HEAR THE VOICE

The Voice of the Child

Who is she?

What is her story?

'The Milky Bar Kid'  - (Oil on Canvas)

Art by Gerlinde

What is the story of 'The Milky Bar Kid' in the above picture?

If she could tell us her story, if we could hear her voice, what would she say?

Where we came from, what our forebears were like and, are our behaviour and decisions influenced by them and where and how we were brought up?

 Do we really understand why we act and live the way we do?

Sure, whilst researching our family history we may have collected birth, death, divorce certificates, wills, school reports, letters, certificates, awards, property documents, bills, publications where our family names are mentioned.  Of course, we have also collected various family mementoes such as grandfather’s pipe or cigarette box, grandmas watch, her glasses doileys, assorted plates, cups and various other things such as jugs, statues and pictures.

We have collected and saved all these things because they mean something to us and portray a life lived of someone we have loved but passed on.

By keeping things, it helps us to continue the love and remember people from our past.  In fact, although they are in the past, they remain present in our lives.

Indeed, we have very fond memories which we all treasure and refuse to let go.  This is love. We must never forget because it is our memories of past family members that remind us of whom we are and where we belong.  It is a way of feeling at home and we are at home wherever we are and remember and feel where we belong.

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Throughout the world Indigenous people not only pass down their native language to children but also tribal and family stories to ensure the history, legends, beliefs and language are continued on throughout the ages.  If this is not done, once the stories, legends and language is gone, they are gone forever.  

If little care is taken, history and all that is attached to the tribe and family are so easily lost. Once lost, it is almost impossible to revive.

Thus it is with families in the modern world.

We have paper and sometimes digital records of family history as well as the mementoes and family treasures.

However, the thing that is often missing are the stories from grandma and grandpa, mum and dad, siblings, uncles and aunts, cousins etc.  

Although we may have documented and written the family stories which are evidence based via papers and other family members memories, there is so much more we can collect to gain a better knowledge of our family history.

Take a deliberate action, make time with the family and use what is needed to listen to mum, dad, grandma, grandpa, brothers and sisters and even long time family friends.

The memories need to be audio or video recorded for prosperity.  

Sure mum and dad may have told their stories over and over and over again, seemingly ad nauseum at times, but there is also so much more to be told and so much more to be discovered.

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My parents passed on many years ago yet here I am older, perhaps wiser, but now I have been thinking about things I would like to ask mum and dad.

Like, why did they do this, that or whatever, how come they ended up in so and so and the biggie...what on earth was that big argument about and why was mum so upset at something dad said while out on a special occasion dinner at a really fancy restaurant?  I have the photo, mum still looks absolutely furious!

Then, there is the question, why was my dad and his brother not talking for so many years?

Can I find out?  No, they are all deceased., and whatever these things were all about...is gone.   The truth of the stories are gone forever.

There is so much more to learn by taking time and care to sit down with the older generation, encourage them to talk and verbally record their stories.  You will be very surprised what you will find out.  You may even gain a new understanding and clear some unknown misconceptions.

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Perhaps have a monthly special supper with one family member and after dinner, sit, talk and listen.  Not only hear their story, but listen, really listen. Oh, and don't forget to press the 'record' button.

Sure continue collecting all the family history documents and articles, but one of the most valuable things in your collection is recorded memories.

Don't wait til the oldies and their memories fade, think about the next family gathering, a birthday celebration, wedding anniversary, public holiday, barbecue, picnic or whatever, ask grandma what life was like when she was a kid.  Did she have many play mates, what was school like, who was her best friend?

Hint:  Ask open questions such as ‘why’, ‘how come’, 'what did you feel’? etc.

Folks, by doing it sooner rather than later, you may be at grandma's final gathering and she may never again be able to tell you about her life fully lived and experienced.

Cheers,

VERDE.

FAMILY ARCHIVES

Family history can be as mysterious as the 'Twilight Man'

In shadow, hidden or fading and perhaps waning into obscurity

'Twilight Man' - Oil on paper Art by Gerlinde

Since a young gal, I have wanted my own museum.  With that in mind, I have been collecting personal things that represent my life throughout the decades. 

We all know that our personal history of our family and our lives are not only of interest to others, but our personal history will help descendants form a picture of where they came from and what life was like ‘back in the day’.

There are many of us who research and document our family history using online databases, historic records, newspapers, books, journals, personal diaries and videos on mobile devices, Youtube, Facebook and other similar tools.  Naturally, these are all saved in both paper and digital format.

As much as we investigate our families and document how we live, there are generally a number of other relatives in the same family who research and collect similar information and artefacts.  Although much of the research is duplicated, there is always other information and evidence found that was not previously known.  However, all the records and artefacts are often held at separate locations.

The crucial fact to realise is that with different members of the same family collecting similar things, it is extremely important that all the data and artefacts are both maintained as securely as possible whilst being conserved for posterity.

Naturally, the holding place for conservation has to be protected from insects and climatic elements of which the most dangerous is dust, heat, water and damp.

Now, as much as we love being the holder of artefacts such as medals, photos, diaries, books and perhaps clothing and jewellery, it seems a shame for us all to separately save what we as individuals have been passed down to us or collected. 

It may be more beneficial to house the whole family collection in the one place.  However I stress, the collection must be held in a secure location.

That secure place does not have to be a bank vault that is not easily accessible, although a home safe is good.

Instead I am advocating the use of a particular shelf in a cabinet or cupboard.  But if you are really lucky and have enough that can be displayed in a small spare room that is no longer being used, that would be excellent!

Realistically though, the easiest idea is to allocate space in a book or display case or somewhere similiar but make sure it is secure but still accessable.

The displaying or maintaining of a special place for ‘The Family Archives’ provides a place where we, the children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles or other family members can gain understanding and perhaps explain why we as individuals and family members ‘are’ as we ‘are’.

By setting up a room or area as a holding area for our family history, where we came from and what life has been like for our previous familial generations, it provides an opportunity to:

1.     Educate the grandchildren

2.     Show others how far the family have come

3.   Show how much the family have achieved

4.   Reveal that under extreme circumstances anything can be achieved

5.     Think you have it tough?  have a look at great-grandpa's life

It also demonstrates and encourages:

Pride in the family

Continuance of the family history

      The importance of family in society

Family is the essence of society and continuation of social mores and ways of being.

Every now and then it is great fun for everyone to gather around the Family Archives, tell stories add things to it.  It helps build and cement sometimes family-strained relationships and have a laugh.

Cheers,

Verde.