Public Forum: Making Community Theatre in Timor-Leste, February 2012

This event was directed at organisations across Timor-Leste who are interested in engaging with communities through creative processes, including participatory theatre making.  It featured theatre directors, national and international, who discussed their work making theatre in and with local communities.  Issues addressed included:

• How can we achieve artistic goals while also addressing social issues in our work?
• How can we contribute to positive community change through theatre?
• What do we need to do to be most effective?
• What are the benefits for participants and communities?  What are the challenges?

Presenters:

Emma Dawson, Angelo dos Reis Pereira and Jacinta Pereira, Ba Futuru: Theatre and peace building

Catherine Simmonds, Asialink resident, Many Hands International:  Creating community theatre

Humbelina de Jesus Kay Gandara, Director, Sanggar Haburas, Lospalos: Culture for a positive future

Maria Magdalena, Director, Nafo Fila Theatre Group, Ainaro: Community change through drama

Kim Dunphy, PhD researcher, Deakin University:  Researching participatory theatre in Timor; the contributions, the challenges and recommendations for future practice.

 

PRESENTERS

Emma Dawson, Angelo dos Reis Pereira and Jacinta Pereira, Ba Futuru. Angel and Nona are conflict resolution facilitators at Ba Futuru, and also help to run weekly drama classes for at-risk youth. Emma is an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development volunteer who has been working in conflict resolution and drama at Ba Futuru since May 2011. Emma has a Masters of Peace and Conflict studies and over 10 years experience in theatre. Ba Futuru, meaning 'for the future', is Timor-Leste’s preeminent national child protection and peace building organization. Ba Futuru's mission is to contribute to peace-building and sustainable human development by facilitating the psychosocial recovery of conflict-affected, vulnerable and at-risk children and youth, and by developing the knowledge, skills and values of community leaders, young people and their carers in the areas of human rights, children’s rights, child protection and non-violent conflict transformation.  Ba Futuru runs various activities at its Peace Center in Comoro, such as drama, art, media, public speaking, and English, to help aid at-risk youth in psycho-social development and help them create a positive future for themselves and their community.

Catherine Simmonds, theatre director, Asialink resident.  Accomplished Australian community theatre director Catherine Simmonds came to Timor-Leste as an Asialink resident to contribute her skills as a theatre maker.  In Timor she worked intensively with Nafo Filo of Ainaro and Sanggar Haburas of Lospalos, and offered skill development activities for a range of artists and community workers. Catherine is the Artistic Director of Brunswick Womens’ Theatre in Melbourne, Australia and has worked in theatre as an actor and director for more than 20 years, including time spent with Augusto Boal in his Theatre of the Oppressed in Brazil.   Catherine’s work has addressed pressing issues of our time including changing futures for indigenous people, intercultural relationships, identity and direction for young people, changing values across generations, trafficked women and domestic violence.

Humbelina de Jesus Kay Gandara is the Director of Sanggar Haburas, Humbelina is the founder and director of a well known cultural performing group from Lospalos. Previously Kay was a secondary history teacher. She established Sanggar Haburas in 2000 in acknowledgement of the vital role of culture for the positive future for communities across Timor-Leste (Timor tomak).  Kay, and her group Sanggar Haburas, were pleased recently to host Nafo Fila in an exchange visit to Lospalos where they worked together to explore new ideas.

Maria Magdalena is the Director of Nafo Fila Youth Theatre Group (Naroman foun fitan ba labarik Ainaro: New light shining like stars for the children of Ainaro) from Ainaro.  Nafo Fila has been operating in Ainaro since 2005, taking a strong focus on community change through drama. It presents social action theatre around issues of local concern in Ainaro town and districts. The group was established to provide an opportunity for positive engagement of young people in Ainaro and district. It currently has 18 members aged from 15 up to mid 30s.

Kim Dunphy, PhD researcher, Deakin University, Melbourne, and Director, Many Hands International.  Kim is completing her PhD in which she explores the role of arts in social change in Timor-Leste. She is also Director of Many Hands International, an INGO promoting cultural assets based community development, especially in regional Timor-Leste.

Can't find what you're looking for? Try viewing the site map.

Please share Many Hands International on your social networks
Receive occasional news & information
  
Your Email: