Archives Unlocked: Reconstructing Community Memory

How do we uncover the stories of communities with limited written records? This talk explores how oral narratives can illuminate the lived experiences, linguistic practices, and cultural memory of underrepresented communities. Drawing from the speaker’s research on the Singapore Malayalee community—including work featured in From Kerala to Singapore—and her role on the Indian Community Oral History Committee, the session reflects on how oral testimonies, archival interviews, and audio recordings can bring forgotten histories to light.