In discussing the history and heritage of the community, we always return to the legacy .
For example, when talking about the history of the Portuguese colonization of Melaka,we look at the Kota A Famosa heritage site or coins with a golden deer motif on currency artifacts during the time of Cik Siti Wan Kembang.
However, the general public may not yet be open in the preservation of history through audio visual heritage.
What is audio visual heritage?
According to the International Council of Archives (ICA), audio-visual documents include films, radio and television programs as well as audio and visual recordings in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Important audio-visual heritage is preserved as a collection about the life and culture of world communities. The audio visual collection not only presents cultural diversity but also records the linguistic and social cohesion of a community.
The importance of protecting the audio-visual heritage can help future generations to understand the growth of an era and the impacts of a culture in a community, providing strong evidence for historical understanding.
For instance, the audio-visual heritage destruction of the Khmer Rouge time in Kemboja, shows the consequences today. Evidence of audio-visual production, especially films, in the era before Pol Pot's rule is almost non-existent.
The Khmer Rouge government thought that those who were involved in art had a corrupt mind and should be killed. Through the documentary produced by David Chou in 2012, as many as 400 films produced in the period 1960-1975 in Cambodia were destroyed.
Only 30 films survived because they were successfully exported before the Khmer Rouge had complete control of Cambodia. The rest have been destroyed and now the Cambodian community remembers their heritage and cultural development only through memories.
Kemboja publications had produced much during that period of time.
However, there is no evidence regarding the development, collective memory of the community and historical recordings that can prove the quality of the production that has been produced. In fact, this trauma continues to have an impact on society and the artistic community in Cambodia in general.
However, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recognized audio visual heritage with the digitization of history. Materials that have historical value have been transformed from their original form to digital form.
This effort is important in continuing the life of a certain heritage so it doesn't get lost, damaged and easy to access the group of in need to the inheritance.
In addition, UNESCO also makes October 27th every year as the International Audio Visual Heritage Day in promoting and intensifying public awareness of the importance of audio visual heritage in maintaining the history of a society.
With the speed of the digital era with more advanced audio visual technology, awareness for audio visual heritage needs to be further developed in the community.
Audio visual heritage can be a primary source in talking about the history of an era for example. Although in Malaysia we are not faced with political issues and wars that result in the destruction of audio visual materials, we are still faced with the issue of managing heritage materials.
The diminished presence of skilled workers dedicated to sustainability, coupled with the perceived insignificance of preserving old audio-visual recordings, detracts from recognizing audio-visual heritage as a pivotal historical resource.
Consequently, it is imperative for the community to emphasize the significance of audio-visual heritage in terms of material ecology.
External organizations, beyond individual interest groups, can significantly contribute to raising public awareness on this issue.
AUTHOR DR. HANI SALWAH YAAKUP, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, UPM. Can be contacted via email
This article is the author's personal view and does not necessarily represent the official view or position of RTM.