A little bit about me…
On my Mothers side; her Mother was a Jew from Russia, her Father is of questionable origins.
On my Fathers side I am a combination of French, Black, and Jewish and the possibility of Native American, nothing is ever an easy answer. My Fathers Father is either half Black or a quarter black , we are unsure as to the exact amounts, he was a French man, of Black Dutch origins. His Mother a Russian Jew born in Germany. My parents if you go back far enough are related (not to far, lol). Of course they were not aware of this fact until my Grand Mother died in 1997. My parents met each other on a fishing pier in New York.
I would tell you more, however my parents and there parents were not proud of their culture and have lied often about their origins. To me this is not funny but truly sad, they however made their choices and those of us left behind in the wake must live with them no matter how ridicules they have become. Every time, I believe I know who I am the story changes, not because of anything I have done but because of the legacy they have left behind. Not even DNA tests can give a true account of who someone is...in my heart I am who I am and no more or less than that. A name is just a name, a race also a tag, I chose to be me. Culturally inspired to be the best person I can be, by the grace of all that surrounds me, to hate to embrace all.
I spent my younger years in Charlestown, Boston, Mass. A white Irish community, where I attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church. My neighbor Roland was a Native American healer and tribal spiritual leader who is close to be a second Father to me. I was very blessed to have his guidance and his knowledge in my life for as long as I had it. He like my Grand Father made a huge impact in my future self. From both of them I learned that I could do anything I set my mind to and I have learned over the years not to back down and to enjoy a life full of passion and knowledge.
I have a great feel for historical places. I grew up in a 300 year old haunted house that had been once part of the great fire of Charleston. My dad even has pictures of me helping him to tear out the walls when I was just three years old. There was a lot of history in those old plaster walls and I can tell you that at the tender age of three I loved every minute of it and wanted more. My dad though out the first 12 years of my life helped me to become the kind of person that could fix my own stuff and by the time I went to middle school I was convinced I could make almost anything from wood or metal. Back then of course, in the 70’s girls did not work in wood or metal shop, but I made a another first time event and convinced a very reluctant teacher to let me take the entrance test the boys were taking and that if I passed I would be allowed to attend. I took the test and aced it, did better than any of the boys I was up against. In reality I am a powerful force when put in motion. Outside of school I was also a mover and a shaker and by fifth grade had my first piece of poetry published and had changed the world and future for a whole bunch of kids when because on my insistence the Boy’s Club of Boston became coed, no really look it up.
I grew up with a need to gain as much knowledge as I could and when not visiting Roland, being in school, hanging out with Grand Father (Andrew L. Brown) I could often be found as a child hanging out in the town history museums or climbing the Bunker Hill monument, which I did each day for many years. I had a life few people could imagine and often felt as though I lived between two worlds. Growing up in Boston gave me a perspective of art and of philanthropy that have followed me and my life path always.
To this day much of my photographic art details an almost lost history of buildings, barns and farms of by gone days. I think of it as an honor to be able to save record of these building and homesteads for a future time. For if we forget history we forget ourselves.
I spent some years in Indiana where I developed a great love and respect for the Amish people and their history. Living in Indiana I really believed I was being punished for some horrible crime, lol. But in fact it did help me to become the person I am today in a lot of ways. Living there taught me about a simpler life and it taught me to deal with rejection and well there was that four years of free speech therapy which is why now I speak very elegantly. The people of Indiana other than the Amish and a few other people did not seem to like me. Well in the long term if you or anyone does not like me, so what! There are many, many people who love me and would give their lives for me, so to them, they are missing out on knowing a wonderful, inspired and truly one of a kind person. The lessons I took from Indiana is that people really do judge you by what you wear and well let’s face it, except for that brief period of tie dye t-shirts in the 90’s I am a basic black kind of gal. The word witch came up often…lol If they had only known I was a closet kabalistic Jew…I bet yeah, it would have floored them and then they would have had whole bunches of other mean things to say. I saw what they did to the one other Jew in Leo High School and that was not pleasant, many years later I regretted not standing up and saying something than; time teaches us always.
