Okay, so some Pagans say that you should only worship the Gods of your ancestors. But what about if you're mixed race? I'm personally European-American (Germanic and Celtic), African-American and probably Native American. So where would that leave a person like me?
And just how are we to reverence our physical ancestors if we come from broken families, highly abusive families, etc.? The only relative I really want to reverence and include on my altar is my dearly departed mother. I hate most of my family, including my father.
There are a couple things that come to mind.
First, I'm African American, Hispanic, Caucasian, Cherokee, and Blackfoot. I probably have some Indian in my family given I finally got my great grandmother's pictures. I notice a lot of my family had mixed marriages. We've had broken homes, people who hurt others, and a whole lot of things that would make our family seem unhealthy.
I start with the family member I know the most which is my grandmother on my mother's side. My father's side grandmother passed recently; and, I didn't know her too much. Through them I talk to the rest of my family.
In some cultures there are healing rituals where if you know a family member is hurting and maybe still causing discord with your living family, you can do healing rituals to help them out.
Unless you don't want to reconcile your hate with the rest of your family, there isn't much you can do but revere the ones you feel you're closest to. If you want to grow towards forgiveness or a lighter perspective of the family you hate, maybe start with rituals around forgiveness or simple things.
It's not really revering but building a communication and relationship with family. You don't
have to put them on a pedalstool and revere them. Talk to them. Say "hey, $%@ family member, I don't like you but I want to figure how to get this family together...and I need your help." If you don't get a message, then let it be. Just like any other family member, you don't have to communicate with them all.
I read in one tradition you have a "pool of ancestors". First you go to god (monotheistic tradition not abrahamic), then you go to your ancestors starting from who you know on back, then the pool of ancestors (ancestors you know exist but don't know personally), then you go to the spirits (or in other traditions to the gods).
Other times you can just light a candle for your family in general. It doesn't have to be specific. I just find healing rituals may work if the family you hate is kind of putting a barrier on your practice and who you want to revere.
As for different ethnicity, that depends on who you want to revere, in my opinion. Most of my family I actually know are African American and most of them are Christian. So, the closest I can get is being in their presence and talking with them. But those who are Native American and all the other ethnicity I pretty much say my thank you but I have not yet figured how to communicate with them. So, it's a growing process.
