News / Heritage
‘It’s so important that our stories are kept and preserved’
How do we decolonise Bristol’s mainstream heritage, museums and institutions, and provide spaces for the stories of different communities to be heard and preserved?
These are some of the challenges being explored as part of a new project led by Black South West Network (BSWN), funded by the Resilient Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Project focuses largely on the aspects of culture that can’t be touched or placed in a museum – such as practices, expressions, skills and customs.
is needed now More than ever
The aim is to document and create a rich archive of material that amplifies and preserves the voices, history and heritage of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people across the region, specifically African Caribbean, African, and South Asian communities resident since the end of World War Two.
Roz Bonnett (left), who works in South West museum development, and Jennifer Sharratt
“It’s so important that our stories are kept and preserved,” said Jennifer Sharratt, who is leading the project for BSWN.
Speaking at M Shed for the launch event on Thursday, she also spoke about the importance of repositioning the colonial narrative.
Jennifer added that time is running out to document some of the customs, skills and heritage known by elders in communities.
The project also seeks to develop the capacity of mainstream heritage organisations to see the ways they help perpetuate inequality.
Panelists Sado Jirde, Rob Mitchell, Abira Hussein, Sue Giles, Edson Burton and Kelly Spry-Phare
A panel discussion, chaired by Rob Mitchell, focused on the theme: ‘Decolonising the heritage and arts sector – what does it mean?’
Panelists included Dr Edson Burton, writer, historian, curator and member of Come The Revolution, Abira Hussein, an independent researcher and curator of Nomad, a Somali digital archive, Sue Giles, senior curator at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Sado Jirde, director of BSWN, and Kelly Spry-Phare, senior engagement manager for National Heritage Lottery Fund
Sado said: “It’s thinking more radically. If I had to spend my time making organisations and institutions more inclusive it could take a lifetime.”
Adding that she wouldn’t be giving up on the drive to remove barriers and improve inclusivity, Sado said it is also vital to bring communities in and utilise resources, such as tech, to bring heritage to life.
There was acknowledgement that black history is hugely diverse – and this should be reflected, with communities and individuals at the heart of the project.
Critically, the project includes the capacity to develop an online archive of BAME Intangible Cultural heritage to preserve it, develop exhibitions from it, and to enable students and researchers to have access of a unique repository of cultural life.
Intangible Cultural Heritage is recognised as an important aspect of community life, cohesion, inclusion and the need to preserve this is recognised in the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003.
Discussing how to decolonise Bristol arts and heritage sectors
Speaking after the launch, Sado told Bristol24/7 that after seven years of fighting to be heard on racial equality and inclusion, it feels like things are at a turning point, with different individuals and organisations willing to focus on what needs to change for the better.
Read more: Access to finance for BAME entrepreneurs
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