Engaging with the past to inform the present: The Muslim community of London pm - Saturday 1 st December 2012 Croydon Mosque & Islamic Centre 525 London Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 6AR

 … Oral history might be defined as a recorded interview made with someone recalling their life story.  Now an accepted part of how information is collected about the recent past  But also now available as archive material of memories that are no longer available amongst the living  E.g. The Edwardians Project  Or the Cambridge archive of ‘British’ India

“Individual mosque congregations vary greatly in terms of their longevity and resources. Very few mosques in the UK can trace their origins to before the Second World War. Few have established archives and in many cases have yet to establish a record-keeping tradition of their own. However, the general principles and practical issues that need to be considered are clear.” Norman James and Philip Gale of the National Archives

 “….Furthermore, many Muslim worshipping communities will have a very strong oral tradition and less emphasis on formal written procedures.”  All great advice… but also note: this is why oral history is important…

 Some archivists privilege the written record or paper document over oral history  The way they were trained or not trained  The cultures they are located in (literate rather than oral)  A need to understand better what oral history (and oral tradition is) is and what it can offer  Note: as well as history oral historians are interested in  the richness of the stories we tell  And the way we remember

 The written record or paper document:  May not contain key information, especially in cultures with a strong oral tradition  This is especially the case in migrant based communities  Privileging the written over the spoken is not a good way of representing what might be important to individuals and communities  Need to include oral history in the guidelines because:  Elder memories are both important to communities and useful sources of information  These can not only supplement the written record, but open up new areas of interest  Provide a way of understanding the interconnections between different areas of life, e.g. religion and family

 The addition of voices to the historical record  Voices that otherwise would not be heard  Voices speaking about events, issues, and beliefs that are not part of the documentary paper record  In addition to supplementing existing materials:  Explore new areas of life  Record the memory and stories of community members  Record the voice  Engage communities in making their own archives

 Examples of archives.  Local  Bradford Recording Heritage Recording Unit est. c  East Midlands Oral History Archive  Huddersfield Asian Voices  Asian Youth Alliance  National  British Library Sound Archive Oral History Collection  ralhistory.html ralhistory.html  Many thousands of recordings: with famous and non-famous

 Shezad Hussain). Born Multan  The interview is in total 9 hours long over several sessions  It includes how she became an advisor to Marks and Spencer on Indian food and her subsequent involvement wit the company helping produce chicken tikka massala in  Here she talks about her mother and coming to England  British Library Sound Archive, F8770-F Food: From Source to Salespoint Hussain, Shezad, 1952-, interviewer Polly Russell

 The richness of oral history  The importance of memory  The struggles that new arrivals felt  The resources and ideas that migrants have brought to Britain  The importance of particular narratives

 Organise your own interview project  Recruit interviewers/interviewees/organisers (archivists/other support)  Commission training  Work out what areas you want to ask about  Experience of migration and community  Religion  Politics  Home life  Working life  Culture (music etc)  Then work out the questions  Funding?

 On-line materials  Oral History Society  uk/ uk/  For community groups  Training – Tailored and Generic  Regional Networkers  Conferences and workshops  For Universities  Training  Support Network  Conferences and workshops (OHS/IHR) ross_fac/heahistory/publications/f ocusonresearch/oralhistory/