Southland Heritage Month festivities began on Sunday at the Invercargill library.
Manager Invercargill Libraries Kathy Aloniu said Heritage Month was the perfect time to acknowledge the major 20-year milestone of the Southland Oral History Project.
‘‘[The] project has played a key role in preserving our region’s heritage over the past two decades.
‘‘It has created an archive for present and future generations which reflects our cultural, social and historical diversity.
“One of the earliest recordings in the collection, captured in the 1970s, recounts a Southlander’s personal experiences of the First World War.
‘‘It’s incredible to have these memories recorded and preserved for future generations,” Ms Aloniu said.
History-focused presentations would feature throughout the month.
The March 5 session featured the Southern Steam Trust’s efforts to restore a historic steam locomotive.
Other presentations would cover the history of South Invercargill, Bluff and the Awarua Radio Station, a photographic lecture about Czech adventurer Bohumil Pospisil and a workshop for educators on how to effectively use library resources for their students.
