This year Ramadan took place between 23rd April and 23rd May, coinciding with some of the most stringent lockdown measures. To understand how the city’s Muslim community experienced this time, the Museum of London is eager to build a segment of its Covid collection dedicated specifically to a socially distant Ramadan.
While submissions are still being accepted, the institution has already captured various items such as an audio recording of the public calls for prayers at the Musallaa an-Noor mosque in Hackney, alongside oral accounts of the experience from young Muslims in West London and seven households from various London boroughs.
“Some of the key parts of Ramadan, such as spending time with family and friends and visiting the mosque, have not been able to take place this year or had to be adapted to virtual or socially distant means. It was important to capture the experiences of families at this time as it was an unprecedented experience for the many Muslims living in London,” explains Aisling Serrant, who is leading the family strand of the project in her role as community engagement manager at the Museum of London Docklands.
“We are in the process of collecting a range of items ranging from photographs, film and audio recordings and physical objects to tell the stories of these families.”
