Contribute a Story

Aana Avanna is built on community knowledge. The most important stories about Tamil culture and diaspora life are not in libraries or archives — they are in kitchens, in family albums, in the memories of elders, and in the experiences of people who have carried their culture across borders and generations.

We want to hear from you. Below are the kinds of contributions we are actively looking for. All submissions are welcome regardless of writing experience — we can work with you to shape your story for publication.

Suitcase Stories — Tell Us One Real Memory

We are collecting the small, ordinary details of Tamil and Tamil-diaspora family life that rarely make it into history books.

Maybe it is an old suitcase that has travelled through the family, the good glasses kept in the display cabinet, cutlery still in its original box, a wedding gift nobody ever used, a VHS tape, something your parents refused to throw away, or an object that travelled between Sri Lanka and another home abroad.

You do not need to be a writer and you do not need to send us a finished article. A few sentences, rough notes, a voice note, or a photograph with the story behind it can be enough to begin.

What to include

• the object, household habit, place, sound, smell, or memory you remember;
• what you remember about it and why it mattered in your family;
• the approximate decade or period, if you know it;
• where the memory is connected to, if relevant;
• whether you would like to be credited by full name, first name only, or anonymously; and
• whether we may contact you with a few follow-up questions.

Email hello@aanaavanna.co.uk with the subject line Suitcase Stories.

Nothing will be published without agreeing the final version with you. Selected memories may be shaped into a short story, interview, or longer cultural essay. Where useful, Aana Avanna may add separately researched historical or cultural context, but your memory will remain clearly your own.

Photos and voice notes are welcome. Please only share photographs, recordings, or other material that you have permission to share. Submitting a memory does not guarantee publication.

For other contributions, email us at hello@aanaavanna.co.uk with the subject line that matches your contribution type, as listed below.

Oral Histories

Do you have a story passed down through your family — about a place, a person, a tradition, or a time? Oral histories are one of the most important forms of cultural record we have. We welcome first-person accounts, family stories, and community memories. You do not need to be a writer. You can send us a voice note, a rough draft, or a conversation — we will work with you from there.

Family Recipes

Recipes carry culture in ways that few other things do. We are building a living archive of Tamil and diaspora recipes — not just the ingredients and method, but the story behind the dish: who made it, when, and what it meant. If you have a recipe you would like to share, please include the dish name, the recipe itself, and as much of the story as you are comfortable sharing.

Migration Stories

The diaspora experience is central to what Aana Avanna is about. We welcome stories about leaving, arriving, belonging, and not belonging — from any generation and any destination. These can be your own story or one you have been given permission to share.

Photographs

Historical and personal photographs are an invaluable part of the archive we are building. If you have images — of places, people, events, or everyday life — that you would like to share or donate to the archive, please get in touch. We will always credit the source and discuss usage rights with you before publishing anything.

Community Organisations

We are building a directory of Tamil community organisations in the UK and beyond — cultural associations, temples, churches, welfare groups, arts organisations, and more. If your organisation is not yet listed, or if you know of one that should be, please send us the name, location, a brief description, and a contact or website if available.

Corrections and Local Knowledge

If you have read something on Aana Avanna that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or missing important nuance — particularly from a regional, generational, or community-specific perspective — we want to hear from you. Local and lived knowledge is exactly the kind of expertise we rely on. Please see our Corrections Policy for more detail on how we handle these reports.

Want to contribute regularly?

If you are a creator, writer, photographer, cook, researcher or storyteller who would like to publish more regularly with Aana Avanna, we are now inviting applications for our Founding Contributor Programme.