Its importance to national history

Before there was national history There was local history

National histories actually sprouted from contributions from local history

Local history should follow a common or a national pattern

Local history is history in the local context The study of local history provides the foundation and

the substance of true national history

It is more than the study of towns, provinces and regions of the Philippines and the people who live there

It provies us with the documentation and analysis of the broad processes which are important to the life of the people

Local history enriches our understanding of our national history

Local history along with oral history are basic to autonomy Autonomy implies an exercise of freedom with limited

control or influence from the national government

It provides more room for local initiatives to develop and for local potentials to progress

More importantly it encourages creative and innovative responses to development with people with special talents and potentials

History is defined as an organized record of a meaningful past It is actually a reservoir of local data and memories of

events, realties, and things that provide the essences of local life

From this inexhaustible reservoir people can draw patriotic strength in times of crisis, inspiration in moments of despair and directions in times of ambiguity and dilemma.

Local history provides the vital task of putting the meaningful essence of community in space and time

Here we can see community life in the context orfsocial perspective

The Philippines has a strong and varied source of local history because it has 16 regions, 78 provinces, 1,537 municipalities, 69 cities, 41,925 barangays and over a hundred ethnolinguistic groups

Local and oral history are fundamental to national interests By their very nature both help unite the nation as an

example of unity in diversity

National history seeks to bring together all diverse groups

National interest by reason of national purpose and will should represent the various localities, sectors, and ethnic groups from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, regardless of creed, origin, race and gender

Colonial historiography This includes the Hispano-American historiographical

tradition we have preserved in our national historiography

The difference of Hispanic historiography is that it is autocratic and prescriptive while the American is liberal and democratic

Filipino historiography incorporates both approaches to national history

Nationalist Historiography Nationalist historiography aims to decolonize the old

views which is the task of the Filipino historian

Local history is an important tool of decolonization

It must derive substance and sustenance from local history data before it can establish generalizations

In short national history without local history is shallow just as local history without national interest is parochial and divisive.

Framework A framework is a theoretical and practical direction

It teaches the historian to guide the organization of data as well as the analysis although local histories are usually nondescript presentations from A to Z

While this type is useful it is necessary to develop and promote a coherent, cogent and methodologically-determined construction of historical construction and if possibly an artistically crafted proficiency of language and appropriateness of illustrations

Historical frameworks may vary from one local history to another It begins with an assumption based on a broad survey

of representative literature.

In the end all data should provide the basis for either supporting the tentative assumption or modifying and even altogether changing the framework.

This may result in months of gathering deata and analysis

Without this validation by a preponderance of sources framework becomes a speculative and imaginative creation of mind usually taken from personal biases and extraneous impositions

History without sources is unthinkable but not all historical works with sources are commendable This brings to the question on what sources to use and

how to use them for historical construction

Historical sources may be generally divided into Written source such as reports, correspondences,

speeches, memorials, petitions and any printed matter available

Oral historical sources gathered from interviews which represent the main focus of oral history as a methodology

Cultural sources which are preserved evidences of human culture including archaeological artifacts as far back in time as possible

By the very nature of the sources they are classified into: Primary accounts such as eyewitness accounts

Secondary accounts which include accounts by individuals with some valid information from eyewitnesses

The organization and analysis of data This require either familiarity of the historian with the

inter or multi disciplinary methodologies or lacking in this, with access to disciplinary specialists concerned.

Methodology of Local History Interest in local history can be traced to four factors”

Firstly the perception of a Manila-centric research created a need to look beyond the metropolis. This type of research tends to point to a national and political history

National history reveals gaps and omissions which can only be revealed through local history research

The effect of the fall of a monolith such as the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 triggered interest in local history

Elements of monoliths such as state-censorship and state-sponsored writing of an official history and the suppression of counter thoughts prevented the emergence of “other views”

With the end of monoliths historians can now have more freedom and exercise cultural creativity including historical research

Governments following the collapse of the monoliths actually encourage local research

The Philippine government actually encourages this through its agencies such as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts which fund local history research

Events such as the centennial of the declaration of Philippine independence provided impetus.