Another lesson I learned from Indiana was about owning property and partnership, because of those lessons I owned all future items myself, for the most part. At the tender age of 19 I owned a house on 1234 Smith Street (no it is the real place, not sure if it is there any more or not), it was an old farm house with a small back yard. I lost this house trying to take care of my mother and my siblings, another ongoing theme of my life caring for my mother and losing stuff by doing it… it’s only stuff. I also owned an apartment building , which I lost within the first year and then again many years later, paper work follows you every where…lol. I had a partner who made some one in the building department angry and before I knew it I was in violation of things I had no idea of and a fancy stop work order which meant I could not fix not one thing without going to jail, so there you have it, never make the building department mad. After that I moved into a home owned by a family of real live gypsy’s and while the whole thing was kind of cool, fortune telling is one game I should not be allowed to play. I can say that I know my way around people and read most people very well and if I wanted to I could empty your wallet while I shook your hand, but thankfully I have never been that kind of person. I will admit that off and on in my life I have hung out with carnival people, gypsies and worse. From all of these people I learned a great deal and will often leave people where they are standing unless I can get past what I first see in their eyes.
From Indiana I moved to Orlando, Florida where I lived for a few months and after living homeless and sort of jobless working out of daily labor I decided that the life I had lived was very soft and I took a vow of poverty which I held for 7 full years. During this time, a lot of changes took place in my life, including my first children and my more orthodox following of my faith. I still maintained many of what other people would consider Native American customs as well.
In that time in my life I met many famous and not so famous people. I created and ended friendships, I loved deeply and purely and I grew into the strong clear minded person that I am today. Some people who know me will tell you I pull no punches and that is often true though over the last few years I have tried to soften my steps a bit. I lived in Florida in many different places and left my mark upon each one. I learned many types of art including glass making and fine tuned many of my other artistic skills, such as paint, carving, clay working and more….I continued my work with the poor and oppressed. I am never ashamed of who I am, only that it took so long to get here.
In 2002 I saw Arkansas on a TV show and said, hey I want to live there so I and the kids took our first family vacation. I loved the place and live there now.
My Work ethic
I am a hard worker, who loves to learn. I am self motivated, dedicated and loyal. I pride myself on not only showing up for work, but doing it on time.
I have quit drinking and do not do drugs (gave it up years ago, way too many to count).
I have been self employed much of my life and have met many interesting people.
Here is a list of most of my jobs, if there all not here, well I’m sorry, I am getting old.
I have worked as a florist, a babysitter, a dog walker, a gardener, a lawn care professional, a dry-waller, a painter, a divot filler (yes it is really a job), a rock singer, a carvel freak, a baker, a glass artist, a card reader, a ride jockey, part off a teardown crew, a counselor for drug abuse, a book checker at a binding company, a fact checker, a toy tester, builder of computers for Govenment bases, an artist of course, a pewter smith, a white metal smith, a crystal healer, a Reiki healer, an herbalist, Indian tribal chief (yup really), I have worked framing houses, a factory worker( made about everything…lol, trust me you do not want to know where plastic comes from). A librarian’s assistant in Boston, one of the sweetest jobs I have ever had. A car sales person, a gas station attendant. I have worked in a print shop, well two. I have been the head of a food dispersal system for the poor. A minister. A farmer…lol Most recently, I ran a multi-million dollar scrap yard.
Office worker, secretary, bookkeeper for a nice old Jewish man. I worked at two reality company’s. A bunch of call centers. Gallery owner. Landlord there is just too many to write….All taught me lesson about myself and others.
I am a fabulous person that few people if any in the world could compare, in my life I have done many things and will do many more. If I had to describe myself I would say that I am.
Currently I am is in the process of writing more, many of my books can be found on Amazon, some with my name on them even...
I am published many times over both with my art work which can still be found out there in many magazine publications and in print form, three books with my name on them, a hundred or so poems and a few songs. My art work has shown in many galleries’ around the world and I am told still brings top dollar, even though I rarely see it.
I live on small old world farm.
You can find out more about it by visiting my website. www.mahanaimfarm.com
I am a mom to five beautiful children
I home school the two youngest ones.
I am official an artist by trade, I am currently writing a few more books and creating lovely inspired artwork.
My hobbies include collecting and restoring classic Jeep wagoneers, I own three, a 1978 Air force edition that is blue and saved me more than once, a 1973 Jeep Wagoneer that was the first year that they had automatic 4-wheel drive and a 1979 grand wagoneer…they are all awesome. We also have other old cars and trucks. I love and cannot get enough of World and American History, Herbal medicine, old world farming, old work cooking, as well as spinning wool and making cloth, canning, making cheese and wine. Teaching others to live below their means.
I am currently in college studying to become a Fema coordinator. I recently received a AHS degree from Ozarka College.
Yes there are events and people missing from the above work, but what is life without a little mystery and getting to know one another.
Thank you for getting to know me.
Shekhinah Raziel Golden-Dove Davis