Unlocking the Past: How Computer-Assisted Indexing Transforms the World of Genealogy Research

2024-05-10T14:42:15.000Z

“May lahi ka ba?” That’s a question that I get asked often. This literally translates to “do you have a race?” in English. But, when people ask you this, more often than not, what they really want to know is why you look the way that you do. What’s your ethnicity? Where are you from? What are you?

I would answer that I’m Filipino. To that, they’d reply “I mean, mixed ka diba? [you’re mixed right.]” Thinking of my Chinita mother and Moreno father, I’d say “yes, I suppose…perhaps further up in my line… I don't go out in the sun that much and I'm fairly anemic, so that could be it too.”

This is a common exchange I experience wherever I go. In our society’s eyes, I am a mestiza. I speak Tagalog with a twang, have fair skin, natural curls, and becomes blush pink under the sun. Even within the close-knit circles of 1st-degree and 2nd-degree cousins, there are only a few who look like me. But who did WE look like? I'm in my 25th year of uncovering the intricacies of my ancestry and it feels like the journey has only begun.

The hottest topic in the late 90s was about a passport. THE passport; the elusive Spanish passport with the accompanying lore among social circles that whosoever can prove direct Spanish ancestry will be granted this golden ticket pass with all the benefits and admiration that comes with it.

“But, who in the family was it?” Nobody knew.  “Surely we have documents in our old family archives. Are they with you?” Nobody knows. Call after call, with titas and titos, cousins and ninangs led to many “hold on, let me think about it” and dead-ends. Then, advancements in technology finally stepped in.

I was an Operations Manager in a financial firm in Romania when I came across case studies conducted by 23andMe. Children who were rescued from dictator Nicolas Ceausescu’s notoriously inhumane Romanian orphanages were now grown adults and around my age. American families adopted most and were now in search of reconnecting with long-lost loved ones across Romania through 23andMe. With impressive claims of being able to trace one’s ancestry and identify relatives using only a single sample of saliva, I knew I had to participate. Something had to definitely show up to confirm my Spanish ancestry, or so I wanted to believe.

After weeks of anticipation, the 23andMe report was delivered. It was subdivided into very interesting parts. The Health Predispositions report analyzed my DNA for specific genetic markers associated with various health conditions and traits. While some of the results were reassuring--such as a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease--others were more surprising. For instance, I learned that I have a higher likelihood of developing celiac disease, which prompted me to consult with my doctor and make necessary lifestyle adjustments.

The Carrier Status section report focused on identifying any potential inherited conditions that I might unknowingly pass on to my future children. This information is crucial for prospective parents as it can help them make informed decisions about family planning and potential interventions. In my case, I seem to be a carrier of a few rare genetic disorders, including Sickle Cell Anemia. This knowledge has encouraged me to stay informed about these conditions and discuss them with my future partner.

However, the most fascinating 23andMe report was the detailed breakdown of my ancestry composition. The Ancestry Composition report provided a percentage distribution of my genetic heritage, tracing my lineage back to various regions across the globe. Besides Asian, I am also generally African, European, and Native American. Looking through itemized percentages of my ethnicity led to a breakdown of generational genetic composition up to 10 generations back. The report goes on and is able to specifically identify which cities and countries these genes originated from. One by one, my eyes focused on each line of each generation, and there it was! Spanish blood 3 generations before me and beyond. I knew exactly which great-grandparent the report was pertaining to.

She not only endured but also thrived through the trials of two world wars. Despite the devastation and hardships, she demonstrated immense heart and grace, ultimately rebuilding her life and her community into a stronger, more vibrant entity.

She was Doña Maruja Teano Pacheco Yulo of Iloilo City. Elders say that I look just like her. We share the same fair skin, curly hair, and beauty marks. She was a matriarch whom all of us hold in our hearts dearly. Casa Maruja in Iloilo, her mansion, serves as the family haven that still feels like home even decades after her passing. Abuelita Maruja was a truly remarkable woman who captivated everyone around her with her awe-inspiring presence.

She was the wife of Jose Regalado Yulo who was a prominent Filipino lawyer, politician, and public servant. He played a significant role in the development of Iloilo City and the entire Western Visayas region. In his political career, Lolo Jose was elected as a member of the Philippine Assembly, representing Iloilo. He served as the Governor of Iloilo province in the 1930s. During his tenure, he focused on infrastructure development, agriculture, and education. Abuelita Maruja was not just an exceptional wife and mother to her own family, but she also played the role of a generous and nurturing community figure to the people they served. She not only endured but also thrived through the trials of two world wars. Despite the devastation and hardships, she demonstrated immense heart and grace, ultimately rebuilding her life and her community into a stronger, more vibrant entity.

But, she was born in the Philippines, not Spain. Nobody had any information about who her parents were. Our clan lore began with Abuelita Maruja.

Over the years, I consistently explored various ancestry applications in hopes of uncovering fresh insights about my family history. Who were Abuelita Maruja's parents? Were they the full Spaniards? However, to my disappointment, none of these platforms provided me with new information. Instead, they primarily functioned as self-service tools, requiring users to manually construct their family trees. This was until I stumbled upon an interesting program while casually browsing through the internet.

