Tape Letters

“We came here by coach. It took one month to reach here...”

Throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, people migrated to Scotland from Pakistan in significant numbers. What does the archive of Tape Letters reveal about this crucial time?

This episode explores what life was like for those who came to Scotland, and for those who remained in Pakistan. How did cassette tapes keep them connected?

“I was so happy that I started crying while listening... I can still feel it now!”

Episode credits
Contributors: Shavana Abdul-Jabbar, Nasreen Akhter, Asghar Mohammed, Parveen Sajid, Nassir Ellahi, Assia Ali, Nadira Saddiq, Mohammed Farooq, Nazia Majid, Jamila Bibi, Musarat Begum, Kausar Ilyas, Munwar Sultan, Mussarat Arshad, Mirza Muhammad Saeed 
Cassette tape donors: Mohammed Ishaq, Khadijah Khurram
Project director: Wajid Yaseen
Podcast presenter: Tabassum Niamat
Podcast production & sound design: Steve Urquhart

Tape Letters Scotland is a Modus Arts project, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

What is Tape Letters?

Tape Letters shines light on the practice of recording and sending messages on cassette tape as an unorthodox method of communication by Pakistanis who migrated and settled in the UK between 1960-1980. Season 1: Tape Letters England. Season 2: Tape Letters Scotland. This series features original tapes collected from families in Pothwari, Punjabi, Urdu, and English, as well as oral history recordings and behind-the-project interviews with the people involved in collecting this body of work.