Tape Letters

About 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.

Publisher

Modus Arts

Category

history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Feb 2024

Latest episode

20 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Jan 2025

   TL Scotland 4: FAST FORWARD

   “Other things came, like telephones, and they stopped the tapes.” Generations of Scottish-Pakistanis sent and received Tape Letters, before new means of communication took over: from email to instant messaging, video calls to voice notes. This episode explores evolving technology. How does it impact the use of language, and linguistic identities? “Ask the younger children! What does it mean to be Pakistani for them, through their lens?” Episode credits Contributors: Kausar Ilyas, Asghar Mohammed, Mohammed Khan, Nadira Saddiq, Khadijah Khurram, Suriaya Hussain, Izaz Ur Rahman, Mirza Muhammad Saeed, Naila Waseem, Mohammed Farooq, Nazia Majid, Nassir Ellahi, Parveen Sajid, Rehana Ahmad, Khalida Hussain Cassette tape donors: Mohammed Ishaq, Khadijah Khurram, Rehana Ahmad Project director: Wajid Yaseen Podcast presenter: Tabassum Niamat Podcast production & sound design: Steve Urquhart (https://www.listentosteve.com/) Tape Letters Scotland (https://tapeletters.com/scotland/) is a Modus Arts (https://www.modusarts.org/) project, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

2. 

   20 Jan 2025

   TL Scotland 2: REWIND

   “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 (https://www.listentosteve.com/) Tape Letters Scotland (https://tapeletters.com/scotland/) is a Modus Arts (https://www.modusarts.org/) project, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

3. 

   20 Jan 2025

   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 (https://www.listentosteve.com/) Tape Letters Scotland (https://tapeletters.com/scotland/) is a Modus Arts (https://www.modusarts.org/) project, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

4.4 / 5

7 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

69

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact Tape Letters

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.