Recording Oral Histories with Charlie Ward & Ben Ross

Are you passionate about people’s stories? Are there amazing oldies in your life whose tales need recording?

This workshop with oral historians Charlie Ward and Ben Ross will cover oral history from its historical roots to the ethical issues of interviewing and how to safely manage your sound files. The workshop is focused on working in the NT and will be tailored towards participants’ projects. With a practice interview also included, on completion everyone will be equipped to begin wading in the oral history interviewing pool.

Charlie Ward is a historian and author who has worked in the Territory for twenty years. He lived in the Gurindji community of Kalkaringi in 2004-06, and conducted approximately 100 interviews about the history of the Gurindji region. He has created oral histories for personal and academic projects as well as government collections. His 2016 book A Handful of Sand: the Gurindji Struggle After the Walk-off drew heavily on oral history interviews and is recognised as a definitive work on the Gurindji land rights battle.

Ben Ross has conducted oral history interviews in different settings since the early 2000s. He has worked as an interviewer for the National Library of Australia and Monash University’s Australian Generations Oral History Project and has contributed interviews to University of Tasmania and Library & Archives NT collections.

Ben has worked as an independent radio producer, producing documentaries for ABC Radio National, Triple J and community radio. Ben has a MA Honours in community storytelling from Western Sydney University, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Tasmania. Examples of Ben’s work can be found here.

Please note, participants will need to bring their own headphones or earbuds and a digital recording device (if they have one). Concession tickets (at NTWC Member price) are available for people with disability, First Nations patrons, seniors, and concession card holders. Companion Card holders can access a free ticket. Please contact hello@ntwriters.com.au if you would like any more information, or to arrange a concession ticket.