ORAL HISTORY PROGRAMME
The National Archives of Zimbabwe's Oral History has the prime responsibility of collecting and preserving oral interviews from a wide diversity of people whose contribution to Zimbabwean history and development has been considerable but undocumented or under-documented. Oral History interviews are done by the Oral Historian at the National Archives of Zimbabwe Head Office, Harare, as well as Archivists in the National Archives of Zimbabwe's Provincial Offices in Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo, Mutare and Chinhoyi.
Oral History work also involves the collection of Oral Traditions (information which has been passed from one generation to another) and the recording of traditional rituals in audio and video formats. Interviews are recorded in English, and all local vernaculars. The interview under the Oral History unit, cover a wide variety of subjects: culture, chieftainship, early pioneer settlers, education, economics, the First and Second Chimurenga (Iiberations struggle), politics and urban growth to mention just but a few.
The National Archives Oral History Collection has proved very useful to researchers as it provides some missing links in the country's documented history. The project One Zimbabwe that the Oral History Unit is currently running is a testimony of the endeavours to document the totality of Zimbabwean history.