There’s Power In Your Name: Kell’s Well Origin Story
Getting back to the basics…
“Kell” (or other variations such as “Kale” or “Kel”) is my childhood nickname that those closest to me often use. If you know how to pronounce my name, you probably picked up on this connection pretty quickly. However, beyond the catchy rhyme, there is a deeper meaning to Kell’s Well that I wanted to share to help my future clients and partners know me a little better.
If you know me, you know I’m a Carolina girl through and through. Being born and raised in North Carolina is a very important aspect of my identity. I am very proud of my proximity to rich southern Black culture and traditions. Although my African heritage was unknown due to the institution of slavery, I have the privilege of going back to the place where my family settled and created a life for themselves after slavery was emancipated. I love that I was raised around my maternal and paternal family and even went to the same school as my siblings and parents. Spending time with my 90+ year old great grandmother when my mother returned to work shaped me in ways that I'll value forever. Growing up, it was not uncommon for strangers to identify me based on my strong resemblance to my family members. Moreover the rural, small town environment gave me an appreciation for the quiet, simple life that I crave more and more as I grow older.
As the youngest of four, I grew up in the same home from age 4 to 18. Prior to that, we lived in my grandparent’s home that had been passed down to my mom and her brothers. This house and land had been in my family for generations and it was once apart of a thriving farm. Before I was born, my family managed the farm and lived off the land, consuming everything they grew and raised. The main supply of water was from a well and this water was a source of life. It was used for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and watering the land from which all of their food was grown.
As a little girl, I spent 90% of my time in nature, playing outside with my siblings, riding my bike, and walking down to the well. I’m not sure why I was so fascinated by this well, besides the fact that it was the only one that I have encountered in “real life”. The only other time I have heard a well being referenced was in biblical stories. In those days, wells were often located at the center of the community. They literally and symbolically served as a gathering place and offered a life sustaining resource (water) for the entire town or village. When building Kell’s Well, I wanted to create a resource with the same type of literal and symbolic significance as wells have meant for communities, in history, and for my family.
Kell’s Well reminds me of my connection to my ancestors, the beauty in nature, the healing power of water, the importance of community, and the blessing in going back to the basics and living simply.