Instead of reliving national events there are efforts to research the effect of national events in local situations

Even without assistance from Manila some local entities have started to assert themselves

These consist of individuals and organizations which have taken up the task of researching and writing local history in the firm belief that the stories of the people must be heard now as a way of preserving local heritage

Many of them have not gained academic or local recognition but they have kept historical research and writing alive

Local history actually has a long traditions in the country These take form ikn souvenir programs by countless

town fiestas and similar community celebrations

Other forms of local histories are features articles in local and national newspapers which contain stories about events in towns and cities

However to be important local history must have these qualities: It must be an original work not a recycling or rehashed

work that has been written countless of times. It should present new information or at least a new perspective, insight or interpretation

It must deal with a subject of historical value. Note everything which happened in the past is worth researching. History is an academic discipline in which we look back where we came from, how things changed and what particular path we have taken for what persons and why we are where we are now

Thirdly basic academic requirements must be met A good research must have good grammar

Clarity of presentation or narrative

proper attrributes through a bibiliography with footnotes and end notes

Any historical work that does not cite its sources is not credible because it cannot be cross-verified.

The history of a region or a province can be best researched by the people of the locality themselves

It is a source of pride for the local historians to have people of their own culture write about their ethnic group, their hometown or home province.

Local historians will have the authority to express their own values and perceptions specific to his group or province.

The local historian will have easy access to local primary sources.

He will have the advantage of knowing the vernacular or the local language in using local sources especially oral histories.

Local historians serve as interpreters to the larger world and can conversely interpret the larger world to the local community

Prerequisites of local history research The local historian needs to have some preparation before writing a

historical account He/she must have a good grasp of the national history of the

Philippines. This does not mean the memorization of obscure or irrelevant trivia but a familiarity with the general developments and trends of national significance. Examples are the nature of colonialism, the process of nation-building, the building of anti-colonial sentiment and the impact of global trade on local economies

The understanding of national history enables the local historian to place in a larger context the local developments

To achieve this one may use as reference national history textbooks such as History of the Filipino People by T.A. Agoncillo, S.K. Tan’s A History of the Philippines and R. Constantino’s The Philippines A Past Revisited as well as other textbooks like G.F. Zaide, E. Alip and A. Molina

A local historian must be familiar with the historical literature of his region These helps you from duplicating earlier research

They help you find leads in your own research

These materials are useful in learning activities and make lectures and class presentations relevant

Previous works may provide a guide in writing W.H. Scott’s Cracks in the Parchment Curtain and

Documentary Sources for the Study of the Prehistory of the Philippines- provide an excellent data as well as theoretical framework

Compilation of articles by Alfred McCoy and Ed de Jesus in Philippine Social History: Global Trade and Local Transformation, etc.

Sources of data: Primary and Secondary sources Which is more important: facts or analysis?

The quick answer was analysis but one must remember there cannot be analysis with out facts

Historical sources can be obtained from primary and secondary sources

Primary sources are those written and oral are eyewitness or contemporaneous sources or observers in a particular historical era

Secondary sources are based on primary sources the latter carry greater weight on the accuracy of facts

Reliable sources of primary sources The Philippine Islands by James Alexander Robertson

and Emma Helen Blair which is a collection of documents and eyewitness accounts from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

Friar accounts – works by Ignacio Alcina, Pedro Chirino, Aduarte, Malumbres, Plascencia

Traveller accounts – writings by John Foreman, Jean Mallat, Feodor Jagor,

Unpublished primary sources can be found in the UST archives, the archdiocesan archives of Manila and other ecclesiastical archives

One must be critical in using these sources There might be racial prejudice and bias which tend to

distort their observations and perceptions

For those who can read Spanish may consult Erecciones de Pueblos – for those studying the

formation of towns

Sediciones y Rebelliones - for studying the Philippine Revolution

Filipinos Ilustres – illustrious Filipinos

Asuntos criminales – crimes

Bautismos – baptisms

Difunciones - deaths

Many other sources in the PNA

Other primary sources These include maps, sketches, plans,

Selecting a research topic Get a topic that interests you most; one that attracts

your curiosity; one that is an original topic

The topic must have a definite scope and limitation

Determine your access to research resources

Be sure that you will finish your research on time; have a schedule or timetable.

Some topics are fairly common such as the history of a barangay, town or province. This type of research usually highlights the remarkable events in the locality such as the beginning or end of a period

Other topics maybe biographical Such biographies should include previously unknown

information

Another topic would be the story of a site or structure such as a church or even a series of historical sites.

One may research a particular era such as the Philippine Revolution, Peacetime or the Japanese Occupation

One may do an economic history such as the history of the mining sector, the weaving industry

Another area is institutional history such as the history of an academic institution or a business company

Social movements History of the Pulajanes, the Colorums and other

messianic groups

Cultural history includes changes in the practices of the communties such as the Tingguianes and the Apayaos.

