In an effort to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of Independence, the National Archives and the International Cooperation and Development Fund of Taiwan are working together on a project to heighten awareness of heritage in St. Kitts. We are asking the public to donate or to allow us to scan photographs taken before 2005, some of which will appear in an exhibition in December. This will be a chance for individuals and organizations with vintage photographs to share them with us and with the public as a Christmas gift to the Nation.
We are looking for photographs that will highlight education, sports, politics, transportation, culture, landscape, the sugar industry, agriculture, and communities just to name a few themes. We want Kittitians to become aware that they contribute to heritage through their everyday activities which they sometimes capture in photographs.
The National Archives contributions to recent exhibitions and publications have shown us how photographs can be of use in a variety of situations. We are hoping to upgrade the website Basseterre Past and Present (www.historicbasseterre.com) to cover the whole island. We also would like a greater variety of images for use in exhibitions like The Bitter and The Sweet: the Legacy of Sugar in St. Kitts recently launched at the Eco-Park which could have done with more images of persons who had worked in the factory and the fields. We also want to enrich the experience of children learning local history in schools by preparing School Packs on particular subject areas.
This is an opportunity for school children to learn about making a contribution to the community. It will also go a long way towards ensuring the survival of precious memories which can so easily be lost during hurricanes. The National Archives will be only too happy to make digital copies available to persons who donate to this effort as a safeguard and backup against any unfortunate losses in the future.
