ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
Rita Alabi
Ethnographic Study of One’s Family of Origin
SW 3510
Professor Cynthia Sweier, LMSW, LMFT, ACSW
Wayne State University
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
Abstract
This paper examines the study of my family, documents, photo albums, observations and
interviews. It explores factors that led to crises and challenges for my family, as well as the
typical styles of coping and adaptation. It also explores the migration patterns, family
organization, child-rearing practices, religious beliefs, approach to eating, secrets, rituals,
attitudes toward illness and death, help seeking behavior, attitudes towards other cultures and
deviance, family and gender roles. And, how might my cultural identity influence my work as a
social worker? How might my cultural identify influence my values as a social worker, and
attachment of my family genogram.
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
To understand what the Ethnographic Study of One’s family of Origin is, I must first
define what is considered as one’s family Ethnographic. Since this paper is about my family
ethnographic, I will define family ethnographic as the study of or description of a family, their
culture, traditions and beliefs and their generational origins.
Looking back at my childhood, I realize that I am so blessed with the family and culture I
have, because it is not every kid about my age that had the same kind of life I had.
Migration Patterns:
The Alabi’s family originated from Afenmai, which happens to be a group of people
living in the northern part of Edo State, South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, in West Africa.
Afenmai, is made of several kingdoms and Clans (large villages/townships) ruled by traditional
ruler (Monarchs), and their own language is referred to as Afenmai language. History accounts
claimed that they migrated from the Benin kingdom, between 13th and 15th century, during the
reign of Oba Ewuare, who was the greatest warrior legend and the most outstanding king in the
history of the Benin people. (AfemaiPeople.com).
Family Organization
Going by the telephone interview I had with my mother Mrs. Anastasia Safurat Alabi, on
September 15, 2013. My late paternal grandfather, Oshiomha Alabi migrated from Benin to
Afemai in the early 40s to join his paternal grandparents who were farmers. He married Hawawu
Akagbemhe in the 40s; they had four (4) children, late Francis, Gold, Odion (she was twinned
but lost her twin sister Omo right after birth), late Isaac and Justina. My late father, Francis Alabi
grew up alongside his siblings, after his modern school (known as high school) he took a
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
teaching job and became a teacher. My maternal grandfather Aliu Oshiorenua married Hawa
Sado in the 40s; they had four children whom were all females, Fatima, Safurat (my mom),
Abibat and Usena (she was twinned but lost her twin sister Hassana at the age of five). They
were all Muslims.
Francis Alabi got married to my mother Safurat Oshiorenua (now Anastasia Alabi) from
a Muslim family and got converted to Christianity. Francis and Anastasia who were both school
teachers in different schools got married in 1958 and had their first child Thomas in 1959,
second child Angela 1961, third child Francisca 1968, fourth Benedict in 1970, 5th Rita 1972,
six Jacinta 1975, seventh Martin 1978, eight Lucia 1982. I happen to be the 5th child of Francis
and Anastasia. I attended elementary and high school in Nigeria and got married to Idemudia
Osagiede in 2004, migrated to the United States of America in 2004 and had my first child Irene
in 2005, my second child David in 2006 and third child Jordan in 2010. I work part-time as a
care giver and school full-time to become a social worker in the next two (2) years.
Child-Rearing Practices
Child rearing in my family was in accordance with my family culture, where the woman
is responsible for the children’s upbringing in terms of morals and behaviors, the children are
given the knowledge about our cultures and traditions, and as they grow older, they get to learn
more. The children are also thought how to respect other people’s culture since every community
has different cultures and beliefs. My people are a mixture of traditional worshipers, Muslims,
and Christians groups. Our marriage and death ceremonies are streamlined alongside these
religions. Deaths are perfumed in traditional ways by reciting some epics to the dead.
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
Traditional Festivals are held throughout Afemai at various times and in various places.
(AfemaiPeople.com).
Religious Beliefs and Festivals:
My paternal families are Christians while my maternal families are Muslim, but my
mother was converted to Christian when she got married to my father. Christianity is the
foundation of the Alabi’s family until date, they believe in the Catholic faith. Festivals like New
year (January 1), Easter (The resurrection of Jesus Christ), Harvest (New Yam festival), agegrade, and marriage ceremonies, are celebrated in high profiles respectfully, for example, in
marriage ceremony, the bride is dressed in native costumes and in beads, very early, the morning
of the marriage. On every January, 1st which is the beginning of every year, our tradition is that
every member of the family has to be present at the oldest family member’s house were various
cookings will take place after prayers have been offered to God for making us see another year in
a traditional way by cutting kolanut which they believe signifies peace and prosperity because
they always say he who offers kolanut offers peace. However, there are other traditional festivals
they take seriously in my family, that would be the New Yam Festival, The Masquerade and
Circumcision. The Alabi’s family attaches so much importance to these ceremonies. They have
been part of our culture and they are still being celebrated till date.
