IIS Oral History Project launches Voices Connected with mountain stories from across the Pamirs
LONDON: The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) has launched Voices Connected, a new documentary-style podcast series produced under its global Oral History Project, which is dedicated to preserving the lived experiences, languages and cultural histories of Ismaili communities worldwide.
The series debuted with its first episode, Summits of Courage, released on International Mountain Day (December 11). The short documentary brings together personal testimonies from the Pamirs and the Karakoram, featuring mountaineers, ski professionals and community members from Gilgit-Baltistan, Afghan Badakhshan and Tajik Badakhshan. Through these accounts, the film explores mountains not only as spaces of endurance and skill, but also as cultural landscapes that shape identity, values and collective memory.
The episode includes reflections from some of Pakistan’s most celebrated climbers: Ashraf Aman, the first Pakistani to summit K2 in 1977; Nazir Sabir, the first Pakistani to reach Mount Everest in 2000; Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to scale Everest and complete the Seven Summits; and Sirbaz Khan, who has climbed more than twelve 8,000-metre peaks.
From Afghan Badakhshan, renowned climber Malang Darya shares the rich legacy of Pamiri mountaineering through his ascents of Nawshakh/Noshaq and Koh-e-Lala. The film also features young guides Safina Shohaydarova and Furough Shakarmamadova from Tajikistan’s Badakhshan region, who represent the growing participation of women in mountain sports. Air Commodore (Retd.) Naunehal Shah of Gilgit-Baltistan reflects on his leadership and longstanding contributions to the Ski Federation of Pakistan.
According to IIS, Voices Connected underscores the importance of oral history in safeguarding endangered memories, languages and cultural knowledge. The Oral History Project aims to develop a central, publicly accessible repository of contemporary Ismaili histories by documenting stories and lived experiences from communities across the globe, ensuring that these narratives are preserved for future generations.
Links:
Voices Connected – Episode 1: Summits of Courage
https://www.iis.ac.uk/multimedia/voices-connected-summits-of-courage-episode-1/
IIS Oral History Project
https://www.iis.ac.uk/research/ismaili-special-collections/oral-history-project
