Subud Historical Society Approved By The World Subud Association In Partnership With The Guerrand-Hermes Foundation
By Matthew Clark
A Subud Historical Society has been approved as a partnership between WSA/ISC (International Subud Committee) and the Guerrand-Hermes Foundation for Peace (GHFP), a UK charity founded and operated by Subud members. The GHFP supports Subud Publications International (SPI) and global social projects, including at Amanecer and Subud Congo. (Go to https://ghfp.org/ for more information).
WSA Chair Rifka Several observed, “WSA, ISC, the GHFP and our archivists collaborated in a process to achieve an MOU that was approved by the World Subud Council. The Historical Society is seen as an extension of the WSA archives as we work together to both preserve and make available our Subud materials."
We believe that this is an important undertaking for the legacy of Subud and its founder Muhammad Subuh; we look forward to working with the WSA, and Subud historians and archivists the world over. The vision of the Society encompasses more than a retrospective look back into Subud’s past; its projects will chronicle and seek to carry forward the vibrancy of Subud’s past into the present and future.
The Historical Society is a convergence of two projects. The first is the WSA History of Subud Project led by Amalijah Thompson and Rashidah Pope with Sandra Creemers and Ridwan Lowther. This work has been dedicated to revising, adapting, completing, and republishing the foundational Subud History trilogy written by Harlinah Longcroft.
The second is the proposed Subud History Society (USA), which was to be led by Garrett Thomsom, Matthew Clark, Lucas Boladian, Daniela Moneta, and others. This initiative arose in conjunction with creating the Amani Archive Center and the Subud USA Archives Council.
The new Society will work with Subud Archives in Canberra, Washington DC, Cilandak, and elsewhere. Archives focus on collecting, preserving, and providing managed access to archival material, while a Historical Society uses the source material from archives to create histories. Archives and Historical Societies are traditionally seen as separate but complementary.
The GHFP will provide some funding, supplemented by interested Subud donors and eventually sales. The initial Historians will be Amalijah (WSA Archivist), Rashidah (WSA Archivist), Daniela (WSA Archivist), Garrett (GHFP CEO, Professor of Philosophy; author of 25+ books) and Matthew (author of the Subud Bibliography, avid collector, Digital Archives Specialist). The Society will be run by an Executive Team and will be directed by a Board of Trustees, which will include a representative(s) of WSA and the GHFP.
Persons wishing to support the Society as a donor, historian, archivist, or with operational skills (writing/publishing, office/website) should please email mmclark@ofcounselink.com.