Arabic version: أشرطة الكاسيت تعيد إحياء ذكريات قصص الشتات

A recent visit to the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne revealed an exhibition that resonated deeply with personal memories for many. Among the displays was a glass box of cassette tapes, reminiscent of a bygone era. These tapes, which carry the voices of loved ones, evoke nostalgia for a time when communication was limited to physical recordings.

According to The Guardian, these tapes were brought to families like that of Shadi Khan Saif in the 1990s by travellers from across the Middle East, Afghanistan, India, and Iran, where Afghan refugees had taken shelter. The tapes served as a lifeline, bringing stories from relatives who had fled war-torn Afghanistan. They shared tales of survival and resilience, connecting families separated by conflict.

Saif recalls how his family would gather to listen to recordings from relatives, particularly a warm and emotional salam from his aunt Babo, who remained in Afghanistan due to her pregnancy. These tapes not only conveyed news but also carried the emotional weight of family connections amidst hardship.

As Saif’s family adapted to life in Pakistan, the tradition of sending cassette recordings continued, evolving with each generation. Even now, as Saif resides in Australia, he finds solace in modern communication through WhatsApp voice notes, which, although shorter, still maintain that cherished connection to home.

The exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of the power of voice and storytelling, bridging distances and preserving memories across generations.