Women’s histories – now increasingly popular

Local primary sources are now available for all these topics.

It is up for the researcher to use his creativity and insight in unearthing and retrieving data from local sources

Practical Guidelines for data-gathering Use note cards or note paper because papers of a

uniform size are easier to carry, store and organize.

Take notes carefully especially of direct quotes, to ensure accuracy

Do not mix two or more topics in one note card. If you come across a new topic start with a new note card to avoid confusion later.

Do not alter data that you encounter just because it runs against what you believe is the correct information or your projected conclusion.

Always indicate the source of information, such as the title and date of a document, or the bibliographic data for the printed materials such as books, pamphlets and magazines.

Organize your data into primary and secondary sources or according to major topics or chronologically.

Take proper care of primary materials such as old photographs, manuscripts, or maps. Such materials are extremely rare and are one-of-a kind and need special handling.

There maybe other practical steps which you have found useful and which work is best for you.

Making an outline Before you begin to write it would be helpful to

prepare an outline to serve as your guide in organizing your data and your narrative. The outline may contain the following:

Introduction – this is a short essay on what your topic is all about, its scope and time frame and possibly what made you choose the topic for your research

Chronology – this is optional but useful especially for complex narratives and would help you identify possible conflicting dates of the events that occurred.

Text – this is the main bulk of your written account. This must be organized and coherent. An outline for this section is necessary.

Analysis – this is your explanation and interpretation of the data that you have provided and this explains your analytical framework or theory that you employed.

Conclusions and recommendations – these are based on the text and analysis and a summation of your findings.

Appendix and glossary – these are materials which could not be incorporated into the text but would add to the clarity and depth of your research.

Endnotes/footnotes – these are required in academic research but may not be always applicable

Bibliography – this is the listing of sources including books that were used which could be classified as primary or secondary, published or unpublished, oral or written

Writing a Historical Account: Perspectives and Concepts Language – first decide on what language to use. You may

choose to write in the vernacular but if you decide to have a wider audience English would be the best language. Writing in English does not mean a lack of nationalism but is simply a matter of getting your message heard across a wide spectrum of society.

Writing down history is not simply putting down facts on paper but it should be done through a proper framework or context.

Contemporary historians utilize a nationalist perspective. This is not anti-foreign but it reflects our nationalist consciousness and sentiment.

What this means is we think and write about our history in a way that is not seen as filtered through the mentality and perspective of foreign historians

Rather we should see ourselves in the following light:

That we are leading actors in the historical events rather than merely acting to the colonizers

As being in the center of our localities instead of just accepting being relegated to the peripheries of power and culture

As people who can also determine their destiny instead of just being driven willy-nilly by great external historical forces

As creators and originators of our own ethnic identity which is unique and original rather an molding ourselves in imitation of the dominant power’s culture

Philippine history as taught today is the most colonially-driven disciplines which need reinterpretation Many terms are derogatory such as infieles, piratas,

insurrectos, brujas whcih were uncritically accepted

Tausug, Tagalog, Pampangos were seen as dialects or tribes but should be recognized as languages and ethnolinguistic groups instead

Shortcomings of local history writing There maybe difficulty in relating cause and efffect. The historian

should take to account various local and external forces There maybe rigid conformity to periodization which conforms to

national history i.e. Pre-Spanish, Spanish and American periods. Indiscriminate presentation of facts in the belief that all data gathered

must not go to waste. There is too much emphasis on local celebrities and personalities who

may appear important but they are not i.e. Longest-serving mayor or councillor.

Tendency of local historians to slant their narrative in favor of powerful families or portray a national personality in the hope of achieving reflected glory or gaining patronage and reward from that family.

In many instances local historians allow their personal biases to distort their work by hiding certain unfavorable facts, misrepresenting events and passing off false information as true which result in the work becoming a propaganda instead of an accurate rendering of the past

Ethical issues Never plagiarize – always acknowledge and provide

citation of your sources. Always cite in quotation marks every statement and phrase you lifted verbatim from a source.

Do not pass off somebody else’s work as your own –because this will be eventually found out. Plagiarism is an intellectual theft which discredits the author and a plagiarized work has no value to the scholars

Do not make students and/or subordinates do your research work Nor should you use their output/data without your

permission and without giving them due credit.

Doing so constitutes an abuse of one’s position.

