| Description | An interview with Carlos MUNOZ, a married man with one son, one daughter, who is a Musician, born in Chile and now living in B irmingham. Carlos MUNOZ’s father was a Clerk, born in Chile and his mother a Housewife born in Chile. In the interview, he talks about …
'MS2255/2/057 Munoz, Carlos, logged by Lorraine Blakemore
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I happen to be Chilean and I was born in 1953… Family were well off, father worked as a clerk for a shipping company.
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Describes primary school and secondary school. Modelled on French school system. Still meets with schoolfriends.
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Studied at university to prepare for a career in Customs and Excise.
2.12 Studied at Universidad de Chile.
3.40 Discusses political and social changes in Chile in early 1970s.
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Family’s own political beliefs.
1.36 Nominated as Head of Chair of Left Socialism at the college.
2.18 Explains the events leading up to the coup of 1973.
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Finished studies in December 1974 and started work in 1975. Arrested in May of that year. For more than a month he was technically a disappeared person. Detained in prison. Family contacted international organisations.
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Many people broken by torture. Anecdote about friend who was tortured.
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During coup the British Embassy was the only European embassy that would not allow refugees into their compound. For the first time a programme was opening in 1975 to allow Chileans into the UK…I came in 1977…some non-governmental organisations…they were very important in bringing people here…..
2.49 Surprised to see black people in England. Already knew he was coming to Birmingham because of links with Aston University.
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Necessity of learning English.
34” I arrived in Birmingham in mid 1977….former university lecturer was already working in Birmingham. I happened to know someone who was in prison with me and together we found a place…in the Sparkbrook area. We were very broke, with the basic allowance, but thankful to be alive.
3.00 We thought we should do our best to integrate ourselves….to this society.
4.47 About Birmingham: When I knew it was the second city I thought, “oh great, lots of concerts, music”. And I was disappointed when I arrived because I couldn’t understand why everything went dead by 11 o’clock at night….
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Continues to describe initial impression of the city.
1.12 Joined the CBSO Chorus. Great passion for music.
2.41 It was very shortly after I joined the Birmingham Bach choir. And the problem I had there, I found the type of people, they were all very professional people- it wasn’t quite the setting for a refugee trying to find his way….
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Advised to study English at Selly Oak College because of quality of the course. Describes process of learning English.
3.15 Anecdote about how he met wife in 1978.
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Became associated with a couple of other Chileans and opened a restaurant in Selly Oak called Los Andes. The food was fresh, it wasn’t pretentious, but the atmosphere was absolutely great. The only thing is, at that time we started a family and I found it really difficult, because catering is not just a 9-5 job, it’s an absolute way of life….
3.25 We realised after having our first child that it would be in everyone’s best interests if one of us would stay with our new-born baby in 1984.
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Interest in Chile in early 80s meant that he was invited to perform at functions.
1.15 There was plenty of time to share the 2 activities of childcare and this slow build up of a musical enterprise….already in 1987 we were performing at WOMAD…and at the same time there was the arrival of a second child at home…
2.54 In 1990 after having the experience of having the restaurant before, I started a part-time job that would complement my music at the Co-Operative Development Agency…I greatly enjoyed using my experience to help others…
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By 1995 the CDA decided, that’s it ,no more. They withdrew the funding, and job gone!
23” In 1996 I had a little bit of a health warning that forced a career move….I ended up doing my music teaching qualification at UCE…
Interesting impressions of the teaching profession.
4.34 I still hold a Chilean passport….don’t want to change that, but at the same time, happy and well involved in the matters of the city….they gave me refuge when I need it and that’s something you don’t forget…
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My children are English, my wife is English….
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Importance of music in his life. History of his band Caliche. The name is the aboriginal word for saltpetre. Became professional established group around 1986.
2.44 Assisted by West Midland Arts to enable purchase of instruments. Particular help from Dorothy Wilson.
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Wife’s job as a teacher provided stability, career progression so he decided to stay at home. Because of my nature, having the children around gave me a lot of chance to meet people in the community. Again I wasn’t the only man looking after children at the time…I was enjoying that period…I had an allotment at the time…the children got a lot out of that…
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Anecdote about a conversation with a woman who commented on Carlos’ “Europeaness” .
2.22 Bringing up mixed-race children.
3.11 Children’s identity.
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Reflects on his political views in the past and today.
2.45 Voting system in Chile compared with UK.
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Views on Birmingham.
38” I have welcomed very much all the great changes in Birmingham….everytime someone has visited me from South America I feel really good about taking them around Birmingham. Before, let’s go to Stratford…Lists the areas visited.
1.41 Describes the former West Midland’s Transport Office.
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The situation of refugees and asylum seekers.
ENDS. |