Descendants are people who are born into a direct biological line and who inherit their predecessors' legacy, genes, and ancestry.[1] The significant impact that descendants have on forming people's identities, preserving family histories, and adding to the fabric of humanity is crucial to the development of humanity as a whole, [2] as well as essential to comprehending the relationship of humans with their past, their position in the present, and the impact of both on the future, playing a vital role in the collective story of the human race. While in most cases the term is associated with blood relatives, in some indigenous societies the enrollment in a tribe is not necessarily determined by biological lines but also by adoption or other alternative processes.[3]
Role of descendants in the preservation of family history
By carrying on the legends, customs, and ideals that have been handed down through the ages, descendants act as stewards of their family's past.[4] They act as a bridge to the past, making sure that the struggles, experiences, and victories of their predecessors are never forgotten.[5] Descendants who learn about their ancestors and the lineage they represent a sense of identity and belonging by maintaining family history.[6] The legacy of a family is preserved by its successors through oral traditions, written documents, photographs, and family heirlooms with an emotional value that cannot be assessed.[7] Future generations will benefit from hearing these tales, which will serve as a link between the past and the present, establishing familial bonds at a collective and personal level and cultivates a better knowledge of an individual's place in the world by fostering a feeling of continuity and establishing a sense of pride in a person's own ancestry.[8]
Transmission of values and traditions by descendants
The ideals, beliefs, and traditions passed down by ancestors are carried on by descendants. These social, moral, and ethical frameworks serve as a guide for overcoming obstacles and making decisions in life.[9] Most descendants have a duty to honor and defend the ideals that have been passed down to them, whether it is a dedication to education, the pursuit of justice, or the preservation of certain rituals,[10] helping preserve cultural variety and legacy by adopting and upholding the traditions given down by their ancestors. They turn into living examples of the efforts and triumphs of their ancestors, ensuring that their legacy continues over time, which has an impact on modern society.[11]
Descendants and identity
People feel an automatic sense of identification and connection when they are descendants of the same family line.[12] A person's understanding of their heritage, cultural background, and familial ties can be influenced by knowing more about their ancestors.[13] Often, descendants have a strong desire to learn more about their ancestry and reconstruct their family tree. The discovery and acceptance of a person's identity as a descendant of a specific family line can become a transformational and inspiring experience,[14] as people can learn about shared traditions, values, and experiences that have influenced their family's history. This discovery has the potential to affirm a person's status within their family and the larger society, developing a sense of pride and connectedness.[15]
Descendants and legacy
The burden of ensuring that the family's legacy is carried on by the next generations is bore by each descendant. It is possible to influence people who will live in the next generations by passing that legacy, just as the ancestors affected the lives of the current generation.[16] This includes transmitting not only family lore and customs but also life lessons, valued ideals, and acquired knowledge. Descendants become stewards of the past and shapers of the future by accepting such role, which gives them the ability to influence future generations positively by their actions.[17] The cycle of life is carried on by this intergenerational transfer, with each succeeding generation building on the achievements of the one before it.[18]
See also
Explore more on descendants
- Build your family tree on MyHeritage.com
- Take the Introduction to Genealogy course on the MyHeritage Knowledge Base
- Search the Family Tree collection on MyHeritage.com
- Visualizing Family Relationships with Relationship Diagrams and Color Coding on the MyHeritage Knowledge Base
References
- ↑ Pross, A. Causation and the Origin of Life. Metabolism or Replication First?. Orig Life Evol Biosph 34, 307–321 (2004)
- ↑ Glansdorff, N., Xu, Y. & Labedan, B. The Last Universal Common Ancestor: emergence, constitution and genetic legacy of an elusive forerunner. Biol Direct 3, 29 (2008).
- ↑ Tribal citizenship in crisis. Indian Country Today
- ↑ Carothers, C., Black, J., Langdon, S. J., Donkersloot, R., Ringer, D., Coleman, J., ... & Whiting, A. (2021). Indigenous peoples and salmon stewardship: a critical relationship. Ecology and Society
- ↑ Kim, E. (2003). Wedding citizenship and culture: Korean adoptees and the global family of Korea. Social Text, 21(1), 57-81
- ↑ Patton-Imani, S. (2018). Legitimacy and the Transfer of Children: Adoption, Belonging, and Online Genealogy. Genealogy, 2(4), 37.
- ↑ Scheub, H. (1985). A review of African oral traditions and literature. African Studies Review, 28(2-3), 1-72
- ↑ Crago, H. (2008). Preserving family therapy's legacy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 29(2), 70-76.
- ↑ Pandey, S. K., Shukla, G., & Lingam, S. (2021). Cultural change and economic achievements of descendants of Indian indentured laborer in Fiji. International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 22(3), 417-442.
- ↑ Beijaard, D., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop, N. (2004). Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity. Teaching and teacher education, 20(2), 107-128.
- ↑ Smith, A. D. (1989). The origins of nations. Ethnic and racial studies, 12(3), 340-367.
- ↑ Michael, A., Bengtson, J., & Blatt, S. (2021). Genes, Race, Ancestry, and Identity in Forensic Anthropology: Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Concerns. Forensic Genomics, 1(2), 41-46.
- ↑ Lareau, A. (1987). Social class differences in family-school relationships: The importance of cultural capital. Sociology of education, 73-85
- ↑ Pekerti, A. A., & Sendjaya, S. (2010). Exploring servant leadership across cultures: Comparative study in Australia and Indonesia. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(5), 754-780
- ↑ Walsh, F. (1996). The concept of family resilience: Crisis and challenge. Family process, 35(3), 261-281
- ↑ Veenhoven, R. (2010). Life is getting better: Societal evolution and fit with human nature. Social indicators research, 97, 105-122.
- ↑ Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2020). Positive Psychology and a Positive Worldview: New Hope for the Future of Humankind. In Positive Psychological Science (pp. 256-265). Routledge.
- ↑ Heylighen F, Bernheim J. Global progress I; empirical evidence for ongoing increase in quality of life. Journal of Happiness Studies. 2000;1:293–321.