(Re)connections, Relationships, and Spiritual Expressions: Gleanings from a Transatlantic Writing Project

Abstract

A Nigerian TWP participant of Ibibio ancestry reflects upon her first visit to Jamaica and to the sobering discovery that historically, 15% of Nigerians trafficked to Jamaica were Ibibios.  Calling this a “serendipitous moment” of academic endeavour, the author writes about her experience moving from academic/tourist to one unexpectedly visiting the home of her ancestors.  She shares reflections on these transatlantic (re)connections, relationships, and spiritual expressions and observes that in coming together in these places of historic and ongoing pain and trauma, there was a taste of healing and reconciliation as we glimpsed the power of writing and community to open the doors to such transformation.