Book Summary

Uncovering the story of a forgotten great-great-grandfather took me on a journey of discovery and exploration into how identity is shaped in a strange mix of cultures. Ferdinand Hahn was a German missionary living in British India, among the Adivasi, indigenous people of India. Prior to World War I, Ferdinand played a significant role in helping the Adivasi retain their culture and fight for their liberation. In telling his story the little known history will be heard of the Adivasi, which means original dwellers.  

The timing of this book is important, not only for ethnic and religious challenges going on in India but also because the first native Christian church in India will be celebrating their Centennial Jubilee of autonomy. It is an important time to look back on the history of those who made such a unique development into reality.

​The story covers the scope of Ferdinand's  life, from his early desire to escape the confines of his parochial Prussian village to his death in the foothills of the Himalayas. 
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I was researching and writing for six years and blogged, off and on, about my journey into writing and exploring many of the themes in this book: mentoring, identity, heritage, collective memory, community, unity, development, exploitation, women, leprosy, organization, and much much more.....

​About the Author

As the youngest in a medical missionary family, I grew up in India. My father was fourth-generation missionary in India, however we knew very little about the first generation of missionaries who left Germany 150 years ago for India. A Diary by my great-great grandmother that was discovered about a decade ago  sparked my interest in these German ancestors who lived in British India before World War I. This first book is a biography of Ferdinand Hahn, my great-great grandfather, who is still remembered among the Adivasi (original dwellers) of Chota Nagpur in eastern India.  

This is my first book a detour from my professional life working predominantly in the world of nonprofits. As a consultant in community and organizational development I have worked with a variety of organizations, faith communities and individuals to strengthen their engagement through mentoring, mutual exchange, social assistance, restorative justice and mental health awareness.  I graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Education and Political Science and continue independent studies  in community development, nonprofit management and South Asia Studies.
ISBN:
978-0-359-42271-5
© 2019
400 page creative non-fiction with pictures, maps, glossary, and extensive bibliography

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