Northern Ireland Archive
Tape Name
Neil Jarman Belfast Mural Tour 2002
Files
Date of Film
2002-05-25
Description
Anthropologist Neil Jarman explains interface zones and tells how they generate conflict. The tape then provides a mural tour of the many murals on walls of the Lower Shankill Estates housing project where there are graphic, Protestant paramilitary murals. The tour then moves on to the Catholic New Lodge neighborhood and provides a view of Catholic murals that are very different from the Protestant ones in terms of content and style.
Keywords
interface; peace walls; Ulster Volunteer Force; Ulster Defense Association; Lower Shankill Estates; Shankill Road; Falls Road; commemorative murals; paramilitary murals; Institute for Conflict Research; New Lodge (neighborhood); Iron Maiden mural; peace lines; peace walls
Subject/ Interviewee
Neil Jarman
Topics covered
Theoretical presentation of the concept of interface zones coupled with graphic illustrations of the idea from the location of the lecture. Presentation of the dense collection of murals in the Lower Shankill Estates housing project and images of the collecting of tires and other flamable materials that will be used in July 11 bonfires. Traveling up Shankill Road we see sharp contrast in mural styles between the Ulster Defense Association (UDA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) as the bus crosses their interface zone. Presentation of Catholic murals in the New Lodge neighborhood, explaining the different style and intent of Catholic murals in contrast to Protestant murals.
Video characteristics
Content of this tape is very important but Jarman's voice is often unclear and it also is often drowned out by traffic noise. Pictures are not very good because most of them are from inside the bus. As Jarman talks about sites outside, the camera swivels attempting to find the images being described. This further compromises sound. We do get to see many murals, however, and one does get a sense of the density of murals at the site and of the graphic character of the murals.