Reclaiming Memory : how can Caribbean archives contribute ? A Martinican example Dominique Taffin, Archives départementales de la Martinique

Reclaiming Memory : how can Caribbean archives contribute ?

A Martinican example

Dominique Taffin, Archives départementales de la Martinique

Dominique Taffin - Archives départementales de la Martinique


I The rise of historical consciousness1.1 An overview of Martinique

403 000 inhabitants A French territory

since 1635 From the colonial

status to that of overseas region

Citizenship since 1848


1.2 Public history : history as a leisure or as a need? 1.2.1 Searching and teaching history in

Martinique from the XIXth c. to present 1.2.2 New practices : Amateurs and

general public, genealogy


1.2 Public history : history as a leisure or as a need? “We were never taught our history” : the

“our ancestors, the Gauls” syndromeTeaching Martinican and Caribbean History at

schoolDecolonization, nationalism and identity : the

role of historyThe slavery issue


1.2 Public history : history as a leisure or as a need? 1.2.5 New practices : Amateurs and

general public, GenealogyFirst clubs : the “béké” clubThe migrants’ clubLocal clubs : family history, friends of

Archives…


II First responses of Archives to the demand 2.1 Flashback on the history of archives in

Martinique 2.2 New directions for outreach since 2000

2.2.1 Knowing more about the audience 2.2.2 The action plan

2.3 Outreach programs in education 2.4 Outreach programs for the general public 2.5 Assessing outcomes


2.1 Flashback on the history of archives in Martinique Established 1949, building in 1973,

extended 1998 Most old documents kept overseas Educational programs since the beginning But keeping themselves beside the public

debate on history and its public usages



2.2 New directions for outreach since 2000 2.2.1 Knowing more about the audience

Reading-room usersVisitors

2.2.2 The action plan


2.2 New directions for outreach since 2000 2.2.1 Knowing more about the audience 2.2.2 The action plan :

how to reach new audience and reflect social diversity in the use of archives

How to address the urgent claims for memoryHow to develop trust and make the Archives

the Archives of the people : outreach and donors


2.3 Outreach programs in education Meetings with the teachers :

The 2007 conference on « teaching history in the Caribbean »

Visits and workshops with schoolchildren Publication of educational thematic books

Indian immigrationWomenWorld War I


2.4 Outreach programs for the general public Exhibitions

Free colored people,

Catholic church and popular religion…


Conferences, presentations


2.5 Assessment

Success of the education program Improvement of the media image of the Archives Exhibitions What is left to do :

Moving from an « elite » audience to a popular audience

Developing traveling exhibitions Conferences : targeting public expectations


III New perspectives

The Banque numérique des patrimoines martiniquais

The Martinican cultural Heritage Portal


3.1 Goals

3.1.1 External objectivesa way to reach our distant publica response to the urging demand for direct

access to documents and knowledge : an ATM to history and culture?

reaching a younger audience tuning “old world” notion of cultural heritage

with a “new world” approach


3.1 Purpose and objectives

3.1.2 Internal objectivesRevising our notion of Archives : resource

+servicesRefining the skills of the staff in interacting

with the publicLearning how to work together with people

having other skills


3.2 Merging access strategies to cultural heritage 3.2.1 Archives, historical landmarks,

artworks, untangible heritage altogether in one portal

3.2.2 Networking and partnership wanted!



3.3 A tentative user-friendly approach Integrating a GIS system Easy search and filtered search Multilevel approach for different

audiences: general public, specialists, education

Collaborative indexation



The GIS


A multilevel approach for different audiences


A multilevel approach for different audiences


Collaborative indexation


As a conclusion

A renewed reflection on our 2002 outreach objectives network and partnership : a better investigation on the

social networks, and now the virtual ones that Facebook etc. have allowed

a deeper impact assessment of our actual audience so as to keep up with priorities of action

An efficient communication And, above all, keeping from routine!

Thank you for your attention. Look forward to your questions…

Dominique Taffin, Archives départementales, [email protected]

Documents

Reclaiming Memory : how can Caribbean archives contribute ? A Martinican example Dominique Taffin, Archives départementales de la Martinique