This paper will detail a case study on how collaboration and cooperation in audiovisual archival research and use can better connect users, materials, and communities for improved understanding of shared histories. Taking the exploration of Mau Mau heritage as its case in point, it will provide insights into how a small group of researchers in Kenya and the UK approached and collated widely scattered audiovisual material depicting Kenya’s successful fight for independence and freedom from British colonial rule. Through the lens of this case study, we will share:
- Details from our research and mapping of archival material in UK and Kenya, including obstacles to access and user engagement
- Subsequent plans and strategies to better connect users with materials in UK and Kenya (including two exhibitions and a museum)
- Strategies, benefits, and challenges of collaborating across borders
- Techniques for gathering and archiving new audiovisual records
- Benefits and outcomes of collaboration with key stakeholders (KHRC, broadcasting houses, Mau Mau War Veterans’ Association, FOCAL International archive members, Getty Images / AP Archive etc., and the Imperial War Museum)
- Conclusions on how to better utilize dispersed audiovisual archives for public education across borders and improved user engagement across communities
