The Association Valdôtaine des Archives Sonores
Recording the voices of the valley’s elders since 1980
Recording older people before their memories disappear: that is the mission of the Association valdôtaine des archives sonores (Aosta Valley Sound Archives Association), or AVAS. Founded in 1980, it collects and classifies oral accounts of the customs, practices and knowledge specific to the Aosta Valley.
Who founded it
AVAS was set up on the initiative of the “René Willien” Centre for Francoprovençal Studies in Saint-Nicolas, with the support of the Comité des traditions valdôtaines. Its founders wanted to preserve and make known the knowledge and skills of older people.
From the outset, the association set itself three aims:
- to build up sound archives for the Aosta Valley;
- to study the problems involved in managing them;
- to train people able to carry out cultural, ethnographic (the description of the activities of a human group) and anthropological research.
From volunteers to research grants
At first, the collection was built up through the voluntary work of members. From 1984, the Department of Education of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley lent its support. The association was then able to organise competitions and award grants to researchers specialising in oral sources. The collections grew considerably.
What the collection holds
The archives are still growing today. New surveys, recordings made as opportunities arise and private collections obtained from individuals are all added to them.
AVAS does not keep only sound. It also collects:
- photographs;
- written documents;
- audiovisual material.
This material is catalogued and preserved together with the regional administration, through the BREL, the Regional Office for Ethnology and Linguistics. The aim is to make it available to as many people as possible.
Bringing the archives to the public
The association also gives these voices back to the public in several ways:
- exhibitions;
- books and articles;
- radio programmes it prepares;
- work with television;
- documentary films.
Contact
Association Valdôtaine des Archives Sonores
c/o Maison de Mosse
Loc. Runaz – 11010 Avise (AO)
https://www.avasvalleedaoste.it/fr
