationality, Race, Identity, Culture & Heritage (E.N.R.I.C.H.) by Christian E., at Daily Jaunter, March 26, 2012. Here’s a taste: Heritage can overlap on the ethnicity and nationality a bit at times, but it generally refers to the ancestors of a person, and what they...
I ‘m not sure why the particular theme of invented identity plays out so often in the world around me. Maybe it’s that I’ve overly sensitive to it. Or maybe it’s that I’m out of touch with America. This is not the thing where Americans confuse identity and ancestry— they’re German (or whatever) because they have German ancestry. And this is not the thing where...
February 8th is one of those days that stands out in the calendar of my family history. For me it has become Genealogy Day, a day to do something special about my interest in family history. Like Christmas but for me not Baby Jesus. And it helps a bit that Losar, the Tibetan New Year, is right around this time of year. It’s the anniversary of my grandfather’s death. Harry William...