Sounds from the Past

Sounds From the Past, an audio artwork developed from memories of Sri Lankan emigrants in contemporary Melbourne, explores the connection between a person¿s past sound and music memories, and their experiences of sound and music in their displaced location. Memory is an integral part of our character and individuality wherever we live. Sound memories provide a diverse path through which migrants can preserve knowledge and reconstruct past practices, usually for present purposes. Our communal roots build the social identity, with both geographical and psychological memory offering insights into the very core of our identity. This research focuses on the sound and music memories Sri Lankan emigrants bring from their mother country, and how second generation immigrants continue to respond to Sri Lankan sounds within the Australian sound and music environment.