About Silai Kahani
The aim of the project was to create living history of Silai for Skills through the experiences and memories of the women that go there. We interviewed 35 women; students, staff and tutors, past and present. We asked them to tell us something about their lives; their homes and origins, memories of childhood, family, employment, their experience of sewing and textiles, what brought them to Silai and how they found their time there. We were rewarded with a wealth of information. Our questions frequently focussed on the theme of textiles and sewing, but many other themes emerged through our interviews. Many of the women we interviewed talk of an early passion for textiles, as well as sewing as a necessity in their childhood, a theme that resonated across culture and continents. For many of the women, coming to Silai was a continuation of this self-sufficiency, though for some, sewing was an entirely new experience.
Silai for Skills was set up with the intention of enabling women to gain practical skills and it became a place that nurtured enterprise too. During our interviews women spoke of businesses they have run, whether prior to, or since coming to Silai. Again this illustrates how both tutors and students alike have a wealth of life experience and skills to bring to one another.
In response to our questions women told us stories of their childhood, their aspirations, stories of migrations, and the challenges this brings. Many women grew up elsewhere and then settled in this country, raising their families and making it their home. Some women who arrived in this country more recently come to Silai and find an accessible place to learn English and make friends. We interviewed several women attending the ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages) . Many of these women speak of the relief and empowerment found in gaining knowledge of English, so they can talk and be understood.
Women come to Silai for all sorts of reasons; from a search for new skills and creative inspiration or simply social interaction. Whatever their motivation, expressions such as ′atmosphere′, ′warmth′ and ′friendship′ were common in their descriptions of what they found. In a culturally rich and diverse area of Bristol, Silai for Skills is a place where women from all walks of life come and get to know one another. The Silai Kahani project aimed to bring this insight and understanding to a wider audience, it is a snapshot of the cultural diversity in Bristol and Britain, reflected in a place of friendship, learning and enterprise.
Recording stories in this way is a powerful and effective way of creating a living history. It can be used to facilitate inter-generational and inter-cultural dialogue, and communicate personal and community history to a wide audience . You can find more information on oral history and reminiscence work from:
The Oral History Society
c/o Department of History
Essex University, Colchester CO4 3SQ
http://www.ohs.org.uk
Age Exchange, The Reminiscence Centre
11 Blackheath Village
London SE3 9LA
www.age-exchange.org.uk/