The masquerades in Afemai, Edo State are generally believed to be earthly
representatives of some celestial gods, goddesses or ancestors. Masquerades like the
Igbabonelimi of Esanland are very popular social entertainers whose secrets and workings are
only known to initiate who are sworn to utmost secrecy. Many masquerades are linked to
traditional festivals, while others are only social and have no ritualistic backgrounds.
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
In the Masquerade parades, the participants wear a mask, dance and do
acrobatics and even scare and whip people. I never liked that parade, because it was too
scary and intimidating for me. It is done in preparation for the New Yam festival and
for entertainment as well.
In the new yam festival, which normally takes place in August through September, when
new yams are harvested from the farm, every member of the family comes together to cook
varieties of dishes with the first new yam of the year, for example, pounded yam; the yam is
boiled and pounded in a mortal, (looks like mashed potatoes after the process) and served with
what we call melon soup with a lot of fishes and varieties of meat and bitter leaf or spinach in it,
pounded yam can also be served with Ọgbọnọ Soup to the elders at the village square or
shrine as the case may be, and it is eaten after prayers have been said, and the symbolic
feeding of their ancestors is done with two wrapped balls of pounded yam rubbed in
soup and threw away. This ceremony paves a way for the seven-day festival and eating
of the new yam.
Approach to Eating
The Alabi’s family eating habit is normal; we like to eat healthy, a lot of
vegetables in our diets because our grandparents were farmers. We eat a lot of grains
like rice, millets, corn produce, tubers like yams, coco yam, and potatoes. The females
take a turn to cook and serve the food to individuals sitting around in circle ready to
eat. Our culture does not allow males to dish food or take food from the pot. A female
has to serve the food.
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
Secrets and Rituals
My family secret I know of is that my maternal great-grandmother was an
outcaste. An outcast in the sense that the people from my maternal great grandmother’s
village do not circumcise, so nobody should get married to them. M y maternal greatgrandfather was not supposed to have married her, but he did, if we reveal this secret to
people, they might keep away from our family. The ritual in my family is that every
new-born baby must be bathed with palm oil on arrival home from the hospital. This is
done to cleanse the baby’s skin properly and keep the skin from body odor. The ritual
signifies purity, and that has been the family’s culture for years.
Attitudes toward other cultures and deviance, family and gender roles
My family respects other people’s culture because they believe in cultural
diversity. Any deviance is taken seriously in order to keep the family tradition going.
Every member of the family is important irrespective of gender, but the males in the
family are the head of their household while the females are supporters and
housekeepers.
Factors that led to crises and challenges for my family, as well as the typical styles of coping
and adaptation.
My family is a unique one. We have a family bond that whatever problem befalls one
befalls everyone. We have faced a lot of challenges as a family, but we have always stood as a
bond and overcome the problems, for example, we tried to trace our maternal great-grandmother
that was labeled an outcast, but we could not get to the root to know where she really originated
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
from, it has been a thing of concern for my family, but we try to cope with it and make it a
family secret.
How my cultural identity might influence my work as a social worker:
Since my cultural identity cannot be denied, as cultural identity is the identity of one’s
group or culture, but as a social worker, I have to apply cultural competence in my profession by
applying the following methods, Ethics and values, that is, function in accordance with the
values, ethics and standards of the social work profession. . Since I have the knowledge of what
culture is, I will encourage discussions of cultural differences and respond to cultural bias cues.
How might my cultural identity influence my values as a social worker?
Firstly, I have to apply self-awareness by seeking to develop a general understanding of
my client’s cultural values and beliefs, which will be a way to value the multicultural identities
in the lives of my clients. More so, I will develop a cross-cultural knowledge about the history,
traditions, family, systems and values of the group I serve. I will also use the cross-cultural skills
and techniques that reflect the understanding and knowledge of my role of cultural diversity in
the process of helping my clients.
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ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ONE’S FAMILY OF ORIGIN
References
Afemai online Magazine, April 2, 2012. Intro About Afemai. Retrieve September 26, 2013 from
www.afemaipeople.com
Alabi, Anastasia Safurat: Telephone Interview Sept. 28, 2013
Culture In Edo State. Retrieved September. 15, 2013 from
http://www.edostate.gov.ng/culture-edo-state-0
National Association of Social Workers. (2001). National Standards for Cultural Competence in
Social Work Practice. Retrieved September 25, 2013 from
www.naswdc.org/practice/standards/NAswculturalstandards.
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