Paper long abstract:

A complex range of historical and socio-political actions contributed to events in DRC during the years that I lived there, the late 50s and early 60s. My memories are sketchy, partial and those of a child. In this presentation, I examine newspaper clippings, many of which include images of my family. These clippings were collected by my grandmother and given to me shortly before she died. The images tell part of a story, and position those captured on film in particular ways. What roles can they play in ‘re’presenting history; both the personal and the political? Using the visual images as a stimulus, this presentation will examine the personal and socio-cultural forces that have affected how one family story might or might not be told.