Above: Photograph of James Chuma (1850-1882). Copyright: RGS-IBG.

Human Geography and particularly Historical Geography has the potential to reach out and engage new audiences of adults and to empower young people in a myriad of ways.

The Bombay African component of the Crossing Continents project took the histories of a group of Africans out of the archives, and with the help of communities of African heritage these histories were interpreted from new perspectives. This brought fresh realities to the discipline of Human Geography.

A resulting CD demonstrated the ability of urban youth who had felt disenfranchised to find new ways to be heard - in this case in rap and poetry. By empathising with the previously hidden histories of the Bombay Africans, these young people tackled such complex issues as migration, racism, ethnicity, inequality, settlement, domestic violence, spatial geography, understanding environments, and slavery in the Islamic world.  

A major outcome of this project was the exhibition which received the attention of the press in Britain (e.g. Time Out London, Radio 4, etc.) and in India (i.e. Time Out Mumbai). Moreover the exhibition and its stories were the subject of a BBC World Service programme broadcasted to an estimated 250 million listeners in Africa. The exhibition itself has already toured a number of schools in Britain and the University of Edinburgh and is about to start touring coastal Kenya.

Feedback from schools, academics and the general public on the project has been positive and has uncovered the possibilities of geography to present history in more diverse, inclusive and balanced ways. The project has challenged public perceptions on globalisation, exploration, colonialism and empire, migration, culture contact, diaspora, citizenship and identity. In many cases the project has changed the perception of the public on the ownership of geography and history and the role of the Royal Geographical Society. 

Written by:
Clifford Pereira
Guest Curator (Bombay Africans Exhibition), Royal Geographical Society with IBG
Website: http://www.unlockingthearchives.rgs.org/.

DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in the article featured above are the writer's own and do not represent the views of either the Who Do We Think We Are (WDWTWA) consortium of partners (Royal Geographical Society with IBG, the Historical Association and Citizenship Consultant Paula Kitching) or the project's funding body, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

If you would like to comment on the content of this article, please send a response via the WDWTWA Blog (Have your say), or email wdwtwa@rgs.org.