Respect the wishes of your sources When they ask that the information they gave you is

off the record. Publishing and revealing something that an informant wanted to keep confidential will cause harm to other people.

Always tell your informant that you are using their information in a written account Tell them about your purpose

If you are going to use the information for some other purpose you should also tell them.

Finally do not conduct your research under false pretenses Just as you do not want to be fooled, so you should not

fool others in dealing with them.

Always tell the informants or sources that you are going to use their material

Conclusions All these points are meant to be guidelines and the

historian should know what works what and what weillnot only go through the processes of research and writing

All of us need to realize the urgency of the work of local historians

With the beginning of a new millennium it is imperative that we should do the utmost effort in retrieving oral and documentary sources and data before they finally disappear

If not us, then who?

Oral history is a historical source of a special nature Its special nature lies in the fact that it is an unwritten

source of information which consists of verbal testimonies which are reported statements involving the past

Its Importance to Modern Historiography

What are the types of verbal testimonies?

Oral tradition – this comes from a collective consciousness of a people

These come in the form of epics, tales, genealogies and legends

Though not suited for historical analysis oral tradition can be used as traditional material

Eyewitness account Eyewitness accounts are given by people who are

actually in the place of a historical event or were actually its participants.

Eyewitness accounts do not fall into the realm of oral tradition

hearsay does not qualify as eyewitness account because the event was not witnessed by the narrator and remembered by the informant himself

What about rumor? A rumor is a verbal account which does not always

concern the present.

It is transmitted from one person to another

It becomes useful as a historical source if it is corroborated by other sources, otherwise it should be dismissed as an uncorroborated hearsay.

Oral history is not a discipline of history It is only a methodology of history in which first-hand

historical events are recounted by the eyewitness through the intervention of a historian

The main technique of oral history is the interview This technique goes as far back as ancient time

including that of Homer and Herodotus who used the technique in their practice of historical discourse.

However the popular use of oral history as a methodology is relatively new even among professional historians.

Filipino historians like T.A. Agoncillo and Isabelo de los Reyes used oral history in obtaining historical information

Recently historical bodies have engaged in oral history The best example was created by Dr. Marcelino

Foronda of De la Salle University who organized students to conduct interviews of important personalities starting from the 70s.

Where written documents are lacking oral history maybe used as long as this is corroborated by other sources

Being a “talking people” Filipinos are full of oral histories Oral history also gives the power to the marginalized

people who have no access to writing or could not write or those who have no time to write history, their views of the past

The practice of oral history Definition of terms:

An eyewitness account is the sum of the testimonies made by an informant concerning a single series of events or a single event

The informant - is a person or group of person who gives an account of a referent or that of which the account is given – the thing observed.

The informant is the one who transmits the information and he plays an important role in the process of oral history.

Things to see: The credibility and the reliability of the informant –

one important task of the researcher is to determine the reliability of the eyewitness account.

Oral history helps fill the gaps in written history.

One should not use it as a justification to use uncorroborated accounts

How reliable is the informant? How involved was he in the event?

Is he capable of lying or fond of telling untrue things?

Is he suffering from memory lapses?

Will he have ulterior motives or capable of having ulterior motives?

Is he fearful of legal complications?

Care must be taken in evaluating the materials being used.

Louis Gottchalk in understanding history says: Is the source able to tell the truth?

Is the primary witness willing to tell the truth?

Is the primary witness accurately reported with regard to the detail under examination?

Is there any independent corroboration of the detail under examination?

William Moss in Oral History Program Manual says: “If the interviewee is committed to the purpose of the

interview, if he is also by nature a candid and reflective person, and if he is also articulate and expansive in the exposition of his memories then the artifacts maybe plentiful and significant”

Get to know the environment The researcher must know the language and culture

If the interviewer is not adept in these elements then the information obtained by him maybe unintelligible.

The interviewer must make a careful study of the cultural system of the interviewee otherwise he would not be able to obtain the information he truly needed.

The search for informants Not everyone is capable of supplying the information

he needed

The informants must have the following:

Conversant with the information required

Their status must equip them with the certain necessary information

Their reputation is not tainted by dishonesty

Collection of sources The collection must be systematic

He must be interesting in finding as much information as much as possible.

