Hey all,

This blog will chronicle my experiences in Liberia and my quest to further explore my family’s indigenous roots and improve their lives by helping to rebuild our familial village since being destroyed in the Civil War that took place from the late 1980′s until early 2003. In this time, thousands of Liberians were killed and many were forced to flee the country in fear of former president Samuel K. Doe and his successor Charles Taylor.

During my time in Liberia, along with my mother (who is half Liberian), father, younger brother and Liberian grandfather, I will travel to our indigenous familial village of Goyazu, (pronounced GO-YA-ZOO) located in Upper Guinean Rainforest. For about week we will stay in Goyazu, which is for the most part a self-sufficient village that has no electricity, running water or roads. Though I have tried to imagine my family who live there and what they are like, as a born and bred New Yorker, I have no clue what I am getting myself into….

I will not have internet access while in Liberia, but hope to update this blog routinely before and after my trip.

Let the journey begin!

-Najha