Keeper of the Flame: Who Preserves Your Family's Stories?

We began our evening with a story about an elder woman who refused to leave her homeland of many years. She lived in the deep South and the area was to be flooded when a dam was built. The old woman was the last person still remaining in the area. Everyone else had long moved away. Her home was a rustic wooden cabin with little to save. She kept a fire going outside the cabin and tended to it to keep the flame burning.

After many conversations and attempts to relocate the elder woman over a period of months without success, public officials were at a loss at what to do. They did not know and could get no information about any family members. Finally, a man who was familiar with the area and the people who had lived there talked to local officials and provided valuable assistance.

He said the elder woman was the “keeper of the flame” for the people of our territory. It was her responsibility to keep the flame in front of her cabin going. She could not leave the fire as long as she was alive. His solution was to go to the cabin and transport the entire fire pit, wood and all to another site where the woman could live out her days.

As soon as the man took the fire away, the elder woman came running after him with all her belongings, refusing to be separated from the fire.


As our group gathered around our “campfire” we shared stories of our families and their influence on American culture. Our families came to America as immigrants through Ellis Island, bringing our culture from various European countries.

We shared the stories of Sadie and Bessie; two amazing women who shared their family stories after they had reached 103 and 105. Everyone brought their own family stories and writing to share.

• We heard stories about family members riding with Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley. This was our opportunity to separate fact from fiction related to their infamous past. We discussed the countless fictional and nonfiction stories that have been written over time to glorify their adventures.
• We spoke of Italian immigrants bringing their homeland traditions to weddings and celebrations when they were invited and even when they were not.
• We spoke of creating new lives with new names during the immigration through Ellis Island in New York.
• We spoke of families keeping and sharing secrets and the amazing ways that stories are eventually revealed.
  

Who is the keeper of the flame?
Everyone who remembers passes on the story to the next generation. In some families, one person takes an unofficial role as historian. In others, everyone preserves what they can with letters, journals and photos. Sometimes, the story gets bigger and wider over time. Sometimes, the story is told in poetry. Others, it is an oral history narrative to capture precious moments. Still others snap hundreds of photos and mark each one with a caption. As long as there is one ember left, a question, a fragrance, the name of a street, favorite food, or the name of a car reignite the flame to keep family memories alive.