North York’s Crestwood Preparatory College is inviting everyone to visit its website showcasing its award-winning Oral History Project. The project features several initiatives that bring together students with veterans of the Second World War and Holocaust survivors, including interviews and digital copies of photos and mementoes. To read the full story click here. This is their website which has videoed interviews.
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National Veterans Oral History Project (USA)
Today (11 November) is Veterans Day, the day Americans have set aside to honor the men and women of the military who in ways large and small have helped shape history. Thirteen years ago, through an act of Congress and with the signature of President Bill Clinton, the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center was established. The oral history project has been embraced by individuals and organizations around the country, including on the First Coast, where as many as a quarter of a million veterans make their home. For full story which includes interview excerpts click here.
Holocaust-related voice recordings
Marking 75 years since the Kristallnacht attacks of November 9-10, 1938, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Oral History Division launched a new website where the public can search and access 900 previously unavailable Holocaust-related voice recordings and transcripts. One of the earliest-recorded oral history archives of the Shoah, this new resource will provide educators with an invaluable teaching tool and will benefit the study, research and production of materials relating to the Shoah. For full story click here.
Anzac Memories – Alistair Thomson
Sometimes you can't write the history that needs to be told. In 1986, the draft first edition of my book Anzac Memories reported that my grandfather, Hector Thomson, contracted malarial encephalitis while serving with the Light Horse in Palestine during the Great War, and that after the war he was ''in and out of mental hospital''. Read Alistair's article here.
Listen to an interview with Alistair on ABC's "Hindsight" here. There are excerpts from Alistair's interviews with the World War I veterans he interviewed for his book. Now the book has been rewritten using material from the Department of Veterans' Affairs which sheds light on his interviewees' medical conditions.
OHAA National Conference – Retrieving Memories
Remembering Lives: Strategies for Retrieving Memories and Creating Personal Life Stories.
1.00 pm 24 September 2013.
Introduction by Alison McDougall
Allison Russell
Pauline Cockrill
Lenore de la Perrelle
Allison Russell – Object handling in health care settings – heritage in hospitals using a variety of objects. Based on a study of University College in London. The objects are designed for people to handle as beginnings of conversations. See http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/research/touch/heritage-in-hospitals. Success was reliant on staff participating and on the authenticity of the objects. Connecting with a particular object tapped into their memory. Aim to find ways of making connections using the objects. We can still learn with touch. Touch is a sense that does not fade. Touching an object is stimulating memory. House of Memories, Liverpool http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/learning/projects/house-of-memories/ is a training program, England. Provide memory box on line and memory walk. We can make museums more accessible for people with dementia e.g. a shop setting display for people visiting will allow them to tell their stories.
Pauline Cockrill – Reminiscence therapy is “the use of life histories – written, oral or both – to improve psychological well-being … often used with older people” (Dr Gary VandenBos, editor APA Dictionary of Psychology. Washington, DC American Psychological Association). Handle objects and have chats around the fire. Have objects for people to handle puts this therapy into practice. History SA did a project with the Motoring Museum where Morris cars were brought to show dementia patients. Cars are memory boxes themselves. They remind people of holidays and other drives so there are lots of memories associated with cars. Some patients were taken for a ride in an old car. This was combined with oral history, as there were some good stories related. After the actual day of the drive people were selected who had good stories.
These websites show what is being done in England: Age Exchange – http://www.age-exchange.org.uk/ and Reminiscence Activities at Beamish – http://www.beamish.org.uk/reminiscence/
Pauline showed how to produce a memory box. It would be ideal to have a museum within an aged care facility. Helping Hand Aged Care facilities at Parafield Gardens and Jamestown in South Australia now have permanent “museum” displays.
It is interesting how objects from the past really bring back memories. At an aged care facility in Adelaide they had an afternoon tea and some of the residents made the scones which they could do automatically. It brought back for them the smell, feel, taste of when they made them in the past. They were given a tea canister so they could smell the tea. They were surprised that a woman who had not spoken before began telling stories
Making and using memory boxes – living memory, audience appeal, ability to source objects. Pauline and Allison invited us to nominate items that could be included in a Memory Box – included photos, recipe books, shoes, hats, tools, kitchen implements, records, handcrafts, magazines, toys.
Lenore de la Perrelle – memory for people with dementia. What makes a good life for an older person or person with dementia? We need to make the most of the person’s life. See http://www.ach.org.au/good-lives What matters – people are not all the same so people with dementia are not all the same. Many older people want to share their stories. Most older people enjoy the opportunity to talk. The longer we live, the more likely we will get dementia. 1 in 4 of those over 85 develop dementia. Dementia – affects everything in our lives. 100 different diseases can lead to dementia.
