Hakka genealogical migration analysis enhancement using big data on library services
| Pages | 426-442 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-08-2017-0172 |
| Date | 17 September 2018 |
| Published date | 17 September 2018 |
| Author | Chen Chi Chang |
Hakka genealogical migration
analysis enhancement using big
data on library services
Chen Chi Chang
Department of Culture Creativity and Digital Marketing,
National United University, Miaoli, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore the data connection, spatial distribution characteristics
and trends in genealogical information. First, it implements a spatial-temporal visualization of the
Hakka genealogical information system that makes these individual family pedigree charts appear as one
seamless genealogy to family and researchers seeking connections and family history all over the world.
Second, this study applies migration analysis by applying big data technologies to Hakka genealogies
to investigate the migration patterns of the Hakka ethnic group in Taiwan between 1954 and 2014.
This innovative library service enhances the Hakka genealogical migration analysis using big data.
Design/methodology/approach –The platform is designed for the exchange of genealogical data to be
used in big data analysis. This study integrates big data and geographic information systems (GIS) to map
the population distribution themes. The general procedure included collecting genealogical big data,
geographic encoding, gathering the map information, GIS layer integration and migration map production.
Findings –The analytical results demonstrate that big data technology is highly appropriate for family
migration history analysis, given the increasing volume, velocity and variety of genealogical data.
The spatial-temporal visualization of the genealogical research platform can follow family history and
migration paths, and dynamically generate roadmaps to simplify the cartographic steps.
Practical implications –Technology that combines big data and GIS is suitable for performing migration
analysis based on genealogy. A web-based application for spatial-temporal genealogical information also
demonstrates the contribution of innovative library services.
Social implications –Big data play a dominant role in library services, and in turn, provide an
active library service. These findings indicate that big data technology can provide a suitable tool for
improving library services.
Originality/value –Online genealogy and family trees are linked with large-volume, growing data sets that
are complex and have multiple, autonomous sources. The migration analysis using big data has the potential
to help genealogy researchers to construct minority ethnic history.
Keywords Big data, Library services, Genealogical information system, Hakka genealogy, Migration analysis,
Spatial-temporal visualization
Paper type Technical paper
1. Introduction
Big data pose fresh challenges for librarians, whose roles are changing rapidly. Library
services need to use big datain order to handle the millions of online sources. The roleof the
librarian is movingfrom paper record-keeping and documentcreation to a digital and online
world. Librarians must play a creative role in order to address the integration of digital
humanitiesin instructional services (Pun, 2015).The demand for genealogical information has
significantlychanged the focus of certain libraries and archives(Hershkovitz, 2016). Evidence
from library services in the past few decades indicates that libraries, as well as genealogical
societies, formerly qualified access to information according to the social conventions of
propriety. The internet continues to produce genealogical data. The amount of genealogical
data produced and communicated over the internet is significantly increasing, thereby
creating challenges for organizations that would like to reap the benefitsfrom analyzing this
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 36 No. 3, 2018
pp. 426-442
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-08-2017-0172
Received 3 June 2017
Revised 9 August 2017
22 December 2017
9 February 2018
Accepted 9 February 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
This research was supported financially by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan under
Grant No. MOST 103-2410-H-239-004-MY2.
426
LHT
36,3
massive influx of big data (Wang, Gunasekaran, Ngai, and Papadopoulos, 2016). Libraries
have increasingly democratized their services and accommodated family historians, just as
these have begun tounearth more diverse, common and concealed histories( Barnwell, 2015).
To address thechallenge of the genealogicalinformation contained withinbig data, this study
first implements a spatial-temporal genealogy platform, which makes it possible to track
family history and migration path and dynamically generate roadmaps to simplify the
cartographic steps. It also providesmigration roadmaps of original and relocated places, that
are then aggregated to the genealogy platform, converted to geographic coordinates and
stored in the database. This study applies big data analysis to make individual family
pedigree chartsappear as one seamless genealogyto family and researchers who are seeking
connections and family history all over the world. Second, this study adopts migration
analysis usingbig data genealogies to investigatethe migration patterns of the Hakkaethnic
group in Taiwan between 1954 and 2014. Family migratory patterns may be explained
by financial depression, war, social injustice and related problems (Jacobson, 2009).
The applicationof geographic information systems(GIS) to the development and utilization of
historical research has proved relatively successful. Several thematic maps vividly display
knowledge about product distribution and dispersal in ancient books to facilitate relevant
studies (Zhu and Bao, 2015). Based on its findings, this study confirms that the big data and
general GIS mapping technology are highly suitable for family migration history analysis,
given the increasing volume, velocity and variety of genealogical data. Migration analysis
using big data canhelp genealogy researchers toconstruct minority ethnic history.Migration
analysis using big data motivates the broader genealogy community, and is useful for
understandingthe migration roadmap of ancestral research. This study implements big data
technology and genealogical information systems that can help library patrons to identify
their ancestors and provi de migration analysis.
2. Literature review
2.1 Hakka genealogy
The Hakka are one of the Chinese ethnic groups, with a distinctive culture, language and
heritage. Hakka people live predominantly in the provinces of Taiwan, Guangdong, Jiangxi
and Fujian in China. The number of Hakka people worldwide is about 80 million. The Hakka
people have significantly influenced the development of modern Chinese and overseas
Chinese history. Given their need to trace their family tree and history due to their ethnic
identity, Hakka people have gone to great lengths to preserve genealogical documents and
several Hakka cultural institutes collect genealogies in Taiwan. Many libraries, universities
and Hakka cultural institutions are digitizing genealogies in order to preserve them and also
to provide related services. Hakka people pay special attention to their genealogical
records because many of them have left their hometown. Hakka people are urged to
investigate the roots of their family trees, from before the time when their ancestors
migrated to Taiwan (Wolinsky, 2006). Hakka genealogy includes the family migration
processes, genetically-related information, marital status and family instructions. It always
starts with the historical background of genealogical records, and describes the existing
sources, including primary sources regarding Chinese surnames and secondary sources
about immigration history, Chinese diasporas, foreign settlement and ethnic identity
(Chao, 2006). Hakka genealogy has distinct characteristics, including a pedigree with
generation (given names) and a migration roadmap (Chang et al., 2013). The Hakka
genealogy pedigree comprises both individuals and ancestors. Each given name has a poem
to identify the generation. Several genealogies have been damaged or lost due to social and
environmental factors, such as war, natural disaster and migration. These genealogies need
to be transformed into digital archives, including spatial-temporal data. The migration
roadmap of a Hakka family comprises the native origin and migration process. Therefore,
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