Season 2 - TL Scotland: Trailer

12/13/24 • 1 min

On 20 January 2025, Tape Letters, the award-winning podcast, returns with a brand-new second series: Tape Letters Scotland.

The Tape Letters Scotland project shines a 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 Scotland between 1960-1980. This four-part series features original tape recordings and oral history interviews with Scottish-Pakistani families who used cassette tapes in this way.

A Modus Arts production. Produced by Steve Urquhart. Narration by Tabassum Niamat. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

On 20 January 2025, Tape Letters, the award-winning podcast, returns with a brand-new second series: Tape Letters Scotland.

A Modus Arts production. Produced by Steve Urquhart. Narration by Tabassum Niamat. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Previous Episode

TL England 14. Behind the Project: Imran Arif - In a Suitcase

Imran Arif is a Social Scientist and was a community engagement officer for the Tape Letters oral history project. He carried out multiple interviews for the archive with the elders of the community in multiple languages. In this episode he reflects on his experience of the project and the importance of preserving the stories of previous generations.

A Modus Arts Production. Audio Production and Sound Design by Oliver Sanders, Producer Leona Fensome, Executive Producer Lucia Scazzocchio, Funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council of England.

Next Episode

TL Scotland 1. PLAY

“Imagine the feeling of pressing play on a cassette tape that’s just arrived from some 5,000 miles away...”

What is a 'Tape Letter'? Why did people exchange news and greetings with each other on cassette, and how did they do it?

Our series starts with an overview of the Tape Letters Scotland project, and a flavour of the anticipation and excitement of sending and receiving long distance cassette recordings.

“For us it was a novelty, sort of like a joke. Whereas Mum and Dad, they were more emotional...”

Episode credits

Contributors: Assia Ali, Mohammed Farooq, Nassir Ellahi, Izaz Ur Rahman, Khadijah Khurram, Mirza Muhammad Saeed, Parveen Sajid, Nadira Saddiq, Faria Khan, Saima Begum, Nasreen Ali, Akeel Ahmad, Shavana Abdul-Jabbar, Seriya Iqbal, Aqsa Mohammed, Kausar Arshad

Cassette tape donors: Mohammed Ishaq, Sameena Kauser Younus, Shavana Abdul-Jabbar, Khadijah Khurram, Rehana Ahmad

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.