Southeast Asians in Lowell Collection
| Chigas, George. Southeast Asians in Lowell Collection, 1987-1989 | |
|---|---|
| Held by | University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Lowell History |
| Scope | Cambodian crafts, ceremonies and exhibition photography in Lowell |
| Catalogue reference | UML 2 |
| Subjects | Crafts & Material Culture; Religion & Spiritual Life; History & Remembrance |
| Creator pages | George Chigas |
The Southeast Asians in Lowell Collection gathers George Chigas's 1987 to 1989 documentation of Cambodian refugee crafts and religious ceremonies in Lowell, Massachusetts, and is held at the Center for Lowell History. (UMass Lowell collection guide UML 2)
Overview
The collection fills one document case and one flat box and is arranged in two series: Cambodian Traditional Crafts and Religious Ceremonies, 1987, and Southeast Asian Exhibit Photographs, 1988-1989. The craft and ceremony project examined traditions of Cambodian refugees who settled in Lowell after the Cambodian genocide and was funded in part by the city's historic preservation commission. (UMass Lowell collection guide UML 2) (Lowell History: Cambodian Culture)
Material coverage
The first series holds an 84-page manuscript of nine chapters with accompanying colour photographs of basket making, the consecration of a Buddha statue, kite making, a money tree fundraising celebration, needlework, the ordination of a novice monk, a rain retreat ceremony and woodworking. The chapter titled Folklore is a transcript of an oral history interview Chigas conducted with Venerable Sao Khon about literature and folklore, with Heng Bun Chea as interpreter. The second series holds 20 photographs from a Lowell exhibit on Southeast Asians that Chigas coordinated, featuring three artists at the Whistler House Museum. (UMass Lowell collection guide UML 2)
Catalogue and access
The collection identifier is UML 2 and the oral history carries the reference LFP TR-R022. Part of the collection is digitised on the Southeast Asian Digital Archive Omeka site at https://umlseada.omeka.net/collections/show/7, and the physical collection may be consulted at the Center for Lowell History. (UMass Lowell collection guide UML 2)
Selected recordings
Entries in this index for recordings held in the collection. KhmerConnection indexes this material and does not hold or provide access to the recordings.