Performing arts
Drama principles and protocols
2. Indigenous control
12
• T
he Black Book Directory 2005 – Indigenous
Arts & Media Directory. Published by Blackfella
Films and Australian Film Commission and
available online at <www.blackbook.afc.gov.au>.
• Blacktalent – Australia’s online directory for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts
industry practitioners. Published by Ilbijerri
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Theatre
Cooperative and available online at
<www.blacktalent.com.au>.
Sam Cook23
• Black Pages directory – Black Pages is
Indigenous people have the right to
Australia’s first and only national online
self-determination in their cultural affairs and
Indigenous Business and Community
expression of their cultural material. There are
Enterprise Directory and is available at
many ways in which this right can be respected
<www.blackpages.com.au>.
in the development and production of
•
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres
dramatic works.
Strait Islander Studies has links to a list
One significant way is for all participants in a
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
project to discuss how Indigenous control over
organisations. www.aiatsis.gov.au/library/
a project will be exercised. This raises the issue
links/atsi_links
of who can represent language groups and
If your project involves a visit to Aboriginal lands
who can give clearance of traditionally and
or outer Torres Strait Islands, you must obtain
collectively owned material.
permission from the local land council or trust,
To consult effectively and gain consent for the
or the community council concerned. For
use of Indigenous cultural material in a particular information, consult the land council in the
project, the Indigenous people with authority
region you intend to visit, or for the Torres Strait,
for specific stories, geographic locations,
contact the Torres Strait Regional Authority.
dances or performances need to be identified.
For information about language use, contact the
Speaking to the right people is very important.
Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Indigenous communities, whether regional,
Languages (FATSIL). FATSIL provides a National
urban or remote, have an infrastructure of
Indigenous Languages Directory with contacts
organisations and individuals who can advise on and profiles for language centres, universities,
a range of issues – including guidance about
TAFEs and other relevant bodies and individuals,
locating Indigenous people with authority to
listed by location at <www.fatsil.org/links/
speak for specific Indigenous cultural material.
nild.htm>.
It should never be assumed that this position will
For performing arts projects related to the
be provided freely, and in accordance with any
Torres Strait, contact Torres Strait Regional
consultation or business dealing, remuneration
Authority, <www.tsra.gov.au>.
should be considered at no less than industry
Some other useful starting points for
standard rates.
inquiries include:
For initial contacts we recommend the
• Aboriginal land councils
following directories.
Theatre companies like Yirra Yaakin put the
principle of self-determination into practice
and we are re-setting the way things are
done. We are determining the way forward.
Rather than providing people with a false
sense of Aboriginal people’s experiences,
we are finding our way forward by developing
our artistic, creative and contemporary work.
Performing arts
Drama principles and protocols
• Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination
• Indigenous media associations including
the Australian Indigenous Communications
Authority (AICA) and other Indigenous
organisations listed in the contacts section
of this guide
• Torres Strait Regional Authority
• Island Coordinating Council
• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Studies
• Indigenous unit of the Australian Film
Commission
• Indigenous theatre companies
• Indigenous language centres
• Indigenous curatorial staff at local keeping
places, state and national galleries,
museums and libraries
• relevant individuals or family members
• elders and custodians of relevant Indigenous
language groups.
Engaging Indigenous contributors
When engaging Indigenous contributors to
participate in a project, most organisations use
the definition of Aboriginal identity used by the
Australian Government as a guide. The Australia
Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
arts board requires a confirmation of Aboriginal/
Torres Strait Islander identity to be signed.
Applicants must provide a confirmation of
identity from an organisation registered under
the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act
1976 since July 2007, registered under
Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander) Act 2006, or other relevant legislation
and a declaration that they are of Aboriginal
or Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as an
Aboriginal and are accepted as such in the
community in which they live.
There are other ways to engage contributors,
especially for festivals. Refer to the First Nations
Status application developed for The Dreaming
13
Festival (see the dance section of this guide); the
application processes developed for the Garma
Festival; and the protocols of Woomera Aboriginal
Corporation, also in the dance section).
3. Communication, consultation
and consent
Indigenous people should be consulted on the
use and representations of their Indigenous
heritage and be fully informed about the
implications of consent. Consultation should
address the communal nature of Indigenous
cultural expression. Without effective consent,
misappropriation of Indigenous cultural material
may occur.
In some areas, non-Indigenous writers have
reproduced the cultural stories they hear from
Indigenous people. The stories are often retold
without seeking permission from the Indigenous
community. This is a serious breach of Indigenous
protocols and can cause real disruption and
distress in the Indigenous community that
owns the story. It is also a missed opportunity
to give space to Indigenous voices – to hear the
story told by an Indigenous person.24
The process of communication, consultation
and consent may include:
• identifying community members who have
authority to speak for the Indigenous cultural
heritage in the dramatic work
• discussions with community members,
providing information about the proposed
project, seeking consent to use the
Indigenous material, seeking guidance
on use and feedback on proposals
• accepting that the community may not
consent to the project
• ongoing discussions about the way
in which the work will be developed,
performed and presented
• clear recognition of the Indigenous
intellectual property of the work.