ABOUT

I am Aaliyyah Dyani (also known as Aaliyah Janae/Aaliyah J. Deggs)! I am a certified Indigenous Genealogist through the Aboriginal Republic of North America's (ARNA) Ministry of Education, department of Anthropology.

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I have been interested in genealogy since I was about 8 years old. My mother had a spiral book of my maternal family history and I read through it over and over again. I loved learning about my direct ancestors and knowing them by name made me feel even more connected to them. My love for family and culture continued as I attended Spelman College as a Sociology and Anthropology major. All of my research focused on family, kinships, and family dynamics.

 

During my spare time, I documented my family history. I talk to my older cousins, aunts, and grandmothers to find more information. In August 2020, for my father's 54th birthday, I gifted him with his family tree.  I continued to learn more about my lineage and was able to go back at least 6 generations. I love this work and how important it is for self-love, self-esteem, and self-identification. When you know who YOU are, no one can force a monolithic origin story onto you. I am looking forward to helping you understand who you are, so future generations know their family history and heritage!