Amelia presents webinar about recording oral history in Hong Kong for UBC

In March, History Ink’s Dr Amelia Allsop presented a webinar to students at the Hong Kong Studies Initiative, the University of British Colombia, about how oral history can tell the story of Hong Kong.

Amelia shared her experience as the former Collections Manager of the Hong Kong Heritage Project, today an important driver of new scholarship about Hong Kong’s history. During her time with the archive, Amelia recorded over 200 filmed oral history interviews with people from all walks of life.

Oral history is a powerful tool that can empower those marginalised in both history and historiography. But what can it tell us about Hong Kong? In the presentation, Amelia discussed the creation of one of the largest oral history collections in Hong Kong. Part corporate archive and part community heritage hub, The Hong Kong Heritage Project (hongkongheritage.org/) holds over 500 filmed interviews. The explored the capture and recording of interviews to their use in exhibitions, museums, and online.

Amelia also discussed how the Project confronts “difficult histories” and the ways in which interviews can reveal diverse understandings about Hong Kong’s past. In the process, Amelia also described the project’s methodology and shared tips about how to create a successful oral history programme.