The Sacred Archive: Preserving Our Oral Histories and Familial Folklore This Holiday Season

For many Black families, the holiday table is more than just a place to gather round, pray, and dine on your family members' favorite dishes. It is the setting for an informal archive. It's where the "Griots" of our families - the grandmas, the aunties and uncles, and family friends' stories weave together the threads to make up the very fabric of who we are to our core.

Capturing oral histories is a radical act of preservation. In a world that has often tried to rewrite or erase Black narratives, our stories are our resistance! By intentionally recording these conversations during the holidays, we ensure that the wisdom of the past becomes the blueprint for the future and that those familial narratives are passed down for generations to come.

In the Black tradition, folklore isn't just "make-believe." Our stories are rooted in a truth that does not limit itself to the bounds of colonial systems. From the trickster tales of "Anansi the Spider" to the "High John the Conqueror root stories, folklore served as a survival guide. It taught us how to outsmart oppression, focus on joy-despite the struggle, and maintain a connection to our African roots.

When we are gathered around the holiday table, be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Kwanzaa's Karamu, we are:

• Affirming our identity: By reminding the younger generation that they come from a lineage of resilience, creativity, and lives rooted in purpose.

• Bridging the Gap: Of intergenerational storytelling creates a "testimonial culture" where elders are seen and youth feel grounded

• Preserving the "Quiet" History: Traditional History books focus on dates; oral histories focus on feelings - the feel of plastic on furniture, the sound of family gathered from the perspective of your mother when she was a child, the smell of gramps' old car and sights when he took the family on drives through the city.

Enjoy the meal, but capture the stories in a meaningful, long-lasting way. You don't need a professional film crew to be the family historian. Here are some tips to turn your holiday gathering into a sacred oral history recording session:

1. You know your folk. Don't just start recording and become the recipient of a flavorful reaction from the elders! As with anything involving the elders, ask for permission. Let them know you plan to record and share the purpose.

2. Center your questions around their everyday life. Consider questions about attending church as a child, ask how they learned to cook, ask about how their locality has changed over the years. Oh, and don't forget to ask them about school when they were little. Brace yourselves, because depending on the age of your family members, you may hit a sensitive spot if they attended school during Massive Resistance.

3. Photo albums are great conversation starters for any occasion - including capturing family histories! Show them old pictures and ask them about the people in the picture and to explain what was going on.

4. Be sure to capture the folklore! Ask about the sayings whey recall hearing as children. Encourage them to share familial beliefs they recall as children.

5. Although you may be recording them via video on your phone, be sure to take a few good pictures of your elders.

As we approach yet another new year, take those invaluable recording and save them in multiple safe places (the cloud, a thumb drive, and a shared family folder). By doing this, you aren't just saving a voice; you are ensuring that the spirit of the ancestors continues to sit at the table for generations to come.