Recording an oral history: start before pressing record
A good recording begins with a clear relationship, not a microphone purchase. This page offers a practical planning sequence for a voluntary conversation.
Pasifika AI / Kanaky Tech ·
Original editorial diagram: Agree / Record / Review. This is a reading aid, not a reproduction of traditional knowledge.
Pasifika AI / Kanaky Tech · Image record · CC BY 4.0
The documented starting point
The National Library of New Zealand publishes oral-history guidance and points researchers to recording practice and agreement resources. This is an institutional starting point for planning an interview. It is not a substitute for the wishes of the person interviewed or the protocols of a particular Pacific community.
Source : National Library of New Zealand — Oral history advice
A closer reading
Research guidance · Pasifika AI
Before an interview, agree on the purpose, audience, storage location and whether extracts may be published. Ask separately about translation, photographs and online reuse. During recording, leave room to pause or decline a question; do not pressure someone to complete a story. Afterwards, keep the original file, a dated description and any access conditions together. Let the person review the planned public extract where agreed. A family recording for private listening should not silently become a searchable website or training material for an AI.
An agreement must travel with the recording
Research guidance · Pasifika AI
Consider a family interview approved only for relatives. If the audio is copied to a new device, keep that restriction with the copy. Do the same for a transcript, translation or short extract; changing the format does not automatically change the intended audience. Before a public release, return to the agreed terms rather than relying on the fact that the file is already in your possession. A clear access note prevents later users from mistaking availability for permission.
What this guide does not establish
Research guidance · Pasifika AI
This is editorial planning guidance, not legal advice or a universal consent form. Do not ask a participant to disclose knowledge they are not entitled or willing to share.