Tarikhi (Arabic for ‘my history’) is an Arab/ic oral history archive. it houses 500 interviews conducted, recorded, and documented by sharq.org between 2012 and 2022, at a time when previously censored and silenced voices found strength through collective action and forged microphones from new opportunities to be heard.
>> LISTEN TO / READ ABOUT THE STORIES ON THE TARIKHI STORY ARCHIVE <<
though we don’t envision expanding the archive, we are keen to collaborate with researchers and artists who want to explore the stories shared and create meaningful works inspired by them. if this might be you, please contact us with an idea.
the human mind is malleable and all the ugliness that comes with war – destruction, death, displacement, othering, loss, hatred – impacts memories. in creating the archive, it was our desire to document personal stories of lived experiences about culture, conflict, cuisine and other social issues that occurred during and in the years leading up to the revolutions of 2011/11, before the ashes of war muted them and renewed fear prevented them from being shared.
the freedom that the people of the region sought when they took to the streets en masse to protest brutal authoritarian regimes has yet to won. many of those who rose up against repression lost their homes, their loved ones, their lives. and yet among all that loss, the living often found hope in each other, through shared experiences and stories. it is therefore also our hope that these stories help keep that sense solidarity and ambition alive within those who wish well for the people of the region.
WHY ORAL HISTORIES?
oral histories are recordings of individuals telling stories about their lives and about events they have witnessed and experienced. they can be told as monologue narratives or through interview. such first-hand accounts give people the power to contribute to the documentation of their own history, which is all too often dominated by the powerful and oppressive.
unlike journalistic interviews, which can and often are focused on opinion and analyses, oral history interviews are story centric, inviting storytellers to recount personal lived experiences. being able to share their individual stories in a safe and nurturing environment can be an empowering experience, one that promotes self-reflection and critical thinking, among storytellers as well as those who record the stories and those who listen to them.
by sharing the diverse stories we have recorded, we aim to instigate internal dialogues and considerate discussions, and to nurture diversity and inclusion within cultural works, research initiatives, and policy development.
the stories and collections in the Tarikhi archive reflect diverse topics and communities of and from the Arabic speaking region and aim to strengthen the ability of citizens to hear and be heard and to engage in honest productive interactions, free from the rhetoric and analyses of politicians and pundits.
CREATIVE OUTPUTS
sharq.org has collaborated with many researchers and artists to create works fuelled by the stories in the Tarikhi archive. among them is the play I am Not a Vase. if you have an idea for a study or artwork or other production, please get in touch.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EXHIBITION
we celebrated the archive and the storytellers it amplifies with a multi-disciplinary event held in Beirut in November 2018. showcased at the event were works produced by Beirut-based artists as they reflected on quotes and stories from oral history collections produced by sharq.org; a staged reading of the play “I Am Not A Vase”; and a discussion with professional storytellers.
the exhibition also showcased powerful photographs taken by photojournalist George Azar that depict the stories of victims and survivors of the Lebanese civil war and the Palestinian Intifada.
