Tribal Tapestry is an initiative created to reconnect Africans in Diaspora to their roots. The platform, founded by Jon James Olomo, also known to many through social media as Omowale, meaning the child has returned home in Yoruba, was borne out of his personal journey of self discovery and connection with his root in Nigeria. Inspired by Jon’s transformative experiences, Tribal Tapestry guides individuals on their journeys to discover and reclaim their ancestral heritage, through DNA testing and family tree databases. In this interview with GBENGA AKINFENWA, Jon explains his personal experience, intricacies of the initiative, and partnerships to uncover deeper connections and broader ancestral links.
What inspired the creation of Tribal Tapestry?
Tribal Tapestry was born from my personal journey of self-discovery. Growing up, I had immense pride in my African heritage, but I knew little about where we came from in Africa, and that missing piece weighed heavily on me.
Like many in the Diaspora, I had a vague understanding of our past, rooted in the history of slavery and colonialism. However, I yearned to go deeper and find the specific tribe, region, and culture that shaped my ancestry. Through DNA testing and family tree databases, I eventually traced my roots back to the Yoruba tribe in Lagos. The experience was transformative being welcomed into the Shasha Kingdom, undergoing traditional Yoruba rites, and receiving the name Ormowale (meaning the child has come home) from the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams.
This personal journey not only reconnected me with my roots but ignited a passion in me to create a platform where others could experience that same profound reconnection. For me, Tribal Tapestry isn’t just about finding where you come from; it’s about fully immersing in and becoming a part of the culture you descend from. It’s about reclaiming identity, history, and pride. It’s a movement, a way for African descendants in the diaspora to rediscover their roots and transform their relationship with their heritage.
In an era where many of us are searching for belonging, knowing where we come from gives us the grounding and strength to face the future.
Tribal Tapestry is offering a unique service by connecting African descendants with their roots.
How do you ensure the authenticity and emotional impact of these heritage Journeys for your clients?
At Tribal Tapestry, authenticity is at the heart of everything we do. We combine cutting-edge DNA science with deep historical research to ensure we accurately trace our clients’ ancestral roots back to their specific tribes. The genetic data is one part of the journey, but we understand that ancestry is more than just numbers and percentages it’s about culture, family, and identity.
To make sure each journey is deeply personal; we work closely with local communities, village elders, and cultural historians who safeguard the oral traditions and histories that have been passed down through generations. These relationships allow us to connect our clients to the living, breathing cultural heritage of their ancestors, something that goes beyond just names and dates.
Moreover, we understand that this is an emotional experience for many. It’s not simply about tracing lineage, but about healing, rediscovery, and reclamation. We curate personalised heritage tours, where clients can visit the lands tied to their lineage, meet their distant relatives, and participate in traditional ceremonies that provide a sense of closure and empowerment.
Our goal is to offer an experience that doesn’t just reconnect our clients with their ancestry but with the culture that shaped their ancestors.
Although overcoming historical barriers is part of the goals of this initiative, what other goals do you aim to achieve with this platform?
While Tribal Tapestry was founded with the goal of breaking down historical barriers and reconnecting African descendants with their roots, we see this as just the beginning of a much larger movement. Beyond personal heritage discovery, we aim to foster a deeper, global utiderstanding of African culture. We want people, both within the African diaspora and beyond, to recognise the rich, complex histories that make up the African continent.
One of our primary goals is to make heritage discovery accessible to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic background. We envision a world where discovering one’s root is not a luxury but a right. Through Tribal Tapestry, we also hope to promote cultural tourism, encouraging more people to travel to Africa and experience the beauty and diversity of their nations firsthand.
In addition, we aim to empower local African communities by creating a bridge that facilitates cultural exchange and economic development. When our clients reconnect with their ancestral lands, they also have the opportunity to invest in those communities whether through education, sustainable business, or cultural preservation projects.
Ultimately, we hope to heal the trauma of displacement, while promoting pride in African heritage, both for the individuals who take these journeys and the communities they return to.
In adventures like this, partnership is very key, especially in the areas of cultural connections. Who are you partnering with to assist your clients in tracing their family trees?
Partnerships are the backbone of what we do at Tribal Tapestry. We’ve collaborated with leading organisations in technology, genealogy, and cultural research, giving us access to vast databases of historical records and cutting-edge tools that allow us to trace family lineages with precision.
The technology we use provides the foundation, but it’s our partnerships with local communities that add the authenticity and personal connection that make Tribal Tapestry unique. We also work with cultural experts, historians, and genealogists across various regions in Africa and beyond to ensure each client’s heritage journey is deeply authentic and personalised.
These collaborations allow us to navigate both the scientific and cultural landscapes of ancestry discovery. While our partnerships are continually expanding, our current network provides us with a solid foundation to offer unparalleled detail and accuracy in connecting clients with their roots.
Has this journey been without challenges? What are the main difficulties you’ve encountered?
This journey has been anything but easy. One of the most significant challenges we face is the lack of complete historical records. Centuries of slavery, colonisation, and migration have fractured many of the links that connect people to their ancestral past.
Rebuilding these connections requires time, patience, and precision. Many records were lost or destroyed, and while oral histories are rich and valuable, they can sometimes be fragmented or incomplete. But beyond the technical hurdles, there’s also the emotional challenge.
Many in the African Diaspora carry what we call the IINA memory of their ancestors’ trauma, pain, and loss. These journeys are not just physical but deeply emotional clients are often reconnecting with a history of displacement, violence, and survival. Guiding them through this emotional process is just as important as the technical aspect of reconnecting them with their lineage.
At Tribal Tapestry, we offer support and sensitivity, ensuring that clients feel empowered throughout the journey. At the same time, we encourage clients to recognise the immense power in their DNA. As Africans, we are the origin of humanity, stewards of ancient civilizations that laid the foundation for modern religion, spirituality, and science. We mapped the stars and cosmos 7000 years before Galileo ever used a telescope. This journey isn’t just about finding family; it’s about healing generational wounds and awakening to the incredible strength and potential that resides within our genetic memory.
You were bcrowned a Prince of Shasha Kingdom, Lagos, By HRM Oba Babatunde Akanbi Ogunronbi. What impact will this have on the kingdom and Nigeria?
Being traditionally confirmed as Prince of Shasha is both an incredible honor and a profound responsibility. This title represents a bridge between the African Diaspora and our ancestral communities in Nigeria. For me, it’s about much more than a ceremonial role it’s about creating real, tangible connections between the Diaspora and the continent. Through this role, I am committed to promoting Nigeria and Yoruba culture on a global scale. I want to foster cultural and economic exchanges between the Diaspora and the African continent. For the Shasha Kingdom, this title brings new recognition and opportunities for cultural tourism, investment, and development.
And for Nigeria, it underscores the country’s central role as a home for millions of people in the Diaspora who are searching for a way to reconnect with their roots.
What advice do you have for your other colleagues on the need to trace and reconnect with their heritage?
My advice is simple: don’t be afraid to take the first step. Reconnecting with your heritage is not just a physical journey it’s an emotional and spiritual one that helps you reclaim your birthright. At Tribal Tapestry, we make this journey accessible, starting with our DNA test kits at tribaltapestry.com.
It’s about more than just tracing your lineage; it’s about reclaiming your identity, reconnecting with your roots, and embracing the rich cultures that shaped who we are today. This journey is not just healing for individuals it’s empowering for entire communities. The more we understand where we come from, the more we can shape a future that honors our ancestors and the legacies they left for us.
Source: guardian.ng
