What if every song carried a documented history, a migration story, a family memory?
At Ensemble Manchester, we treat music as heritage. Not entertainment. Not background sound. Heritage that we record, archive and transmit.
Through the project Connecting to our Cameroonian Roots, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we collect and preserve the musical traditions of the Cameroonian community in Greater Manchester.
This project runs until November 2026. It includes:
• Recording oral histories linked to songs and performances
• Documenting rhythms, instruments and traditional practices
• Training volunteers in interview and archiving methods
• Organising 7 community heritage events exploring food, art, music, literature, clothing, rituals and languages
• Publishing digital content with free public access
Music is a structured entry point into memory.
A lullaby explains migration.
A church choir song reflects adaptation.
A traditional rhythm preserves language and identity.
We aim to collect around 100 oral histories. Many will connect directly to music, performance and cultural transmission. Selected participants will take part in follow up interviews and group sessions to deepen documentation.
All digital outputs, audio, video and written material, will be published online under open access licences. This ensures that schools, researchers and young people can access and reuse the material freely.
We also work with Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Educational Trust to strengthen our interview practice and archival standards. Heritage work requires rigour. Memory must be recorded with consent, accuracy and long term access in mind.
Music links generations in a measurable way.
When young people interview elders about songs, they do more than listen. They document. They ask. They understand context. That process builds continuity.
Our launch event at Fletcher Hall in Salford will gather 250 participants around youth, culture and heritage. It marks a public commitment to preserving Cameroonian musical heritage in Manchester.
If you are part of the Cameroonian community in Greater Manchester:
• Share your songs
• Share the stories behind them
• Contribute to the archive
• Attend our community events
Heritage survives when it is recorded, shared and transmitted with intention.
