Genealogy...
Genealogy is the affiliations one has with other
related family members. In essence, genealogy is more or less the
research for evidence necessary to prove a filiation, obtaining a
copy of the evidence to prove the lineage and the disclosure of the
information obtained.
To confirm a family lineage, a genealogist needs
proof in order to support the results of his research; it is an
integral part of his mandate as a genealogist. The evidence, as we
call it, is either a vital record such as marriage, baptism or
burial record or in some cases when those are absent, notarial
contracts such as marriage contracts, land deeds and wills.
There are some basic rules to be followed, and a
professional genealogist must respect them at all times. He cannot
make any statements without the proper supporting documentation.
Genealogists and researchers have a great variety of
tools at their disposal in order to find the necessary information
that will lead them to the proof. We won't expand on that subject
here, as it's not the purpose of this message. Needless to say,
whatever the results of a research, one can never take for granted
the information he has found; that information has to be proven with
supporting documentation before it can be considered valid.
Because of the rules and regulations of their
profession, as well as the code of ethics by which they have to
abide, some genealogists show very
little flexibility. One way to describe them would be
"conservatives". They are used to the standard genealogy of the
"White" populations, where everything is mostly above board (or so
we would like to believe) and easy to find, thru the general
established channels. Some of you have already encountered them, on
the web or in genealogy societies. Needless to say that their
opinions on the subject are already well known.
There's another group of genealogists, specializing
in Native and Metis ancestry, who have learned to be much more
flexible and open minded. Let's call them "liberals". Their number
is increasing slowly, as the demands for such research becomes
greater. They also abide by the rules, for the most part. BUT,
another factor is also taken into account by this group of
genealogists, where the oral family traditions become an integral part of a
genealogy research.
Everyone has gathered some family history throughout
the years, from their parents, grandparents and even
great-grandparents if they're so lucky. Gather as much family history as
you possibly can, from older family members, before you even start
doing the actual research. This applies to all families, no matter
the ethnical background. Most of the time, family history will
contain some invaluable information which will be fundamental to
one's research.
Abenaki Couple, an 18th-century watercolor by an unknown artist.
Courtesy of the City of Montreal Records Management & Archives, Montreal, Canada.
Native Ancestry...
When searching for Native ancestry, oral traditions
and family history become an integral part of the genealogy process.
Again, there's another "but" here. Because oral traditions and
family history are transmitted from one person to another, from one
generation to the next, and generally never written down, there is
always the risk factor that the information will also vary at some
point; some things will be lost or added to embellish the truth,
most of the time not intentionally, but it happens. So very often,
some truths have been kept secret for a great many years, for
whatever reasons. Parents and grandparents getting on in age decide
it's time to tell their children and grandchildren, so that someone
can transmit it again to the next generation, and usually there's an
urgency as most of it is not written down anywhere, only in their
memory. And often, when they decide to speak of these things, their
memory is no longer what it used to be, and sometimes failing them
when they would need it the most.
Because oral traditions and family history are not
always totally accurate, the information is considered to be of poor
quality to a genealogist. But nonetheless, it is taken into account
and noted accordingly. Sometimes it will prove to be useful in
tracing an elusive ancestor; but sometimes it will also send you
"barking up the wrong tree" as well ! More often than not, someone
will tell us of their grandmother or great-grandmother being of
Native ancestry, as the story goes in the family; but when you start
digging into the records, nothing turns up to confirm that fact. So
you start looking on the other side of the tree, at the grandfather
and great-grandfather, and what do you know, here it is ! One fact
remains: there is always some truth to family history and oral
traditions, no matter what. It is rarely totally accurate, but there
is a foundation to it, and it cannot be ignored !
Vital records and oral traditions...
At this point, we have to broach a subject that is
rather sensitive to many. And a lot of genealogists and historians
will not agree with me on that point. But it is a fact nonetheless,
and it can be proven: the quality and the accuracy of the church
records. I can only speak about the province of Quebec as a whole.
We
have no knowledge as to what may have happened in other provinces of
Canada or in the US.
