Muslim Narratives and Lives in Newfoundland and Labrador Community Project Fonds
**Note: Stay tuned for additions to this page as we continue to add more information and archival items**
The Muslim Narratives and Lives in Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL in NL) Community Project was developed by Memorial University Religious Studies'
Faculty member, Dr. Jennifer Selby from 2020-31 March 2023. The MNL in NL was funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada's
(SSHRC) Partnership Engage Program, a J.R. Smallwood Foundation Grant, and a Memorial University Public Engagement Accelerator Fund, and operates in
consultation with the Muslim In Canada Archive (MiCA), the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (MANAL), and Memorial University's Queen
Elizabeth Library's Archives and Special Collections. Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk has worked as project coordinator and as a liaison with the MANAL, and
Ms. Colleen Quigley has served as MNL in NL archivist.
The MNL in NL had two goals: to collect the stories of self-identified Muslims in the province, as well as create an archival repository relating to
the experience of the province's Muslims. Twenty-two oral history interviews were conducted by Selby and Akinturk between November 2020 and February
2021. Eleven interviews took place in-person at the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Learning (CITL) studio at Memorial University's St. John's
campus, and the other eleven interviewees were conducted online over the video web conferencing program, Zoom. Interviewees also donated a small selection
of archival materials. MNL in NL has a website (https://www.nlmuslimlives.ca/) and social media
presence (https://www.instagram.com/muslim_nl_nl/) as well as plans for a book.
Project Team Members:
Dr. Jennifer Selby (1977-) educator and scholar was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Educated at the University of Winnipeg, Bachelor of
Arts Honours (1999); Queen's University, Master of Arts (2002); McMaster University, Ph.D (2007) and Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard
University (2008). Selby was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship (2007 and 2018), and has been awarded several SSHRC grants as primary investigator.
From 2008-present Selby has been a professor of religious studies at Memorial University, as is cross-appointed to the Department of Political
Science and affiliated with the Department of Gender Studies. Selby describes her research interests as examinations of “contemporary secularism's
contradictions and contingencies through the lenses of Muslim Canadian and French experiences, with particular attention to its relationships to
post-coloniality and gender.” Selby serves on the Anti-Racism Coalition of NL, co-leads the Addressing Islamophobia in Newfoundland and Labrador
community project, co-chairs the Anthropology of Religion section for the American Academy of Religion, as well as serves on the executive of the
Canadian Corporation for the Study of Religion. She was awarded the HSS Dean's Award for Distinguished Scholarship in 2020 and the President's
Award for Outstanding Research in 2021, both at Memorial University. Selby is the Primary Investigator of the MNL in NL community project.
Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk (1969- ) researcher and community volunteer was born in Istanbul, Turkiye where she lived and worked until
settling down in Canada in 2001. Akinturk graduated from Notre Dame de Sion French High School in Istanbul (1988). She earned Bachelor of Arts
(Economics) from Istanbul University (1992), Master of Arts (International Political Economy) from Victoria University of Manchester (1993), Master
of Arts (Development Economics) from University of Warwick (2000), and Ph.D (Political Science) from Carleton University (2011). Akinturk received
British Council Graduate Scholarship (1992), Jean Monnet Graduate Fellowship (1999) and Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador Postdoctoral
Fellowships (2013, 2020-2022). Her research and community work focus on fostering intercultural / interfaith understanding and building anti-racist,
socially-just and culturally-safe systems where non-Western paradigms and Muslim voices have their due space as assets and facilitators of positive
change. She serves/d in various community organizations and projects including the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (MANAL), St. John's
Local Immigration Partnership Council, City of St. John's Anti-Racism Working Group, and Addressing Islamophobia in Newfoundland and Labrador. As a
Canadian Muslim living in St. John's, she writes fictional stories and opinion pieces reflecting her experiences and perspectives on Muslim life in
Canada. Akinturk is the Coordinator of MNL in NL Project and the liaison with the Project's community partner - the MANAL.
Colleen Quigley (1980-) archivist was born 23 November 1980 at St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Quigley was educated at Brinton
Memorial (1988-1993), MacPherson Junior High School (1993-1995), Booth Memorial (1995-1998) and earned Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) from York
University (2003), English Major from Memorial University (2005) and a Masters of Library Science (Archives) from University of Toronto (2009).