People with dementia have a life of knowledge; given the right opportunity you can access that. We must provide some emotional support. It is an opportunity for life review. Helps people make sense of this part of their life. We need to adapt our methods to accommodate for cognitive impairment. Telling their story reinforces their identity. They can focus on an event or a series of events in their lives. An oral history can document who this person is, their past abilities. Outcome can be a photo books – text in large font (e.g. Arial bold). Ask family to identify any photographs if interviewee is unable to do so. Do a family tree. It is important for the family to know some of the stories. You can then see their identity and personality. It should be a formal, structured process e.g. if borrowing photos have consent forms signed. Get the story from the person themselves. Does not have to be historical fact. It is allowing them a voice. Do about six sessions of 45 minutes to an hour. Family member may have to sign consent if person is unable to. Stimulate with touch, smell, feel, taste.
Suzanne Mulligan
OHAA Nationa Conference – Dealing with Vicarious Trauma
Dealing with Difficult Histories: Vicarious Trauma and the Researcher.
9.00 am 24 September 2013.
Introduction by Alison McDougall
Karen George
Ela Samoraj, Victim Support Service
Sarah Green, Client Liaison Officer, Find & Connect (http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/)
Karen George – learned what an impact vicarious trauma can have, did “Bringing Them Home” project. There was no discussion about being distressed. Interviewers developed empathy and carried the stories with them. Karen also worked on Finding Your Own Way which brought about the “Mulligan Inquiry” into children in State care. Historians were regarded low on the risk list. Things crept up on her. Karen became paranoid. It was very stressful and traumatic and she started having flashbacks. Relationship became affected. Saw a psychologist, had PTSD. Counselling helped and she took up running. Interviewers must be empathetic and let go. She could not listen to them a second time. Interviewers must be aware of vicarious trauma.
Ela Samoraj – Exposure to stories of hurt, loss, abuse and neglect carries a risk of vicarious traumatisation. It can affect our physical health and change the way we think about ourselves, others and the world. It can change how we relate to our loved ones. Since the early 1990s terms such as compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress have also been used to describe that experience. The researchers, oral historians and transcribers of traumatic narratives, are not immune to that risk. Interviewing survivors, witnessing their courage and resilience – positive aspects of work, make it often difficult to acknowledge that listening, reading and writing about trauma, can also hurt. While compassion satisfaction and vicarious resilience can act as protective factors, the negative impact ignored, dismissed or brushed aside can gradually build up. Noticing how our bodies, minds and hearts respond to the narratives of trauma can support our resilience. Putting in place effective self-care strategies and accessing support, will mitigate initially transient effects and, over time, successfully transform potentially, debilitating personal and professional consequences of secondary traumatic exposure. Website here.
Note – Ela Samoraj has kindly provided this summary of her presentation.
Sarah Green – The Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants, 500,000 children in institutional care. Find & Connect website http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ began receiving 30 emails a week. 1700 have been received so far. We have better records from these institutions. As adults they were expected to forget their experiences. From the “Apology” most important was “We believe you”. These people want to tell their stories. What kind of sustenance do you give in return? There is great weight of expectations. Work is a journey. A diverse range of emails. Started to deal with VT. Began to talk about it. Most retain boundaries.
If an interviewee becomes stressed you may ask “Do you want to continue with that?” See what works for you to deflect the trauma to yourself. How to end that sort of interview – have a cuppa, make sure there is someone to be with them. Allow plenty of time to turn away from distressing topic and ask questions e.g. what are you most proud of in your life? What is your biggest achievement? Always support when you confront. How do you deal with anger? Let the person ride it out. Maybe you need some assistance or change the subject. Acknowledge the anger. What do you hope people will learn from this interview? The person is giving you something of value. They have made the choice to say that. Are we trying to maintain our power in the relationship? Don’t let them make you distressed. They should not have to help you. Keep yourself together. We need to prepare ourselves for the interview. We deal with highs and lows of peoples’ lives. We must bring the interview to a positive closure that does not leave the interviewee (or the interviewer) distressed.
Suzanne Mulligan
OHAA National Conference – Community Project
The Dominion Road Stories: collaboration, creativity and collections.
3.00 pm 23 September 2013.
Sue Berman
Auckland Libraries, New Zealand
This is a creative project combining oral histories, photographs and community engagement to make Dominion Road Stories, http://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/EN/heritage/oralhistory/dominionroadstories/Pages/dominionroadstories.aspx It was part of the Auckland Heritage Festival. Dominion Road is a busy transport route 8.4 km long with residential, light industry and shops. There were a number of goals for the project:
- recording selected participants
- shopkeepers’ recordings and photo documentary
- story emporium
- postcards
Dominion Road stories event – set up to interview people. People came to look at the exhibition to put their stories on the record. Four people registered before the day and then later registrations after the day. Potters Park for dancing and had a caravan to register the stories. Collected over 200 of the anecdotes. Stories about Chinese migration included. Another way of engaging with people who might want to put it on the record. There were 20 shopkeepers – walked along Dominion Road told them about the project to see who was interested. Blend of life history and life of Dominion Road. Posters sent around Dominion Road area. Edited out to 300 words for the website.
