“I am so sorry. “
These very powerful words have the ability to transform a relationship. When an apology is offered sincerely, the opportunity for healing and forgiveness may begin. Most of our lives have been touched by offering or receiving a heartfelt, courageous apology. But what good can it do to apologize for something you did not do?
Michael Lienau and his Camano Island family discovered just how potent this sort of an apology can be when they joined the Lifeline Expedition and traveled to England, Africa, the Caribbean and the United States to honor the abolition movement and to offer apologies to the descendents of slaves. Michael produced and directed the documentary about the expedition, Yokes and Chains.
When Micheal and Shari Lienau’s children (Anna and Jacob) discovered that a huge percentage of the enslaved Africans were children, they asked to join the group. They became the youngest members of the group to walk in the yokes and chains common to chattel slavery and to offer their direct apology to descendents of slaves.
Michael, Shari, Anna and Jacob Lienau will be on hand to discuss their experiences after the film is shown in the Microsoft Auditorium at the Central Libary on Sunday, April 19th at 2:00 p.m. Delbert Richardson, storyteller and teacher, will bring his collection of shackles, collars and other enslaved African artifacts as well as participating in the panel discussion. Dr. Pat Russell, whose dissertation explored the effects slavery had on her own family, will moderate. The Seattle Public Library Friendshop will be selling copies of the dvd before and after the film.
The film, Yokes and Chains, is the second of a three part film and discussion series about the legacies of slavery.
The first film, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North was shown on March 29 and third film, Family Name , will be shown on June 21st. Panel discussions with question and answer sessions follow each film.
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