Thread by @monaeltahawy

My family name - Eltahawy - can be traced back 12 generations. It’s somewhat of a family badge of honour to recite the names in between our generation all the way back. The names are all men’s. I want to find out the 12 generations of women’s names that connect us.

I want to know who that matriarch was 12 generations ago. Who was my ancestor who first bore this family line? Who are my foremothers? I want to know and y honour those women.

Eltahawy is my dad’s surname. My mum’s surname is Khalaf. I want to trace that matrilineal line too and follow its matriarchal roots. Again, I’m starting with a man’s name to get to the mothers. I know.

I can start with these women who were alive when I was born:
- Nazira, my paternal grandmother
- Na’ima, my maternal grandmother
- Amina, my maternal great-grandmother

I am Mona daughter of Ragaa daughter of Na’ima daughter of Amina.

That’s a good start.

Now to do that with nine generations of women on my mother’s side. And on my dad’s.

This is to honour my foremothers. It is not to pass a legacy onto anyone because I am childfree by choice.

Who are you the daughter of?

Who are your foremothers?

Who is your mother? And her mother? And her grandmother?

Do you know the name of your great grandmother’s mother? How far back can you go with your foremothers’ first names?

Thank you all who have shared the names of your foremothers! How glorious and what a joy to have the names of so many of our ancestral mothers!

I feel as if we are all standing in a hall together calling them, invoking them, honouring them.

Love and solidarity 💜✊🏽❤️

Thank you, thank you, all!

Hearing the names of your mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and ancestral mothers has filled my day with joy and power!

This is one of the most moving threads and responses I’ve had on Twitter.

Thank you! ❤️✊🏽💜

I am NOT looking for surnames which are invariably the names of men. JUST first names of #AncestralMothers.