Complete collection of information would increase the chance of an accurate reconstruction

In research one must devise what is the practicable way of obtaining information given the time and financial means

Recording of sources The researcher must dispel the tension between himself

and the informant Failure to do this results in an incomplete testimony Make sure that the informant is at ease. The researcher should acquaint himself with the informant

either with him or through a third party Make sure that he is not afraid or overconfident The researcher must be observant that the informant does

not distort his information or make the informant say things that he wanted to hear

The informant must not know that the researcher is interested in his information otherwise the risk of distortion becomes great

The Interview Technique: According to Willa Baums in Oral History for Local Historical Society “Tips”

Always begin with preliminaries

Ask the informant his name, age, occupation especially if it has something to do with the topic

Types of Interviews Interviews can be structured or unstructured

Structured interviews require preparing a set of questions to be answered by the informant

Therefore it is best to prepare questions on notecards

Unstructured interviews are more freewheeling interviews in which the informant can talk freely and free from time constraints

The interview is NOT a dialogue – the whole purpose is to get the informant to tell his or

her story. The interviewer must therefore limit his remarks to a few pleasantries to break the ice. Then ask questions to guide him along

The interviewer must ask questions that require more than “yes” or “no” answers Start with questions with how, where, what, or what

kind

The interviewer should ask one question at a time Interviewers who ask multiple questions while

informants will only answer the first question or the last one

Multiple questions will confuse the inf0rmant and deliver confused answers

Ask brief questions It is unlikely that the informant is so dull that it takes

more than a sentence or two for him to understand the question

Begin with non-controversial questions Save the delicate questions if there are any until you

have become sufficiently acquainted with your informant

Avoid ambiguous questions. These results in vague answers

You may repeat the questions to verify the answers.

Do not interrupt a good story Especially when you forgot a good question or because

your informant is straying from the planned outline.

If this happens try to pull him back as gently and as quickly as possible.

It is often hard for an informant to describe persons Begin by asking him how to describe a person’s

appearance. From there the informant is more likely to move into character description

Try to establish every important point in the story on the role of the informant It is important to indicate his role in the event in order

to indicate how much is eyewitness information and how much is based on the reports of others

Do not challenge accounts which you may think that is inaccurate Your informant may be telling you quite accurately

what he saw rather than what you think.

Tactfully point out to the informant that there is a different account what he is describing.

Begin with “I have read...”

This is not a challenge to his account but rather an opportunity to refute the opposing view or to explain how that view got established.

If done carefully some of your best information can come from the juxtaposition of different accounts.

Do not switch the recorder one and off It is better to waste a little more tape on irrelevant

material than to call attention to the tape recorder by constant switching on and off.

Bring as more tape as possible

Also bring enough batteries

End the interview at a reasonable time An hour and a half is probably a reasonable time for a

single session.

Informants cannot speak forever

Do not be a show-off Do not try to flaunt your knowledge about the subject

matter. It turns off the informant or makes him hostile.

Nor try to impress him with charm, vocabulary or other abilities.

Good interviewers do not shine only their interviewees do.

Be observant Take note of the non-verbal acts such as gestures and

body language. These may add message

Observe the tone of voice of the informant. You may detect sarcasm, outright admiration and other emotions which may be useful in the gathering of information

Some verbal taboos such as cuss words could also serve as signals

Post Interview The interview can be written down or put on tape.

The advantage of putting the interview on tape is that it gives the exact wording of the testimony and allows the informant to speak at the speed and rythm that is natural to him.

Post interview recording requires the reading back on the tape to put in writing what has been recorded

Although it takes time it is preferable to record on tape when the words themselves become part of the testimony

Create a transcript of the interview This should be done as soon as the interview is

completed.

The interviewer may go back to the informant to clarify vague matters and ask for follow-ups

Upon finalizing the interview ask the informant if he is willing to sign his testimony this strengthens the interview

Questionnaire It is important to make a note of all the necessary

information

Have a questionnaire ready to include a bio-data of the informant, the language used, the manner of the giving of testimony and controls exercised in getting the testimony

A note must be given on the characteristics of the matter such as payment given to the informant as to give some information on what the informant will have for testifying.

There is no one type of questionnaire and the researcher has to devise his own

Prepared questionnaires These contain questions to be answered by the

informant by writing the testimony himself

Should be brief, concise and to the point

As in the interview the researcher should ask for the informant’s background

Conclusion Oral history is very important in gathering eyewitness

information

It is important in social history and it reveals aspects of working class life and other experiences

Oral history empowers the inarticulate in history and it gives us what preliterate societies think.

However oral evidence requires critical evaluation and must be deployed in conjuction with the canons of historical method.

Transcriptions of oral history are not history themselves but raw materials for writing history. It needs corroboration and cross-referencing.