Kugoriamo’s Family History as provided by Kugoriamo Gabriel

In the 17th century, a tragedy of human enslavement overturned the community of Nania of Ayipagada. (Ayipagada is now called Paga). It happens when human cargo was desired for cheap labor in foreign countries. A place called Pikworo was used within the community to keep strong men and beautiful ladies for further trade. A lot of people were captured, chained, sold into slavery by slave raiders.

In the late 17th century, a woman named Kaduah, with her 3-year-old son, Bam, wrapped and attached to her back, traveled to a farm. To their surprise, three strong men (slave raiders) on horses were moving towards them. As Kaduah cried for help, no one came to rescue her. She ran from the raiders and, while doing so, her child fell from her back to the ground and collapsed. The raiders approached the child, and Bam appeared to be dead. They then captured Kaduah and sent her to the slave camp located in Nania called Pikworo. Since then, no one can recall where Kaduah was later sold and sent to.

A few hours after the raiders left the scene where they captured Kaduah, a hunter traveled by and saw Bam. The unter resuscitated Bam and continued to provide medical aid to him. The hunter cared for the child until Bam reached adulthood.

Bam later led a rebellion against the raiders in Pikworo in 1764.

According to oral history, the life and behavior of people before slavery was like a “paradise”. This is to say that people were living in harmony without fear. All people of the community were considered as one from a common ancestor. People were moving about as they pleased. They generally helped each other in the farm work and home activities. People shared with others what they may have needed. The chief was actively working with others and the community. This way of life was helping the community and its members to grow and develop.

And then, life during slavery, nothing was working as it was prior to slavery. People were grasped in fear to go to work or even stay at home in an attempt to avoid capture by raiders. So many people ran for their lives leaving all activities unattended.

According to oral history, the chief was betrayed and deceived because while the slave trade was active, the chief and ruling class thought the raiders wanted to train young men and women for employment. The chief never knew they would never return. The chief then vacated his post out of frustration.

Since then, nothing is in order.

That was the case until now with current generations trying to reunite with the descendants of those who were taken away. With the help of autosomal genetic genealogy, families that were separated during the Transatlantic Slave Trade are reuniting.

Genealogy

Since then the time of the rebellion, Bam married a woman named Wenawume. Together, they had three children. They named their first female child Kaduah, after Bam’s mother. His sons’ names were Kajolo and Babili.

Kaduah > Bam & Wenawume > Kaduah, Kajolo, and Baili

Kajolo had a son named Alira. Alira married and had a son named Awujaane. Awujaane had a son named Alira, after Awujaane’s father. Alira (son of Awujaane) had a son named Achegiwe. From Achegiwe, the family has grown into a large community, but it is still considered to be one family lineage.

Kajolo > Alira > Awujaane > Alira > Achegiwe > Asagedepe (1910 – 2015)

Achegiwe had a son named Asagedepe. Asagedepe was 105 years old before dying in 2015. He told great stories of the family, the norms, beliefs, myths, and taboos of the family. Asagedepe married two women, Kapaga and Kachana (polygamous marriage). Kapaga gave birth to 12 children. Of those, 9 died, 1 went missing, and 2 survived to adulthood in the community. Those 2 surviving children are Kugoriamo George and Mariama Seidu.

Asagedepe & Kapaga > George, Mariama

Asagedepe & Kachana (daughter of Adugu & Anudam) > [children]

Mariama married Seidu in Pô, Burkina Faso. They have five children and four grandchildren.

Mariama & Seidu > 5 children > 4 children

Kugoriamo George married women A. Teni and Mary (polygamous marriage). A. Teni gave birth to 4 children. Mary gave birth to 6 children. Kugoriamo, A. Teni, and Mary also have 6 grandchildren.A few of the Kugoriamo descendants are Assibi Agustina, Mary, Simon, Gabriel, Francis, Joseph, and Mauricia.

George & A. Teni (1969 – ) > 4 children (including Kugoriamo Gabriel)

George & Mary (? – ) > 6 children (including Kugoriamo Joseph)

The family believes in God. Some family members are Muslims, and others are Christians. It allows anybody to worship as they wish.

Unfortunately, the family has been in a serious financial challenge after many of their ancestors were captured into slavery. In the year 2001, heavy rains caused the family house in Nania to flood and collapse. The family moved to a different community, but some years later, they returned to Nania and continued staying with the ancestors in the family land. Since then, the family continues to live in a mudhouse with 3 to 5 people per room. The family also relies on subsistence farming for their food source. It is still a struggle to deal with damage to homes and farms due to regular flooding.

It’s the family pleasure to welcome all manner of people who are identified as relatives through genetic genealogy testing!