Record my indigenous word. Or how special sound collections may break internal borders

Abstract

Probably some of the harshest borders indigenous populations around the world have to endure are the ones created by discrimination, misinformation, ignorance and social pressure. These borders separate them not just from their own fellow citizens: sometimes they become barriers among themselves as well. And these are the most difficult ones to cross and to overcome.

During his work in north-eastern Argentina between 2001 and 2006, the author created a number of small libraries in rural and urban indigenous communities. Under those communities' requirements, the libraries were built upon the collection and recording of oral tradition, and could be basically considered as "sound collections": cassettes with stories and legends recorded from the mouth of the elders to be heard by their (grand)children at the local schools. The work allowed one border to be "opened": the one separating older, traditional generations from younger, modern ones because of their culture and identity.

This paper briefly introduces the topic of library services for indigenous peoples in Latin America, and presents part of the author's experience. It stresses the role that oral/sound-based tradition may play in libraries, and explains how a very small collection of special materials was useful in jumping over barriers and crossing frontiers.