MAPLE FAMILY TREEHOUSE

I discuss the earliest migration to North America in my family tree to date. I ask why my Norse ancestors migrated to Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland only to abandon their settlements hundreds of years later.  

This is the Vrooman line in my family tree. They are the epitome of evil stereotypes of colonial settlers. It is a tough story to tell, but it needs to be told. Cloe Cooley was enslaved by Adam Vrooman in Canada. It is a national story that broke in Canada this year when Cloe was designated a person of national historic significance by the Government of Canada. Cloe is also recognized on a Canadian stamp. Her case of brutal treatment at the hands of my ancestor, Adam Vrooman prompted the first legislation to limit slavery. Notes can be found at maplefamilytreehouse.com.

A story of some of my United Empire Loyalist ancestors who roost in the legend of Sleepy Hollow. Show notes can be found at maplefamilytreehouse.com. You can also follow the show on Facebook and Instagram.

Visit maplefamilytreehouse.com for show notes and sources.

Love and Friendship brought together the families of Roch Manitouebeouich and Olivier LeTardif. Their story offers hope and inspiration. Show notes at Maplefamilytreehouse.com. 

This is the immigration story of my 9th great grandparents, and their daughter, my 8th great grandmother - Catherine Galbrun, who was left alone in the world at the age of 4 years old. Her father shot, her mother hanged. Why tell such a miserable story? To tell a story of resilience and be proud of it. For healing and making peace with past, and change going forward. Show notes at maplefamilytreehouse.com. Follow and likw Maple Family Treehouse on Facebook.

Rene Besnard dit Beaujoli, my 7th great grandfather, was the defendent in the witchcraft trial in New France. Here is the story...

I am related to the Boscombe Bowmen who are to date the most likely candidates for building Stonehenge. One medieval myth about the origins of Stonehenge is that Merlin the magician built Stonehenge. Which story is true? You might might think the obvious choice is to follow the concrete evidence leading to the Boscombe Bowmen. It isn't that simple though. Have a listen. Show notes and sources can be found at maplefamilytreehouse.com Cheers!

I want to tell you the story of my oldest known relative – Cheddar Man, who lived approximately 10,000 years ago in Britain. Of course, I will never be able to place Cheddar Man on a specific branch in my tree, but my mapped genome tells me that I am a distant relative of this stone age man. My genetic connection to Cheddar man raises my curiosity – Who was Cheddar man? What’s his migration story? What was his life like?

Context is everything. Understanding your history and the general forces that influence your everyday actions can help us act a little more consciously, respect one another, and further our efforts at reconciliation here in Canada.

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?

Not all stories make us proud. They are our stories none-the-less. By consciously contextualizing this family narrative of domestic violence, I am making myself the author of a story that empowers me, instead of silencing me with shame. With each story, my appreciation and connection to this land grow. 

Genealogy is more than just a bunch a names and dates. When settler family stories and larger historical narratives are woven together powerful things can happen, personally, socially, and maybe even nationally. I'm Kael Sharma, the host of Maple Family Treehouse. Climb my family tree with me As I weave together past and present, with a future that can be filled with more peace, caring and sharing.

I try and convince Theo Hummer of the power of genealogical research by helping her with a part of her family history she calls "murky". I think it works. We have the beginning of a good family story and she might return in a future episode for an update on that story.

No personal or family story exists in a vacuum. In this episode I make connections between my parents migration to Windsor where they met, with Windsor's historical identity as a meeting place. 

In this podcast I am discussing the family history research I am currently in the process of doing. Along the way, I hope to share what I am learning about Canada, my family, and my own need to heal in order to contribute to reconciliation in a positive way. I would love for you to come along, as I climb my family tree.