Suzanne Mulligan
OHAA National Conference – to transcribe or not to transcribe
Is it all about the voice? The place of transcripts in oral history:
Best practice in Queensland calls for a full transcript whenever possible for deposit according to the State Library of Queensland. Coming in second is a timed summary. Of course, the voice is the primary source and will always be a fountain of so much that cannot be obtained from the printed word – OHAA- Queensland
The following is from a session on transcripts from the National OHA Biennial Conference, 23 September 2013
Tonia Eldridge – State Library of South Australia
Kevin Bradley – National Library of Australia
Sally Stephenson
Karen George
Tonia Eldridge – Thinking about transcripts can give you a monster headache. The State Library of South Australia has 6,700 recordings, 36% have been transcribed. Resources will depend on whether a recording is transcribed. It is a tiresome process. Other technology based alternatives. Better to shift focus. Make written material available i.e. timed summaries.
Kevin Bradley – Transcripts look the same until you listen to the recording. Impact of the voice, the living voice is the landscape and the transcript is merely the map. How should we set it out? This has been answered in the digital world. Recording is the primary resource. You can find what you are looking for with a transcript. Bring them together as a single thing. We should present the full record. Provide the audio and bring them together. For example – interview with Fred Chaney http://nla.gov.au/nla.oh-vn1737134
Sally Stephenson – Important to have transcript. Full transcripts with time codes are essential for editing multi-media productions. Put time code at the beginning of each question. Use program like Transana http://www.transana.org/ Use Word. Timed summaries don’t give sufficient detail of impression of interview style or quality. We don’t know what future uses will be. Transcripts must be done as soon as possible after an interview. They are then easier to review and correct any errors or omissions. Transcripts are more accurate. They are the best way of preserving as they improve the completeness and accuracy of the historical record. They can be used for written reports and books. They are the quickest way to review an interview for its relevance and possible suitability for a new use. Full transcripts maximise the use of the original recordings. They also ensure that the original audio or video recordings are heard and seen.
Karen George – sound recording is the primary source. Timed summary and transcript should also be used. Transcripts are essential to bring material together. Keyword search of the transcript is more effective and you can then find good quotes. We need to incorporate transcripts into our budgets. Use excerpts from sound recordings in an exhibition. People don’t have time to listen but transcripts can be searched and thus makes them more accessible. There is a danger that without transcripts, oral histories will not be listened to. See Web gateway in South Australia http://ohaa-sa.com.au/category/interviews/.
Summary by Suzanne Mulligan
Sydney Oral Histories
"It's a new, rich resource about the story of Sydney and it's one that anyone in the entire world can access," says City of Sydney oral historian, Margo Beasley, who has curated the new audio library and website. She says the ever-growing database is "about the lived experience of the past rather than the academic historical interpretation of the past," putting ordinary lives and everyday matters centre stage. For full story click here.
OHAA National Conference – Reciprocal peer interviewing
She said … she said: reciprocal peer interviewing within a transgenerational frame.
10.30 am 23 September 2013.
Dr Sara Donaghey
Unitec, New Zealand
This was a very interesting presentation by Sara Donaghey, which demonstrated a different and innovative way of doing oral history. Sara’s methodology has her as a facilitator and observer rather than an interviewer, therefore shifting ownership of the conversation to the two people she observes. These two people are both interviewer and interviewee so their contribution to the interview is of equal value as they converse about their life experiences. In this research project Sara briefed the women about her aims and how the process would work. She wanted to explore the different lives of young and older lesbians as they share contrasting and insightful perspectives. The women shared their experiences, giving them the capacity to be self-reflexive. The project was transgenerational. The youngest interviewee was 19, the oldest in late 70s. The interviews were filmed and recorded. The interviews explored many topics including memories of childhood and adolescence, family, marriage, parenthood, relationships, identity, spirituality, work, social and leisure activities, overcoming challenges, and ageing. Later there was a post interview evaluation where the interviewees were asked how they viewed the initial interview process. There was strong positive feedback.
Post interview evaluation
Outcomes – the interview benefits narrator and interviewee equally. It enhances the quality of the conversation. Sara is talking to generations of lesbians from whom she can learn and they can also learn from each other. The women benefited from the process, the organic nature of the dialogue. There are benefits in “going with the flow”. People were initially apprehensive. There is a strong element of trust and faith in the process. Sara is transferring the process to the interviewees, so she is in the role of facilitator. There is more rapport and women felt privileged to take part in the process. There was a willingness for the women to share in the research.
Challenges – the selection of the participants. Sara initially relied on her advisory team, and word of mouth. As a listener and narrator, she explored personal topics as a virtual stranger. It is vital to create a safe space. The situation creates an opportunity for digressions. Sara withdrew and became a supportive “outsider”. There was difficulty with the logistics of arranging to have three people meet at one time and one place.
The future – there are many ways to explore the data for this project, which is for research purposes and will not be made public. Sara will continue to use audio-visual equipment. This interviewing technique moves beyond the conventional oral history method. In this case a particular group of women – lesbians, is being used. However, the technique has potential to be used with other subjects. Interviews lasted about 2 – 2 ½ hours and were filmed with Sara behind the camera. How were the pairs matched? How were they chosen? Sara did not match them, trusted the process, trusted the women who put themselves forward. It was a natural process of selection. It gave each interview subject the opportunity to talk to a woman from another generation.
Suzanne Mulligan