Quigley has worked as a performer, dance instructor and choreographer in Newfoundland and the Netherlands (2003-2019). Quigley is an active member of
various professional archives associations (ACA, SIBMAS, ANLA, AABC, SAA) and has volunteered on a variety of arts organizations including Kittiwake
Dance Theatre and Dance Collection Dans. Quigley worked as archivist at Canada's National Ballet School (2008-2010) prior to taking role as Performing
Arts Archivist at Memorial Libraries' Archives and Special Collections--ASC (2010-present) with additional responsibilities as Head of ASC. Quigley is
the archivist for MNL.
Interviewees
Kassem Abouchehade
Interview Subject: An Oral History Interview with Mr. Kassem Abouchehade
Date: January 19, 2021
Location: Zoom
Length: 1:08:43
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Rebecca Brennen and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Ayhan Akinturk
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Ayhan Akinturk
Date: November 20, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 48:58
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk, Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Barbara dos Santos
Interview Transcription
Ms. Eman Ahmed
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Ms. Eman Ahmed
Date: November 19, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 28 :57
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Ousmane Diallo and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Yusuf Babatunde
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Yusuf Babatunde
Date: December 22, 2020
Location: Zoom
Length: 1:00:00
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Benjamin Stanley and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Aatif Baskanderi
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Mr. Aatif Baskanderi
Date: December 28, 2020
Location: Zoom
Length: 53:28
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Benjamin Stanley and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Ms. Soraya Carrim
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Ms. Soraya Carrim
Date: November 18, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 40:10
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Najia Mahjabin and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Ms. Mona El-Tahan
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Ms. Mona El-Tahan
Date: November 18, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 56:53
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Benjamin Stanley and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Mr. Yassir El-Tahan
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Mr. Yassir El-Tahan
Date: November 20, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 34:42
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk, Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Ousmane Diallo
Interview Transcription
Dr. Mahmoud Haddara
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Mahmoud Haddara
Date: December 16, 2020
Location: Zoom
Length: 01:02:47
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Benjamin Stanley and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Azza Hamed
Interview Subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Azza Hamed
Date: February 17, 2021
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 55:03
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Rebecca Brennen
Interview Transcription
Mr. Kamrul Islam
Interview Subject: An Oral History Interview with Mr. Kamrul Islam
Date: November 16, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 29:01
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Tasfia Sara Tasneem and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Mr. Haseen Khan
Interview Subject : An Oral History Interview with Mr. Haseen Khan
Date : 12 January, 2021
Location : Zoom
Length : 01:02:08
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Shohdy Alserwy and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Abdel Salam Mesbah
Interview Subject: Abdel Salam Mesbah (accompanied by Louise Mesbah)
Date: December 17, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 1:24 :03
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Rebecca Brennen
Interview Transcription
Talat Mian
Interview Subject: An Oral History Interview with Ms. Talat Mian
Date: February 11, 2021
Location: Zoom
Length: 1:01:07
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Rebecca Brennen and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Dilshad Mithani
Interview Subject: Dr. Dilshad Mithani
Date: December 18, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 1:13:15
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk, Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Jessica Gibson
Interview Transcription
Dr. Muhammad Nazir
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Muhammad Nazir
Date: November 18, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 32:02
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Transcription: Najia Mahjabin and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Dr. Abdel-Zaher Kamal Abdel Razek
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Abdel-Zaher Kamal Abdel Razek
Date: November 20, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 48:18
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Transcription: Ousmane Diallo
Interview Transcription
Dr. Sobia Shaheen Shaikh
Interview subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Sobia Shaheen Shaikh
Date: November 19, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 50:44
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Barbara Dos Santos and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Farhana Siddiqi
Interview Subject: An Oral History Interview with Ms. Farhana Siddiqi
Date: November 19, 2020
Location: CITL Studio, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Length: 30:38
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk, Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Tasfia Sara
Interview Transcription
Dr. Wasi Ullah
Interview Subject: An Oral History Interview with Dr. Wasi Ullah (audio-accompanied by his daughter Ms. Sofia Wasi Usmani)
Date: January 13, 2021
Location: Zoom
Length: 1 :02 :03
Interviewer: Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk and Dr. Jennifer Selby
Transcription: Shohdy Alserwy and Dr. Ayse Sule Akinturk
Interview Transcription
Related website:
www.nlmuslimlives.ca
www.manal.ca