Imagine you’re sitting around a campfire (when they were permitted) at your summer family reunion. The oldies are sharing stories about their past. The firewood crackles. The stories continue and all are rich with details and memories. It is a special evening.
Over 23 years ago a written family history of almost 75 years was produced for a family reunion. Typically, reunions produce lots of oral history which soon over time gets facts mixed with bias. The Andriev Family Stories offer stories of the past growing up in Alberta farm country, pictures, a family tree, a map of the Homeglen site, precious family recipes and a discussion of the family’s religious values. This is indeed a treasure trove for future generations to look back upon their heritage. The importance of this heritage is to be able to define one’s roots. The foundation of one’s existence. Doing so in this family, yields a sense of pride and awareness of the mental and physical toughness of previous generations.
Our cousin Susan McIntyre who curated and edited the booklet was a driving force in capturing this family’s stories. The reunion was held in Osoyoos, BC, July 1, 2000.
So how will we capture the memories of the Homeglen reunion next year in an era of technology? My thoughts turn to cell phone videos being shared on a Youtube channel or a Google drive. We now live in a digital world. Future generations will appreciate it if we move with the times.
The following files scanned in three parts are the Andriev Family Stories.