South Florida’s Ft. Lauderdale Historical Society as well as other hubs of historic knowledge are a pinnacle of understanding the past in South Florida, but more important than learning the history is understanding that there is more than one version of the same history. History often presents itself as having only one version of events that have occurred, when in fact other stories emerge if you dig just a little bit deeper. In order to take a closer look at what happened in the past it is essential to have a great guide along the way. It is important to have someone who understands that everyone has their own cultural story waiting to be uncovered, and if they just look a little closer at themselves, they’ll find their own history has been sitting below the surface all along. Broward is lucky to have their own Tara Chadwick seeking to bring to light the diverse culture and history that makes South Florida such an amazing place to live. Circumstances dictated Tara venture far out so that she may discover who she is on the inside, and lucky for us she brings the same sentiment to helping others every day. Just as Florida has a history that is full of surprise and astonishment, Tara’s story takes on many fascinating turns that help define who she is today and why she is such a valuable a part of the South Florida Community.
Spending the afternoon with Tara I learned as much about the history of greater Ft. Lauderdale as I did about the nature of history itself. In school kids are often taught one version of history, and made to believe that version is the only correct version of events which occurred. As Winston Churchill famously stated, “History is written by the victors”. However, this inherently means that there is always another side to every story. Tara is someone who through her own journey of self-discovery, came to understand the importance of looking closer at every side of history.
After sitting through a fascinating lecture on the origins of Ft. Lauderdale settlers, I had the opportunity to talk in depth with Tara about what history meant to her. One of the first things Tara mentioned after the lecture was the alternative to the history discussed during the lecture. Specifically, the idea that white settlers reached the part of South Florida that is Ft. Lauderdale before the natives ever lived there. Contrary points of view exist in regards to who lived in Ft. Lauderdale first, but more important than knowing for sure who settled first, is understanding that there is more than one history to how Ft. Lauderdale came to be. Without multiple points of view, history would no longer be a discussion, and would only be a one sided story of what occurred. If the objective of history is to learn from the past in order to build a better tomorrow, then people like Tara in the world who looks at things from all points of view are the best hope to ensure a bright future.
Tara’s desire to reveal multiple points of view is heavily rooted in her personal cultural exploration. Tara was born in Canada and moved to Florida when she was only six years old. She spent most of her earliest years moving back and forth between Florida and Canada. After she graduated Miramar high school, Tara attended York University in Toronto where she really began to shape her personal cultural journey. While she was attending York University she started working in Belize in order to study the culture of her heritage. It was here that she began to recover the lost art of Meso-American Danza. Danza is a form or discipline of kinetic training originally taught to warriors of Meso-America, and it is used for variety of purposes. Some of what Danza is used to explain includes scientific phenomena, spiritual traditions, and to pass on information for future generations. For Tara practicing Danza is a part of her greater cultural identity, and has both captivated her and allowed her to become closer to her roots.. After she graduated from York University Tara lived full time in Belize for several years, before moving throughout Canada and the U.S. until she eventually settled full time in Florida, but she hopes to spend a great deal more time in Belize soon.
While Tara’s journey is still underway, and she is still eagerly learning everything she possibly can about her culture, she also knows that 2016 is the best time for self-discovery that there has ever been. She uses tools like blogging, Instagram, and Periscope to allow access to events for those who cannot always be present. Tara says that by live streaming lectures she allows access to many who cannot be in attendance, and by doing so invites new and different opinions to the discussion of the history of South Florida. More important than information being doled out at a lecture, is allowing participation and dialogue for those who otherwise may not had access.
When it comes to passing down her history, Tara considers history a family affair. Her two boys have begun to participate in the Danza, and will eventually learn the significance behind each specific movement, and the traditional story behind each dance. Her eldest son has begun to drum, and her youngest loves to dance during the ceremony, and while he may not know the significance behind each move yet, he is learning so he may pass it to his children someday in the future.
A large part of what has made Tara’s exploration possible is the CAEP grant she received from Broward County to further her exploration into the wonderful history of culture she has dedicated herself to. Without funding from programs such as this one, it would be nearly impossible for artists and scholars to be able to afford their projects. Tara plays a critical role in understanding history, not only as someone with a broad knowledge of history itself, but also as somebody who understands there is more than one way to learn the history of culture, and each of us has a journey of history waiting to be explored.
