We may not have changed the course of history, but we have certainly gone a long way to document it

Omar ShaikhFounder of Colourful Heritage

Who are we?

:: Capture :: Celebrate :: Inspire

10 years of Colourful Heritage, Centuries of History.

From 18th-century lascars to academics, community councillors to MSPs, the South Asian story in Scotland is as rich as it is long. Colourful Heritage started a decade ago as a question among friends: “Without a mention in the history books, how do we capture the stories of our elders for future generations?”

A free multimedia archive containing hundreds of inspiring first-hand video interviews, a major museum exhibition with over 40,000 annual visitors, a schools education resource pack, an expansive digital timeline, one official library collection later and much more – that question has only started to be answered. Many exciting discoveries have been made but there is still a lot more to capture and preserve.

The Story of Our Heritage

South Asians and Muslims are now part of the fabric of Scottish society but have you ever wondered how they came here? What was their motivation to travel thousands of miles to a foreign land? Their personal journey – the highs and the lows? What contributions they made to society over the years?

Explore and discover what was the key to their success and what you can learn from their experiences.

Expanding Our Horizons

Colourful Heritage is constantly evolving with new events, activities and projects! Starting with a main goal of creating a high quality video archive, Colourful Heritage are proud to be involved in various other avenues. From organising an inaugural remembrance service in 2018 at Kingussie, to  featuring in an episode of BBC’s Landward, we pride ourselves on staying busy and active!

Head to our news page to find out more about what we’ve been up to recently, or SIGN UP to our newsletter here!

We Need YOU!

Do you have or know someone with a fantastic story to tell? Starting in 2021, Colourful Heritage are conducting virtual interviews! Sign up for a virtual interview HERE and let’s continue to capture heritage!

Want to get in touch about something else? Schools, volunteers and organisations have been involved with Colourful Heritage before, so contact us HERE and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Malcolm was a firm believer in the value and importance of our heritage. He believed that we have valuable and distinct cultural traditions which need to be institutionalised so that they can be passed on to our heirs.

Betty ShabazzWife of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (aka Malcolm X)

FAQs

Why did you choose the name ‘Colourful Heritage’?

We wanted a name that was positive and vibrant. The migrant stories are inspiring and we hope the name portrays the positive and diverse contribution made to our society by their amazing journey.

Who is funding Colourful Heritage?

So far the project has been supported financially by private donors, community organisations and recently the Scottish Government. If you would like to partner or contribute to our project, please get in touch.

We would like to specifically thank the following supporters who have made significant contributions since the start of the project: UKIFC, Al-Waleed Centre at Edinburgh University and Radio Ramadhan Glasgow.

Which organization is behind Colourful Heritage?

Colourful Heritage is not affiliated to any particular organisation as we see it as a project for the whole community. We are grateful to our supporters and partners for helping to promote the project and their ongoing advice.

How can i get involved?

  • DONATE to the project
  • UPLOAD stories of people you know
  • PROMOTE the project amongst friends and families

Why is this project so important?

Many other migrant communities have archives and resources capturing their stories for generations to come. The Scottish Muslim & South Asian community had no such collection. We wanted to capture these first-hand accounts before we lose our connection with the first generation.

These stories will be present for generations to come and will highlight the challenges and attitudes of the early migrants, in order that they inspire future generations.

I am having technical problems in uploading my video

Contact us and we will try and help you out.

It sounds like it will be too complicated to send my story?

Many people have smartphones that record videos or handheld camcorders. It is very easy to take a video and upload it….even your granny could do it!

How do I book an interview with Colourful Heritage?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colourful Heritage are currently conducting virtual interviews via Zoom. Register for an interview HERE!