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The performance based research project entitled,
"Listening: Indigenous Stories from the Central Coast"
is an interdidisciplinary project which emanated from the work
of the "Umulliko Darkinjung Research Working Group"
(UDRWG). The UDRWG was founded in 2000 with membership drawn from
the Dakinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, Umulliko Indigenous
Higher Education Research Centre, local community organizations,
various government departments, the Gosford City Library and students.
It is chaired by Associate Professor Nerida Blair, and is charged
with the task of researching Darkinjung histories.
In June 2002, the UDRWG invited Dr.Jocelyn McKinnon,
Drama Lecturer from the School of Humanities, to participate in
the groups research processes via the medium of performance. Performance
was felt to be a more appropriate cultural medium for publishing
Indigenous knowledges than the written text. To this effect, Dr.
McKinnon initiated a project that has involved interviewing local
Indigenous peoples currently living on the Central Coast (Darkinjung
country) to share their life stories as the basis for a performance
text. The performance text, simply titled, 'Listening" uses
the 'actual' words of the interviewees (storytellers) to construct
the text.
Dr. McKinnon has worked with a Steering Committee
of all Indigenous peoples from the community and the university
to facilitate this project. The project has received funding from
an Early Researchers Grant, the Gosford City Council and the Theatre
Board of the Australia Council of the Arts. An all Indigenous
local cast is currently in rehearsal under the Artistic Direction
of Dr.McKinnon and the expert choreography of Francoise Angeneiux.
"Listening: Indigenous Stories from the
Central Coast" will be performed at "The Hangar",
Glen Road, Ourimbah on Thurs. 17th, Fri.18th and Sat.19th June,
commencing at 8.00pm. Admission is free of charge.
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