A quick post today. I've built a new page on my site as a quick reference to western Canadian censuses: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This is a page for genealogists: when was the census held, what genealogical data does it contain, where can it be found online, and what schedules survive. (Also see… Continue reading Western Canadian censuses
Author: wanderernolonger
Author, public speaker, researcher, and professional genealogist specializing in Chinese Canadian genealogy, and Western Canadian genealogy. I also run THE ADMIN GAP®, designing custom business processes for select clientele.
Explore the new Library and Archives Canada site (Oct 2022)
... Before, you went to Library Archives Canada's site, and then you went to the siloed databases. Like if you wanted "Immigrants before 1865," you search there. And then if you wanted "Russian Immigrants," you'd search there. So it was extremely difficult to find anything at Library and Archives Canada. And what was missing was a central collection search. Well, guess what, there is now a central collection search...
The Chinese Canadian Museum (Victoria): a peek inside and a chat with Charlayne
In this post I explore the new Chinese Canadian Museum (Victoria) and hear a few stories from my host, Charlayne Thornton-Joe. Before my visit, I knew Charlayne slightly from the Facebook group Chinese Community of Victoria. Charlayne Thornton-Joe is a third-generation Victorian. Until recently, she served as a long-time city councillor, encouraged to run by… Continue reading The Chinese Canadian Museum (Victoria): a peek inside and a chat with Charlayne
My trip to the archives: how I prepare and what I found
Like you, I spend inordinate amounts of time researching obscure documents at odd hours. (Truthfully, sometimes it's research and sometimes it's getting lost down rabbit holes.) If only everything was online. I read archival finding aids like a Christmas wish list: I want this, and this, and this too. My curiosity is far bigger than my budget (to pay external researchers).
What you need to know to visit the BC Archives today (Sep 2022)
How to read the codes for vital statistic records at the BC archives:I'm excited to share this with you. Despite pulling birth, marriage, and death records (BMDs) back in 2018, I'd forgotten this little trick for reading registration codes and was utterly confused my first day. Now I'm sharing it with you (and my future self, who will forget again). There are two different methods depending on whether the records were produced before or after 1944. We will start with the easier ones: record produced after 1944.
The “Linda learns to dance” video
Here is my solo performance All That Jazz by Liza Minelli, choreographed by Caelia Gardiner, and performed before a live audience on 13 Aug 2022 at The Refinery, Saskatoon.
The “Linda learns to dance” project, chapter one
Caelia created a new jazz routine with All That Jazz by Liza Minelli. For the next six weeks, she taught me the routine - thirty seconds at a time - until we'd done the entire three minutes. She recorded each segment. My weekly dance regimen became learn, practise, practise, repeat. Then she taught me more: how to walk onstage and offstage, musicality, marking, and timing. I learned things you can't learn from the internet.
Who are you Mrs. Cumyow? A case study resolving conflicts in primary sources
I share this with you as a peek behind the scenes at the detailed analysis that goes into building an accurate family lineage, especially for a married woman.
What do I do with old VHS tapes?
As I work through this process, I need to ask myself about the goals of this project. Before investing time and dollars: What are the goals for converting the tapes to digital? Who is the intended audience? Where will the converted files be used? Where will the files be stored? How will the files be shared? Where will the files go in twenty years or more (legacy planning)?
Fashioning the Decades: my interview with Violet Tang
In this gorgeous virtual exhibition, artist, creator, and curator Violet Tang created an online look at the twin topics of fashion and the Chinese diaspora. It's truly breathtaking what she's done, recreating the full museum experience online. I encourage you to visit as you would in real life: slowly, savouring each piece.