In the mid 1750s in Nouvelle-France, the Church and
the Government of the time, because of the poor quality of the vital
records, or so they said, requested that all church records,
whenever possible, be re-written and re-worded to reflect the proper
wording as established previously by the Church. Copy of that order
can easily be found, and is not an invention on my part. There was
also another reason behind all that, besides the poor quality of the
records, which was not openly discussed. Proof of that can also be
found in the records of New France. Some corrections were also
needed for legal purposes in regards to land transfers from one
generation to the next, and although the document we speak of does
not mention it, it is a fact that during that period and in most
cases, Indians were not allowed to own or inherit a piece of land or
property in the colony of Nouvelle-France. So records needed to be
amended to go around that problem. There was another problem caused
by the opposition from the families in France to the inheritance by
descendants of mixed marriages. So, the vital records needed to be
amended to correct that "little" problem as well.
For instance, in the St-Maurice and Maskinongé
regions of Quebec, not only is there evidence of the records being re-written,
but in some parish records, you will also find the mention: "les baptêmes, mariages et sépultures des sauvages ont été supprimés",
which translates loosely to "the baptisms, marriages and burials of
savages have been removed" (in other words, deleted)... Therefore, making it
rather difficult to complete some family trees, as mix marriages
were quite frequent in those regions.
Thus, it is often necessary to rely on oral
traditions and family history, when every thing else fails, and
records no longer exist to support or complete a genealogy.
What's in a name...
There is
a common error found with those of you who are not familiar with the
field of genealogy. Many believe that because a surname is found
repeatedly among Natives, that automatically everyone bearing that
surname is of Native ancestry. Wrong ! A surname does not make a
Native ! But proven genealogy and/or DNA results will. Obviously,
some surnames are typically of native origin, it does not take a
genius to recognize them. But on average, surnames
should only be treated as an indication of a possible link to a
Native line, therefore a line which needs to be investigated
further. In the same way a genealogist will consider oral traditions
and family history, they are indicators to be considered in a
genealogy research.
Ancestors of unknown origins...
Another fact you find often in genealogy, either in
New France or Acadia, is that a lot of ancestors, males and females
alike, are said to be of "unknown origin", meaning no parents or
country of origin is mentioned in the records for a particular individual.
Some genealogists, mostly the "conservatives", will automatically
state that being of "unknown origin with a French surname" means one
has to be from France. Period. No possible doubt or discussion
needed. Well, "the proof is in the pudding" as they say...
DNA results are a good indicator of the origins of ones' ancestor,
particularly when the paper trail leads to 'unknown origins'. And as
we have heard times and times again: "to assume in genealogy is to
make an ass of yourself". Need we say more...?
The genealogist and you...
Although some of you will say that the genealogist's pen is designed to
destroy a nation, in essence it is far from the truth. Genealogy is a science in
itself, and it existed long before the invasion by the so-called
discoverers of America.
So, let's not assume here ! Genealogists are not all
wearing "blinkers", and some of us can use our brain in addition to
all the resources that we now have at our disposal when researching a
family tree, to establish a lineage to an unknown ancestor.
And believe it or not, some of us can read between
the lines...
In the meantime, if you need to complete your family tree, start
with the basics: ask your parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts.
Pay a visit to the oldest members of your family, they are a gold
mine of information. Gather as much information as you can and don't
forget to take a tape recorder with you, it'll save you time and
headaches. Once you get all your notes in order, you're ready to
start on a new path, the one that will lead you to your ancestors !
At this point, your next step will be to find the genealogy society
nearest you. Their volunteers will steer in the right direction and
teach you what you need to know about genealogy research and how to
go about it.
Genealogy is not your bag...? Not to worry, there's help available.
You still have to gather all the available information from family
members, and put your notes in order. It will save time and money in
the long run. Shop around for the right genealogist for your needs.
Ask around, get referrals, and check the credentials of the person
of your choice. Genealogists are bound by a strict code of ethics,
therefore whatever information you share is confidential. So be
truthful as much as you can, and don't neglect to share any oral
family history you might know of. It might not be totally accurate,
but can prove to be very helpful nonetheless during the research.
Once your genealogy is done and your Native lines identified, you
are ready to fill in the enrollment form of the band of your choice,
preferably one that ties in to at least one of your ancestors.
Suzette Leclair, genealogist
