Discover a life transformed by adventure, culture, and connection to The Ancestors.
* Advance Reader Copies for 2025-2026
What traces of Africa remain in descendants of the enslaved? Can severed ties be mended 400 years on, or are the barriers of language, culture, and ideology too great to overcome?
The Jollof Journey is Décoste’s attempt to answer these questions as she journeys through five African nations revealed by her ancestry DNA.
The book is about reconciling between descendants of the Transatlantic slave trade and Africans in Africa, about decolonizing our minds, about examining our anti-Africa prejudices (often inculcated through the lens of western media), and ultimately about accepting and learning to love our African ancestry and culture, warts and all.
The themes are explored thought the protagonist’s own learning of local African history, and retelling of past vacations with links to African culture and religious practices, reexamining of pop culture references to Africa of the 80s, and exorcising the demons of the slave trade and its remnants.
“The Jollof Journey” reconciles descendants of the Transatlantic slave trade with Africans, decolonizes minds, and confronts anti-Africa prejudices. Through history, culture, and pop culture reflections, the protagonist learns to embrace African ancestry.
I would tell my grandmother about this book, and the two of us would have a reading race on who would get it done first. Then, we would spend hours at dinner talking about the things we learned and how excited we were for you. What I am trying to say is this was an incredible, feel-good book.
I really enjoyed reading this memoir. It made me sad and happy at the same time. Sad that Rachel had to experience so much growing up, as well as some of the history she was exposed to on her journey. It made me happy because the memoir ended in such an expected way. I really enjoyed reading it, and I think it’s a fantastic memoir!
I love this - the story brings home the inequity for people of color and also an insight into Canada. I want to know where it goes and what happened to her parents. The earthquake in Haiti was a great start to the story and leaves us wanting to know the outcome with her family - how it has catapulted her into changing her life. Keeps me engaged.
The author is a brave lady. It is an inspiring book to encourage others to get out of their comfort zone. The author opened up this huge door for us to walk through. If there's one thing I learned from this book, it's that you just "do it." Life waits for no one. Even with a big of hesitation, it's better to jump into something new.
Rachel Décoste is a writer and social policy expert. She was a published poet at age nine. She later wrote music reviews for her college weekly. She was ranked in the top 5 Canadian political bloggers in 2004. A decade later, she emerged as a prolific op-ed contributor for the Huffington Post (HuffPo Black Voices, USA, Canada, Québec and France), with 150+ articles exploring the intersection of racial diversity and national social policy and/or pop culture issues. Prince Harry admits one of her essays compelled him to speak out against racially-charged articles about his then-girlfriend Meghan Markle. Despite Rachel's use of accessible language and pop culture references, her articles are cited in numerous academic journals, a testament to the validity of her arguments.
In 2020, she was commissioned by Canadian Notes & Queries literary magazine to pen a review of "White Negroes of America" by Pierre Vallières (1971). In 2021, her short story recounting the lead up to her inaugural voyage to West Africa was published in "I'm Speaking Now: Black Women Share Their Truth in 101 Stories of Love, Courage and Hope" (Chicken Soup for the Soul). Book Page magazine cited it in their "Best of 2021" edition.
The inspiration for "The Jollof Journey" came from my own experiences traveling through West Africa and reconnecting with my ancestral roots. I wondered if I would fit in, whether they would accept me. The journey was transformative, filled with moments of self-discovery, cultural immersion, and unexpected surprises I wanted to share these experiences to inspire others to explore their own heritage and embrace their identity.
"The Jollof Journey" stands out because it intertwines personal narrative with broader historical and cultural contexts. Ta-Nehisi Coates is a North Star in this method of storytelling. Unlike many travel memoirs that focus on expatriates or tourists, this book delves into the unique perspective of an African diaspora member returning to the Motherland. It addresses themes of decolonization, identity, and self-acceptance, offering a fresh and compelling lens on travel and heritage.
I hope readers come away with a deeper understanding of the complexities of identity and the importance of reconnecting with one's roots. I want to challenge preconceived notions about Africa and encourage readers to explore their own ancestry. Ultimately, I hope the book inspires a sense of pride, self-love, and a desire to embrace the richness of African culture.
I visited 5 countries that are on my Ancestry DNA map over a six month period, as well as another North African nation where I have no bloodlines. Over my journey, I chronicle interactions with people from Senegal , Benin Republic, The Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, and Togo.
The book will be available in French.
Mon livre sera disponible dans ma langue maternelle, le français. Si la demande y est, l'espagnol, le portugais seront aussi considérés.