Girl Meets Public History

I was sitting in the living with my little sister binge-watching, “Girl Meets World” one afternoon.  For those who may be unfamiliar with this tv show, it is a spin-off of the main characters fictional children from, “Boy Meets World.”  Both of these tv shows were/are known to touch on controversial and political topics, such as the episode my sister and I were watching.  This episode was about identity and family history.

The students in the show were assigned to do research about their family history to find out “who they are.”  The teacher leaves it open for interpretation and the plot line goes on.  One of the main characters acts very somberly about the family history, and at the end of the episode, we find out his great-grandfather was Jewish and was the only one to survive because another family adopted him when he ran away.

My little sister and I began talking about the family histories that we know of — the history of my great-great-grandfather making his way to the United States for the first time, my grandfather running away from Peru because the mafia was after him or that my great-great grandmother lived to be past 100 yearsold and played the Piano at her church in Peru.  Some of these we know are elaborated, but some tell the children of the hardships it took to make it in the United States and to remember what our ancestors did for us.  My mom would jump in every now and then on the conversation reminiscing on the stories being told or when she first heard them.  With a family member recently passing, it felt bittersweet to reflect on these memories but empowering knowing that memory is what is keeping them alive still.

TV shows don’t always hit the nail. However, I think this episode did a beautiful job to show children, pre-teens/teens, and adults that family histories can be very important.  The weight of family histories doesn’t always resonate with people, especially those living in one place for a long time.  The generations failed to pass down stories of old family members or memories of when times were very different.  Sometimes families’ stories are taken away through colonization or death.   Social memory of events that occurred can also die or thrive through family histories. Public History can open doors to help teach people ways to preserve their history because from family, to local, to national and global, all these histories connect.  Family histories not only tell the stories of a specific family’s past but also guide the listener to what the political, social and economic times were like for that group of people during a certain time.  All histories are intertwined and dependent on one another.

Public historians have the privilege with access to this knowledge so I think it is important that we also apply this to our family histories.  It is important to ask questions about your family background to have a deeper appreciation and connection with family histories.  One can say, “Oh, my family has been here forever. We don’t have a history.” But I would argue, look around you, look at what shapes you and influences what you do, then ask yourself why? You can do all the DNA testing we want on ourselves but our true identity lies within the culture that is familiar to us, that raised us, that fed us.

I will leave some pointers for families to preserve these forms of knowledge and conduct your own oral histories!:

  • Interview your elderly family members. There are journals that can be purchased that have interview questions in them to help guide you or you can come up with your own. Make sure the handwriting is neat if written down
  • Ask if they have photographs, journals, newspapers etc. These are important because these are primary sources that can help for future research
  • Ask you parents questions! Interviewing your parents and asking questions about recipes or traditions they practiced as a child can help maintain a sense of identity.
  • MAKE FOOD FROM FAMILY RECIPES! I constantly argue that cooking helps maintain oral traditions because the smells and recipes can bring back memories and stories of older times.

 

5 Replies to “Girl Meets Public History”

  1. It’s easy to become disconnected from our families more and more, which may have something to do with how our modern society operates. It is much less common now to have a grandparent living with one’s family, or even to be geographically close to one’s family.

    I kind of foresee oral family histories becoming less common or maintained in the future for these reasons, sadly.

  2. The idea that ones culture formulates the identity of that person is interesting to me. I feel as if it is more complex than that. Equally, Its interesting to me to imagine using some of the platforms and concepts utilized in public history for the purpose of maintaining a collective dialog of ones family. In some cases, I feel that this may not even be enough. While these things may provide for a person a limited understand for who they are, I find it difficult to at least not consider that with the introduction of DNA testing, a persons ability to open windows that had been closed by time and withered minds are now not ever so slightly opened.

  3. Thank you for this post Shine! I think the idea of trying to piece together an identity is something that many people struggle with starting at a young age. For myself, I’ve always considered my family and our cultural traditions a defining part of my identity. I think it takes many different elements to form an individual identity. However having a strong cultural basis can influence your belief system in terms of religion, politics, etc. I’m also happy to read that you, your sister, and your mom keep your families stories alive through collective sharing 😊

  4. I really like this post and I agree that the culture you are raised in can make a significant difference in helping to identify who you are.

    I also believe that understanding the culture and the way that previous generations of family members identified themselves is just as important. As one starts to learn more about family history, you can than draw a conclusion either from the remarkable patterns of consistency or possibly even the divergent areas of family background, culture and identity that make you who you are.

    I believe maybe we should look at new ways to share family history although I am not sure what that would look like. In the past, some families proudly displayed a coat of arms to represent their family through time. What tangible way do we currently share our families history outside of storytelling?

  5. I think you’re absolutely right about this show, and how it’s trying to reach kids and make them appreciate their family history at an early age. When I was a kid, I watched Boy Meets World every day. I’m so happy there’s a show for this generation that teaches so many of these important values.

    I remember one episode of Boy Meets World in particular, and it touches on some of the same issues you talk about in your post. Cory is angry at his father because he believes he was ‘raised to be average’ and that “average was good enough’ for him. His dad is heartbroken, and even describing his own life and the sacrifices he made for his family and his own journey to parenthood wasn’t enough to convince Cory otherwise. Only after he takes Cory to see the tiny, (now boarded up) building where is grandfather opened a business sixty or more years ago, does he begin to appreciate his father, and his family again.

    I think it’s absolutely fantastic that tradition is being carried down with a new show. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t the same writers, either. I also agree with Steve’s point about family histories and storytelling. A television show for kids allows those ideas to be much more accessible and interesting at an early age!

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