African Oral History Project
Meeting the Village Head and the Heads of Households or Clans
You will have the opportunity to meet with heads of families and clans, to respectfully re-explain your purpose, and to clarify the next steps in the interview process.
Audio Transcript
After your first visit, you will learn more about the village leadership and family structure. You will have the opportunity to meet with heads of families and clans, to respectfully explain your purpose, and to clarify the next steps in the interview process. You will need to adjust your processes for the people, environment, and traditions of each village.
As you navigate this course, click the forward button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.
A prominent member of the Council or the Chief himself may introduce you to the different heads of families and clans. You will invite each head to participate in the upcoming interviews. It’s important that you learn which individuals in the clan or family have the most information about their family history.
Audio Transcript
The chief of the village, may organize a meeting with you. At this meeting, you will learn about the families in the village and how those families are organized. Pay close attention to this information to avoid repeating your efforts.
Typically, an important member of the council or the chief himself will introduce you to the different heads of families and clans. You will invite each head to participate in the upcoming interviews. It’s important that you identify which individuals in the clan or family that have the most information about their family history.
Formally invite the heads of each family and clan to participate in the upcoming interviews.
Audio Transcript
Formally invite the heads of each family and clan to take part in the upcoming interviews. Tell them that while you will begin your interviews with the heads of the families or clans, you would like them to invite their brothers and sisters to participate in later interview sessions, so they can share additional information and stories.
Please consider the following questions when selecting the people to interview:
- What are the main lineages of the village?
- Will this person be able to share these?
- Who in the village is known to have the best knowledge of the oral tradition?
- Who is the oldest, living member of the family with a strong memory?
- Is this person at least 60 years old (old enough to hold a long oral tradition)?
- Can this person recite at least 5 generations of oral history?
Audio Transcript
The reason for the Oral Genealogy Project is to gather historical information from local oral traditions. Please ask broadly within each town or village to be sure you find the most knowledgeable people to interview. You may ask those you meet how many generations are part of their oral tradition. FamilySearch would like you to speak with those who can share 5 or more generations. It is not unusual or uncommon in many parts of Africa to meet clan heads or elders who can recite more than 10 generations of family history! (Please note that FamilySearch will not use interviews containing fewer than 5 generations.)
Please consider the following questions when selecting the person to interview:
- What are the main lineages of the village?
- Will this person be able to share these?
- Who in the village is known to have the best knowledge of the oral tradition?
- Who is the oldest, living member of the family with a strong memory?
- Is this person at least 60 years old (old enough to hold a long oral tradition)?
- Can this person recite at least 5 generations of oral history?
If any heads of families are living in the village but are not connected to the clan’s or tribe’s trees, you will interview them separately.
Audio Transcript
If any heads of families are living in the village but are not connected to the clan’s or tribe’s family trees, you will interview them separately. Collect their family histories as well as those of their wives.
You’ve completed the Meeting the Village Head module in the African Oral History Project training.
Audio Transcript
Congratulations! You’ve completed the Meeting the Village Head module in the African Oral History Project training. You may now move to the next modules to learn more about your role as you gather and preserve the family history of those you meet.
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