Process to Collect/Archive Family Stories?

[gregorylouie]

Hi Folks,

I'm a newbie to this forum. I am interested in hearing and collecting the previous generation's stories of life. In my opinion, stories are what make a family tree come alive.

So I am wondering if anyone recommends a particular process for gathering these stories and then collating them in a useful form. My ideal genealogy product would have a clickable family tree that would link the name of an ancestor to his/her story of life. While I'm still imagining, I would love to have a family tree full of wisdom teachings from our elders. (Similar to the Japanese samurai tradition of clan precepts or last statements written by the head of a samurai clan to the leaders of the next generation).

In terms of Chinese genealogy I've been inspired particularly by Siyi Genealogy legacy1.net/ efforts and the Museum of Chinese in America's Story Map www.map.mocanyc.org/. Imagine a family tree with the kind of clickability found on the MOCA StoryMap site.

Further imagine, if uploading stories was as easy as that in StoryMap, but with a family tree interface.

At present, I'm looking for something with a very low technical entry barrier. I want to maximize the number of family members that enter stories or their interviews of family elders. I'm flirting with the idea of using a Google Docs Survey form. That would allow us to broadcast a fairly standardized set of questions. The strategy requires that we find a way to involve family members scattered across the U.S. (our family is out-of-touch with China). My hope is that we could interview the previous generation of elders before they pass on.

All that to ask, does anyone know if there is such a feature (story collation) available from any of the popular online family tree vendors? I imagine it would be a marketable feature that would add tremendous value.

[christine]

Hi Gregory,
I don't love or hate any particular genealogy programs/software, but to your point about the MOCA's story map, this is an embedded Google map that you can definitely use for your own purposes. You can make a google map of whatever you like, add photos, add links to pages, whatever you want. I have a village map of my and my husband's various ancestral villages in Guangdong that I put together for reference (it helps me to understand places when I see them in context and in relation to other villages of our ancestors), you can see it here if you like maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209622438636219148192.000483824f7427170ca96&msa=0&ll=22.375476,113.344574&spn=0.902883,1.71936. It's basic, I haven't really added anything yet. My ancestral locations are the red dots and my husband's are the blue dots.

Not sure how many people use the "photos" tool on google maps, but it is really cool! You toggle photos on, and you can see pictures all over the place, including quite a lot of villages. I plan to add information and media to my map eventually, and hopefully use an embedded version in whatever website I end up hosting my tree in. I believe Ancestry.com does have a mapping feature, but I haven't played with it really. It comes on when you type place names in your online tree at Ancestry.com but it doesn't work well with Chinese villages. I use map.baidu.com as one source for villages.
Also, you can see in Rootsdb.org (I worked on the site), that we did do an embedded map and linked each village to separate page with details. Here is the link to the map page: www.rootsdb.org/village_map

I do know there are some book options at ancestry.com ancestry.mycanvas.com/Products/Family-History-Books.aspx. I haven't used it, so I can't say what the product is like, but it might be one option for you. Whatever you do, just make sure you are using software that accepts unicode! Non-Chinese-supported programs, like "The Master Genealogist" will not do you much good since it can't understand any Chinese characters and what is the point of Chinese genealogy without our ancestors' Chinese names?

good luck!

[helen]

Have a look at these websites - Sew Hoy Family of New Zealand

www.sewhoy.co.nz/History.aspx

www.choiesewhoy.com/

www.choiesewhoy.com/pdf/choiesewhoy-familytree2.pdf

[Doug 周]

Gregory,

...In my opinion, stories are what make a family tree come alive.

I could not agree more!

So I am wondering if anyone recommends a particular process for gathering these stories and then collating them in a useful form.

Almost every genealogy program has the ability to upload files. These may be text, images, video and audio media files.

In terms of Chinese genealogy I've been inspired particularly by Siyi Genealogy^click efforts

This is woodson’s^click site, the system operator for this forum.

At present, I'm looking for something with a very low technical entry barrier....I'm flirting with the idea of using a Google Docs Survey form.

I had arranged a Google Doc collaboration with my siblings for gathering the remembrances of our late father. I thought this would be easy for my non-geek siblings, but they had more difficulty with the concept and mechanics than I expected. This is also pointed out in here: Reflections on Chinese Genealogy Outreach^click . To summarize, people are not as computer comfortable as the Facebook generation. Much of the-interest-in and the-stories-about are from that non Facebook group labeled the transitional generation.

My recommendations:
1. As our ancestors age and as their memories decline, I would recommend that instead of focusing on the display format (and I love the MOCA storymap) that you start gathering the content. Use a digital recorder and gather the oral histories ASAP. For long distance interviews, record the conversation using Google Voice or any other similar service.

2. Transcribe the conversations within a few days of the recording. Append your notes to the various sections. This is the benefit of Google Voice with its machine transcription. Waiting too long will reveal the memory issues of the interviewer.

3. There are not yet programs which will allow easy integration of the content into a format similar to MOCA. I suspect that in the future there will be more choices. However, since every genealogy program will allow upload of digital content, you will have the opportunity to share your stories sooner rather than later. Of course you will need an online genealogy program.

4. Many people have trouble interviewing elders, or our elders are reluctant to discuss past events. I recommend this reference: The Oral History Workshop: Collect and Celebrate the Life Stories of Your Family and Friends - Cynthia Hart & Lisa Samson. 180 pages; Workman Publishing Company;November 26, 2009; ISBN-10: 0761151974; ISBN-13: 978-0761151975. This book is about U$11 and is an extensive compendium of ideas, sample questions, and how-to scenarios for difficult interviews.

The emphasis on oral history and stories is not a new concept. Please look at these successful sites:

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation AIISF^click

StoryCorps Where Every Voice Matters^click

UC Berkeley Bancroft Library Regional Oral History Office^click. In particular the story of Joe Shoong, a Chinese philantropist: DORIS SHOONG LEE: CARRYING ON THE FAMILY LEGACY OF CHINESE AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PHILANTHROPY^click

National Park Service Oral History^click

Please let us know how you are progressing and what you decide to do. I hope this information helps.

IMHO,
Doug