Trippin' Over Your Ancestors: "If at first you don't succeed try, try again."

"If at first you don't succeed try, try again;" these words of wisdom learned from my grandmother frequently popped into my thoughts during my 2006 Family History/Emigration Research Internship. Hoping to demonstrate how preliminary preparation and study coupled with polite persistence and a sensitivity to culture and customs often brings about positive results, I share a detailed account concerning my experience locating Ribasar's missing parish records .

The welcoming committee

The guard

Late Sunday afternoon driver and photographer Scott Jarvie, IAP Coordinator Leandro Soria, and I drove out to the parish church of Santa Mariña de Ribasar. When we arrived one car remained in the parking lot and the gate to the church grounds stood wide open. Greeted by honking geese and the sound of the neighbor's barking dog, we walked around the outside of the church hoping to find someone who could help us. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be around. Uncertain of our next step, we took a few photos of the church and the cemetery. While there, I discovered headstones inscribed with the surname of interest. I wondered how they might be related to the family whose records I came to find.


Santa Mariña de Ribasar Parish Church

Not wanting to leave empty-handed, Scott knocked at the neighbor's door. His persistence and the barking dog soon brought a response. Leandro explained the situation and the next thing I knew a young man sped away from the property on a small motorcycle. Leandro and Scott returned to the car where I waited. Minutes later we heard the motorcycle approach bearing a kind gentleman; the secretary to the parish priest. While I stood next to him listening, Leandro explained the purpose of our visit. The secretary informed us that only the parish priest had access to the records. At first he seemed hesitant to share any information with us, but through casual and respectful conversation Leandro found a way to connect. Soon our new friend suggested we return on Tuesday night. He told us the parish priest planned to make a special trip out to Ribasar to conduct a Funeral Mass for a recently deceased member of the community and we could ask him about the parish church records following the Mass. As a final tidbit of information, he added that a woman related to the ancestor we sought would most likely be in attendance at the Mass. Before we left we thanked him for his help and asked if we could take a few more pictures, to which he replied in the affirmative. As we returned to Santiago de Compostela we made adjustments to our schedules to accommodate another trip to Ribasar.

Prior research told me that parish records for this church began in the 1622, and that their location was uncertain. Armed with that knowledge we knew where to begin our search and we knew to whom we needed to speak. Notice, I didn't say much during the conversation even though Leandro urged me to actively join the conversation. Later I explained. For this particular situation, in a very conservative traditional culture proper protocol required that I actively listen and allow the men to come to a consensus without much verbal input from me. While it may be difficult for younger people to understand the rational for such an approach, it is very important to know something about the culture, to "read" the social cues, and to remember to be polite and gracious—in all situations.