Privileging Aboriginal voices: Applied theatre as a transformative process for Aboriginal Australian youth

Poor rates of school completion combined with high rates of imprisonment mean that at least half the Indigenous young people in Australia are under-achieving, and are at risk of a future characterized by extreme disadvantage and disconnection from the mainstream. This research stemmed from an invitation from Indigenous elders to a non-Indigenous teaching artist experienced in intercultural drama and theatre, and began with a broad concern about how to reconnect disaffected Indigenous youth with education. Immersed in a new and unfamiliar cultural, social, political and environmental context, I developed a deeper understanding of Indigenous perspectives on partnerships, relationships and cultural safety, facilitated by the young people’s participation and the involvement of elders in three applied theatre projects. I found it necessary to adapt my approach to incorporate the making of short films as a medium of storytelling and as an initiative of the young people.