Uncovering the Past Through Voices: Exploring Oral History as a Primary Source: A Case Study of the National Archives of Republic Indonesia [ANRI]

Abstract

This research explains the use of the oral history collection of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) to optimize historical information as a primary source. Sources of information with this primary category relate to information from historical actors or eyewitnesses and witnesses to an event. Oral history archives are the main content of this research. The method used is descriptive qualitative, focusing on observing the content of oral history information published on websites and various social media platforms affiliated with ANRI. This research aims to analyze the oral history collection owned by ANRI and the historical information content contained in the collection. The results of this paper describe the content of oral history, which has primary information specifications based on the information needs in the archives. This information is helpful to complement information originating from textual sources. Open access to ANRI’s oral history collection helps fulfill information needs that primary textual information sources cannot fully meet.
 Keywords: ANRI, archives, information services, oral history, primary sources, website