Documenting local cultures through digital storytelling in Pakistan

Pakistan is an interesting country due to its sociocultural diversity and politically charged environment. There are stories everywhere, of marginalized communities, of oppression, resistance, rebellion, and triumph. In the recent history of this part of the world, partition of the subcontinent has left a significant mark on the lives and memories of the people. All this diversity is an opportunity and a fertile ground to reap genuine stories of the land, its people, and their lives, which should be heard and archived as a heritage for generations to come. This paper reports on a pilot project of digital storytelling in which a group of students hailing from different parts of Pakistan were first equipped with basics of documenting oral histories and then asked to share their content and experiences through social media. The thematic focus of the content assigned to these students was indigenous cultures and traditions.

This session addresses the conference topic of ‘civic engagement and social justice’. It emphasizes and demonstrates that how valuable it is to document local cultures and the role young students can play in it through simple digital tools and techniques. Especially, since 1990s, digital storytelling methods are becoming more and more accessible. Hence, there is a need to encourage and train more and more young people to adopt it as a way to, but not limited to, connect with their own cultures and people.