For my grandmother, the shrine was a physical place—a corner of the hut with libations and relics. For me, the shrine is portable. It’s in my pocket. I practice a “digital libation” by scrolling through my camera roll on the anniversary of my ancestor’s passing, sending a voice note to my mother about a dream I had, or using a meditation app that plays the rhythmic beat of the djembe. Technology isn’t the enemy of tradition; it’s the new talking drum. It connects the village, even if the village is now global.
Digital Ancestral Veneration