About Us
This network brings together organisations from around Southeast Asia and beyond involved in documenting and disseminating “People’s Histories”, particularly that of social, labour, and leftist movements often marginalised in official historical narratives. [more here]
The name “Under the Banana Tree” stems from a story about an Indonesian leftist sent to Buru Island prison camp, during the murder and disappearance of close to 2 million leftists and communist sympathisers in Indonesia in 1965. Following the advice of an agricultural scientist, writers hid their materials in a plastic bag under a banana tree, which absorbed the water which would have damaged them. This speaks to both the fragility of materials related to the Left in Southeast Asia and the technical support needed to preserve them.
Under The Banana Tree Archival Network comprises of partners:
- Pusat Sejarah Rakyat (Malaysia) / www.pusatsejarahrakyat.org
- Ruang Komuniti P320 (Malaysia) / http://komunitip320.blogspot.com/
- Museum of Popular History (TH) / https://www.facebook.com/commonmuze
- Deep South Museum and Archives (TH) / deepsouthmuseumandarchives.org
- October 6 Documentation Group (TH) / https://doct6.com/
- Thai Grassroots Women Archives (TH) /
- The Philippine Labor Movement Archive (PH) / https://linktr.ee/laborarchive.ph
- Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo (PH) / https://www.facebook.com/saka.pilipinas/
- KUNCI Study Forum and Collective (ID) / https://www.kunci.or.id/
- Indonesian Institute for Socialist History (ID) /
- Malaysia Design Archive (MDA) / malaysiadesignarchive.org
- Ruang Arsip & Sejarah Wanita (ID) / https://linktr.ee/ruasindonesia
- Rumah Attap Library & Collective (MY) / https://rumahattap.wixsite.com/rumahattap
- Chronicles Research & Education (SG) / https://www.youtube.com/@ChroniclesOldSG
The project is supported with the assistance of Department of History, University of Bristol / www.bristol.ac.uk/history/ & International Institute of Social History / www.iisg.amsterdam