Archival Strategies Towards Oral History in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia´s Forgotten History
Lily Tan
National Heritage Board of Singapore
"No Document No History" was the standard response to efforts to include non-documentary unwritten sources to historical research. However, in this modern age of rapid changes with the advent and advances of telecommunication and Information Technology, the spoken words is again gaining importance.
Literature has shown that academics and professors have argued at great length about the acceptability of oral sources as historical data and the oral traditions versus oral history. My paper will not focus on these pros and cons. It is my view that countries should instead ask themselves the question whether there is a need for oral history so that either the gaps in their records can filled up or that oral sources will provide another source thus enriching the research experience. It is stated out front that oral sources do have certain limitations, which a practitioner must be aware of them. My conclusion is that in spite of the limitations, oral sources if used concurrently with other historical sources will add colour and enliven research.
The paper will outline the five reasons why the use of oral history methodology to collect oral sources found ready acceptance in Southeast Asia. They are:
- to create records where none exists;
- oral sources supplement and compliment other historical sources such as radio/television interviews, audio-visual corporate videos, school projects etc;
- common oral history themes such as colonial experiences, World War II, trade, immigration and regional groupings such as ASEAN cut across national boundaries; and
- oral history is a window into our shared past and can be used as a teaching tool for critical thinking skills and life-long learning.
Oral history sources are "lived experience, self-portrait and self-presentation" and users must be made aware. Users must be told that they need to use three filters:
In spite of the limitations, I would encourage member countries to consider adopting the oral history methodology as it is a holistic approach to historical research covering the elite, well heeled and also history from bottom up namely the minority ethnic communities, manual workers, women and children. It can be used to fill the gaps. The most attractive aspect of using the oral history methodology is that it humanises the collection of historical data with taped voices to liven the information. As a discipline, oral history methodology is user friendly, not confined to historians and can be used by different professions and occupations.
Different approaches can be adopted and adapted depending on the needs and circumstances. There are at least nine approaches ranging from the lengthy biographical life story, family history to traditional anthropological or sociological and the topical method, which is usually short, and to the point.
In the case of Singapore as with the other Southeast Asian countries, collecting oral sources has proved to be most valuable. Oral sources are used for nation building, community/corporate/school family history, writing of school text books, cultural tourism, museum exhibits, radio and television broadcasts, period drama and bridging gaps between generations. With latest advent of multi-media and web technology, oral and video sources have become an invaluable source.
For those who want to establish oral history programmes and projects, it is important to establish proper audit trail and put in place a cataloguing/indexing system to ensure that information can be retrieved. In addition as archivists I do not have to tell you that the oral sources must be kept in environmental repositories and follow technical requirements such as periodic re-winding to ensure its permanency. Lastly with technology advancing so fast, oral history practitioners will need to keep abreast and be aware of machine becoming obsolete.
I will present case studies taken from the Southeast Asian experiences, which I will selectively highlight. The paper will have details.
Bibliography
- Lim Puen Huen P, James H Morrison & Kwa Chong Guan (Eds): Oral History in Southeast Asia: Theory & Methods. Singapore National Archives of Singapore & Insitute of Southeast Asian Studies 1998.
- Report of the Colloquium on Oral History Penang Malaysia 1978.
- Asian Colloquium on Oral History: The Asean Experience 10-14 Jun 1991 Kuala Lumpur.
- Paul Thompson: The Voice of the Past :Oral History 2d ed Oxford University Press 1988.
- Ronald Grele: Envelopes of Sound 2d ed, Chicago Precedent Publishing 1975.
- Willa Buam K: Oral History for the Local Historical Society 2d ed Nashville American Association for State & Local History.
- David LANCE: An Archival Approach to Oral History London Imperial War Museum 1978.
- Oral History Manual, Singapore Oral History Centre 2d ed 1992.
- Recollections: People and Place, Singapore Oral History Centre 1980s.
- Chan Kok Bun & Claire Chiang: Stepping Out :The Making of Chinese Entrepreneurs Singapore Prentice Hall 1992.
- Monina Allarey Mercado ed: People Power an eye witness history The Philippine Revolution: Writers & Readers Publishing Inc New York 1986.
- Oral History Journals.
Lily TAN
Lily Tan started her working career in the National Archives of Singapore at its establishment in 1968 after receiving professional training at University College, London. During her period of service from 1968 until April 2001, she saw the expansion of the National Archives of Singapore from staff strength of eight to sixty and about eighty including part-time staff. In 1979, with the help of the Oral History Advisory Committee, she established the Oral History Centre.
Effective April this year, she left the National Archives of Singapore to start a Heritage Services Division within the National Heritage Board. In her new appointment she no longer discharges archives legislative functions. Her present core work consists of oral history, dissemination and promoting awareness of heritage through the marking of sites, preservation of national monuments and special projects such as the Malay Heritage Centre, Heritage Festivals, and coordinates publications such as coffee table books, etc.
Appointments held:
- Chairman of the Research & Publicity Committee, Preservation of Monuments Board; Member of the Historic Sites Committee;
- Member of Urban Redevelopment Authority Architectural Awards Committee;
- Member of Stamp Advisory Committee; and Covering Chairman Stamp Advisory Committee from Jul 2001;
- 2d alternate Chairman of the National Education Exhibition Planning Committee;
- Chairman, Heritage Panel Singapore River, Singapore Tourism Board;
- Co-Chairman, Changi Chapel and Museum;
- Member of the Police Heritage Committee;
- Member of the Malay Heritage Centre Management Committee;
- Co-chairman Heritage Festival 2002;
- Member, Building and Street Naming Committee; and
- Chairman, Southeast Asian Branch International Council on Archives 2000 - April 2001.