The archival paradigm, which is one of the main topics of field of archival study, emphasizes the social role of archives for storing every memory of the society. The relate researchers, especially, are paying attention to collective memory, which has...
The archival paradigm, which is one of the main topics of field of archival study, emphasizes the social role of archives for storing every memory of the society. The relate researchers, especially, are paying attention to collective memory, which has been neglected in the past, and are putting efforts on configuration and maintenance of the memories. They, as one of the methods, discussed about community archives. The focus of the discussion has been on the fact that communities, by which has been alienated from the society, can perform documentation of their memories on their own to establish and maintain collective memory which formate their identity.
The interests from archival researchers in the group memory and community archives can be seen as an meaningful movement for Korean society as well. In case of Korea, also, the memories of privileged classes remained in the history but those of the public. They are currently putting efforts on truth ascertainment for their memory to be approved. The ‘documentation of collective memory’ and ‘community archives’ are of major efforts for doing so. An example can be No Gun Ri incident in which the publics have been slaughtered by US army during the war 6.25. This memory has been neglected for the last five decades. In response, the victims and their families have documented the memory and shared it together. As such process has continued, a collective memory on the affair has been established resulting in a community for sharing the memory. The victims and their families have continuously put efforts on producing, collecting various records and approving the collective memory. Doing so, they have established and maintained identity the community. Through such process, the collective memory of No Gun Ri incident has been formalized resulting in No Gun Ri Peace Park which is a place for storing collective memory.
As indicated, the process in which the memories of No Gun Ri have been recognized and maintained maybe an meaningful case for discussion on collective memory and community archives. There is no official community archives on No Gun Ri incident. However, as shown earlier, the related community maintained and utilized their records on their own to set the identity of the group and maintained the memory on their own. In addition, the No Gun Ri Peace Park is currently managing the memory and producing related records to maintain the collective memory and their identity.
Further, this case may imply the directions for communities with similar memory. That is to say, the case of No Gun Ri indicates that it is important to apply community archives for documentation of collective memory to maintain and manage the memories alienated from the society. Through such process, the various collective memory, which are recognized by the society, will remain in the society resulting in expansion of the social role of archives and higher level of perception on it. Finally, the collective memory of No Gun Ri incident has an important meaning for archival study but more emphasizes need to be put on community archives for stable and systemic management of memory and identity of a group.