so so true about keeping a little reserve when listening to the
stories. My Aunt Julia before she recently died at 85 had a mind like a
bear trap. She really put me to shame several times reminding me of
what we already talked about a mere 2 weeks earlier. She could remember
minute details and dates about things that happened when she was twelve
years old. . .she'd say well "I was twelve years old or I was 17 or I
was 25 and then do a quick calculation and give me the date." Well one
time she told me how her mom my grandmother Virginia Diaz was born in
Rancho de Animas, Jalisco on December 15, 1886 and that the reason she
knew that exact date without calculation is that her father my Abuelo
Julio who was also born in Ranchos de Animas was born on December 20,
1886 exactly being 5 days younger than her. She also said that Abuela
Virginia's dad Francisco Diaz would preach to her, "If you don't
remember anything remember your birth date: December 15, 1886." Well
enclosed is the account of what my Great Grandmother Antonia Santa
Maria (Abuela Virginia's Mom) went through and in that story there is
the accound of an older sister that my Abuela Virginia had that was one
year older and died about the same time that Abuela Virginia was born.
Getting to the point I have looked and looked for any documents,
especially Baptism records, on Abuela Virginia but to no avail, BUT I
did find a baptism record for "a" Virginia Diaz born December 3, 1885.
That could possibly have been the older sister that died when my Abuela
was born and then they used the name again for my Abuela or it could
have been my Abuela [that would mean that she wasn't a respectable 5
days older but a whopping 1 year and 17 days older, what shame!].
Before she passed I spoke about that record with my Aunt Julia and she
agreed that it could be that older sister but was so strongly opposed
to the idea that it was he mother's record. The attached story adds
strength to my Aunt Julia's and my understanding of what is the truth,
but the absence of the record will always leave some doubt.
To say the least Oral History is in my opinion:
1) Highest Priority: reason - it will not wait. When
the person holding it closest to the person that lived it passes its
gone. after that you will have to depend on younger generations to
hopefully remember some of those stories as told by that person that
just passed.
2) Written Genealogical records will always take 2nd spot in priority
as they have been waiting hundreds of years for us and will continue to
wait [in most cases].
3) Neglect neither but if you are over invested in one try to find a
point of equilibrium before you reach a point of no balance [i.e.
you've become a Viejito/Vejita and have no one older to ask. . .all of
a sudden here come the younger ones asking you for the stories that you
are in the sad position of "not knowing."
joseph
Rosalinda M. Ruiz wrote:
Hi group!
I just wanted to say that I think Joseph's suggestions are great
ones-- I wish I had recorded my grandpa before he passed, and my
grandma before she started to forget the details of her childhood. I
just wanted to add to not take everything that is stated on faith, but
do keep track (write down) the stories-- but verification helps. For
example, about 12 years ago I asked my grandma about her siblings and
their spouses. She was helpful for most, but when I asked her about a
particular sister, she just said, "Oh... I think her husband's name is
Daniel. She had three or four kids." I wrote this down, and when I
asked my father, he knew nothing more than what she said. However,
just last year I visited my dad's first cousin, who is about ten years
older than my father. When I asked her about this tia's husband, she
said, "Yes, she's had four kids, but what makes you think she married
anybody?" When I told her what my gr! andma said, she laughed. I then
realized that my grandma, a pious Catholic, did not want to admit that
her sister had her children by different men, men whom she had not
married. Getting different people's perspectives is fascinating, and
can help add to our history.
What's amazing in my experience, though, is that in many cases,
the family "legends" have been proven true. When I start to do the
research, I have found some striking parallels to what has been shared
to me. So, there is a definite value in oral history, for it adds
color and beauty to the sometimes harsh lines of factual genealogy.
Plus, I meet people through my numerous family connections. My
grandparents know the older generations of relatives, and sometimes
I'll take my grandma to visit a cousin, someone I've never met. This
person will share information and their oral history, and in turn will
introduce me to other unknown cousins. I get addresses and phone
numbers, and I now have the reputation as a family historian, so when
they see me again, people will share many things with me. I know lots
of family secrets now, but I'll have to wait to see if I'll put them in
the family genealogy. However, without making that p! ersonal
connection with a visit, many of the stories would be lost.
Rosalinda
-----
Original Message -----
Sent:
12/4/2004 12:29:06 PM
Subject:
[ranchos] Collecting Oral History
Just some of thoughts to keep in mind when interviewing relatives or
people that knew your relatives:
1) if you can ask if its okay to interview the discussion on cassette
tape. Don't make a big deal about this as some people tend to freeze up
if you stick a microphone in their face. Rather get a high quality mike
and set it between you and your relative turn it on and forget about
it.
If you get resistance emphasis how important their words are for the
future generations and how it wouldn't be right to deny her/his great
great great great grandchildren the privledge of hearing their voice.
2) if you do telephone interviews then go to Radio Shack and buy a
telephone line recording system (less than $50) that lets you plug into
your phone line and tape from any phone in the house. Still ask
permission to record.
3) if you seemed to get a good session with no problems with a !
cassette
recorder ask if it would be okay to do video camera. I personally don't
think a video carmera is necessary for more than a session or two. But
the cassettes are a must everytime if possible.
[Oh didn't I mention that this "Oral History" thing is something that
will take many many sessions. After all you don't expect to get 30-50
years of a persons life experiences in one 1-2 hour interview, did you?
Rather if you start mining gold from beginning ask permission to have
another session in 2-3 weeks. If you get permission call them on the
phone or go for the face to face. Enjoy and learn and transcribe your
notes and on the next visit ask questions about things that might not
have been clear the first time or that provoked other areas of
discussion].
4) never have the interview to ridgedly scripted, you need to leave a
lot of room for your relatives to give their history their way.
5) try to ask open ended q! uestions that will get the stories going:
"What were things like w
hen you were 10 [20, 30] years old?" "Tell me
about that town." "What were your neighbors like or your school
friends?" "Tell me about the time that Grandpa Julio gave my dad 'that'
whipping?"
6) if you get to a point that needs some clarification be careful not
to
ask direct questions about dates. For example is your Tia says that her
grandfather died when she was young. Don't say "What year was that?"
But
rather say "Do you remember how old you were at the time?" "Were you
married by then?" "Were any of your children born by then?" "Do you
remember how old little Ruben was when Abuelito died?" Any kind of
question that would help you calculate the date of the event from know
facts. In fact you'd be surprised how those sideline questions will
provoke the conversation into other areas for you to persue when
finished with finding an approx. time period for your death date
questions.
7) Come back again and again. Th! is Oral history is something that
CANNOT
wait. The records we are mining have been waiting for us for 100's of
years but with every generation that passes . . .so passes countless
gems of our history that will be lost forever. Most people get
interested in Oral history when they are old and don't have many older
relatives that they can interview. Don't make this mistake. Honor your
relatives interviewing them and keeping them and the memories of so
many
past generations alive. Who knows but you might be a link between a
story that has been alive in your family for many hundreds of years and
that needs YOU to keep it alive.
joseph
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