MAPLE FAMILY TREEHOUSE

In this, season 1 finale, of the Maple Family Treehouse, I tell you about the Nixons, who were Anglo-Scottish Border Reivers. From their ancient beginnings, to their settlement in London, Ontario in the mid-1800s. Ending with some questions for season 2, beginning in October 2021.

The Acadian Expulsion was not just a dark chapter in North America, it was a trauma that took my family well over 150 years to recover from. Another migration story. Another piece to the puzzle of how I got here. Another contribution to healing.

A scandalous love story directly from my family tree. Two lovers reunite by way of an Iroquois foot path 1000s of years old. 

Two young women immigrate from Paris to New France in the "fabulous" 1650s. Living parallel lives on the same family tree, they create a life of marriage, miracles and survive the Beaver Wars. 

Foodways are not only what we eat, but why we eat it. Part of answering the question: Why we eat a particular food, rests in understanding the history of that food. With this episode, I want to inspire everyone to understand their own foodways and share that understanding with others. Let me know what you discover. 

A sailor from Portugal by the name of Jean Rodrigue won the heart of Anne Roy, a daughter of the King. This story isn't exactly as romantic as it is often portrayed. Their story though, is the story of New France and how despite its fall to the British, was able to maintain a cultural and linguistic presence via a population boom in the fledgling colony. The presence of the Filles du Roi may have started in New France but they left a legacy throughout North America.  

Now that I have made several episodes, this podcast needs some structure, organization and explanation. This is a mid-season pause to tell you about how things are going and taking shape. 

We may not be able to trace our clandestine, or ancient ancestors using the traditional paper trail, but DNA and online archival sources have opened-up a whole new world of possibilities. DNA testing has allowed me to find relatives I did not know existed, and most recently, probable connections to ancient ancestors. In Episode 9 I want to share with you some of what technology and DNA has done for my search into my family’s roots.

This is the story of how my ancestors, the Lymburner family, came to Canada from Scotland. The story is placed in a larger context to understand the structural underpinnings and strategies of colonialism. I will lead you through the chain of cause and consequence to understand how my ancestors faced violence and acted violently to uphold colonial power. My way out of this mess? To understand my own location here and now, and to understand my family's migration stories. Come along.

A call out to listeners. How are people telling their own story before someone puts them into a future family tree? This is an important question especially if you do not fit traditional frameworks for identity and relationships. I am a transgender parent. My solution is to tell my story here. But what are other people doing and how do other people see family trees changing in the future?