FamilySearch is a free online platform that offers an extensive database of historical records, family trees, and research tools. It aims to connect individuals with their ancestors and help them discover their family history. Just like the other programs, it requires you to manually build your family tree starting from yourself and working backwards. But, unlike the others, FamilySearch had a button the others didn't have called "Search Records." FamilySearch's database includes billions of records from various sources, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, photos of gravestones, captain's passenger logs, census data, military records, immigration and naturalization documents, and more. I eagerly clicked the "Search Records" button and was instantly transported to page after page of vintage black and white photographs and documents identifying my dear Abuelita Maruja. With a swift second click, I was amazed to find her siblings and her parents, their faces illuminated by the light of the 1800s. I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and connection as I continued to explore these precious family relics. Each image and document unveiled a piece of Abuelita Maruja's life story, revealing the rich tapestry of her family's history. It was as if I was sitting beside her, listening to her recount tales of her ancestors; their joys, struggles, and the love that bound them together across generations.

As I delved deeper into these digital archives, I found myself feeling a stronger bond with my family, a sense of belonging that transcended time and space. The black and white images seemed to come alive, each face filled with emotion and character that I could almost touch. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards the person who had meticulously preserved these priceless memories, allowing me to share in this intimate journey through time. I sent him a message through the FamilySearch chat feature, I expressed my gratitude for his diligent work in adding details to our family tree, such as tagging photos and incorporating family nicknames. These personal touches are invaluable as they breathe life into our ancestors and help us better understand our roots.

It turns out that he is my 4th cousin, Ramon Jr, an eager family historian such as I am. As we exchanged stories, it became apparent that our journeys into our family's past were strikingly similar. We both grew up listening to our elders recount tales of how our ancestors endured the hardships of war. Abuelita Maruja ran to the mountains to escape the Japanese bombing. How another lola, living along Taft Avenue, rolled herself in a carpet to hide from Japanese soldiers who forcibly entered her house. A soldier saw her feet peeking out of the edge of the carpet and set it on fire before leaving laughing. Badly burned, she found a way to escape the carpet and extinguish the flames only to look around and see the rest of her family massacred, in pools of their own blood.

As we grew older, my cousin and I were allowed deeper into the hidden aspects of our lineage—stories of secret affairs, multiple paramours (having an ancestor with 5 wives and counting, this was more for practical reasons as cousins who would later move to Manila would become romantically involved by accident without knowing how closely related they are,) and the remarkable achievements and failures of our relatives in entertainment, entrepreneurship, and politics.

I remember one late evening while Ramon Jr. and I were exchanging vintage photos and anecdotes. In between replies, with a few quick clicks in the program, it popped on my screen. Lola Maruja was linked to her father, then to her grandfather who was from La Penilla, Spain. It included details about how his wife, his parents, and more documents were awaiting human verification to be included in the system. The moment the connection was made, I could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from many years of waiting. A 25-year mystery was solved in just 15 minutes, thanks to the incredible power of technology. FamilySearch was able to bridge gaps and create connections that once seemed impossible. At long last, we found him!

Despite the wealth of information we have uncovered, it is clear that there are still countless missing links in our family history waiting to be discovered. The shared love, loss, scandal, and intrigue that our family tree holds is nothing short of a captivating telenovela plotline. In my conversation with Cousin Ramon Jr., I realized the importance of collaborating with fellow family historians to piece together the complex puzzle of our ancestry. By combining our efforts, we can uncover the untold stories of our past and preserve them for future generations. By pooling our resources, knowledge, and research skills, we aim to fill in the missing links and paint a more comprehensive picture of our ancestors' lives. In addition to our online efforts, we are planning to organize family reunions and gatherings where we can share stories, exchange information, and create new connections among our extended family members. By bringing together those who share our passion for our family's history, we hope to inspire a renewed interest in our past and encourage others to contribute to our collective understanding of our roots.

As we embark on this exciting journey, we are committed to approaching our research with the utmost care and respect for our ancestors' memories. We understand the responsibility we have in preserving their legacy and ensuring that their stories are not lost to time. Ultimately, our shared love for family history has brought us closer together, and we hope that our collaborative efforts will inspire others to explore their family trees and uncover the fascinating stories that lie within. Through our combined efforts, we can create a rich tapestry of our family's past, illuminating the path that led us to where we are today and paving the way for future generations to continue this important work.

This experience has not only deepened my appreciation for my family's history but also instilled in me a newfound respect for the power of preserving our past. It is a reminder that our stories, our struggles, and our triumphs are what make us who we are, and it is our responsibility to pass them down to future generations. In the end, as I sat there, surrounded by the digital echoes of Abuelita Maruja's family, I realized that these images and documents were more than just relics of the past. They were living testaments to the resilience, love, and strength of my ancestors, and I felt honored to be a part of this incredible legacy.

In a few weeks, I have a flight booked for Iloilo, a beautiful city and one that deserves more chapters in our Araling Panlipunan books. I will be meeting a records custodian. As someone who is deeply invested in this project, I feel a great sense of responsibility to handle these documents with care and respect. I'm both nervous and excited about the prospect of holding these historical artifacts in my hands. After collecting the files, I will be setting an appointment with the Consular Office to present my findings. This is a crucial step in the process, as the Consular Office plays a vital role in verifying the viability of these forms in passport eligibility. As I prepare for this trip, I can't help but feel a mix of emotions. There's a sense of anticipation for what I might discover, a hint of anxiety about the potential challenges I may face, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for being given this opportunity. This adventure has already taught me so much about perseverance, patience, and the importance of preserving our history.

Now, all that's left to do is wait and see how the next chapter of this adventure unfolds.

Unlocking the Past: How Computer-Assisted Indexing Transforms the World of Genealogy Research

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