The Dominion Road Stories: collaboration, creativity and collections.
3.00 pm 23 September 2013.
Sue Berman
Auckland Libraries, New Zealand
This is a creative project combining oral histories, photographs and community engagement to make Dominion Road Stories, http://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/EN/heritage/oralhistory/dominionroadstories/Pages/dominionroadstories.aspx It was part of the Auckland Heritage Festival. Dominion Road is a busy transport route 8.4 km long with residential, light industry and shops. There were a number of goals for the project:
- recording selected participants
- shopkeepers’ recordings and photo documentary
- story emporium
- postcards
Dominion Road stories event – set up to interview people. People came to look at the exhibition to put their stories on the record. Four people registered before the day and then later registrations after the day. Potters Park for dancing and had a caravan to register the stories. Collected over 200 of the anecdotes. Stories about Chinese migration included. Another way of engaging with people who might want to put it on the record. There were 20 shopkeepers – walked along Dominion Road told them about the project to see who was interested. Blend of life history and life of Dominion Road. Posters sent around Dominion Road area. Edited out to 300 words for the website.
Suzanne Mulligan