Performing arts
Drama principles and protocols
It is common practice to require actors to
take on the role of cultural advisors in the
development of authentic and appropriate
dialogue and themes. It is more appropriate
to engage a cultural consultant who is paid
to undertake this work, rather than expect
actors to fulfil both roles.
Indigenous actors get used as cultural
consultants all the time. They are told: ‘You
know about your community ’. In effect they
are asked to double as consultants. For
instance, if they see faults in the script or set
design, if they feel that it is not authentic or the
scene makes them feel uncomfortable, they
tend to come up with suggestions to make
it more ‘culturally appropriate’.
Indigenous actors are paid and credited with
acting, but they are doing the job of actor/
scriptwriter/cultural and community consultant.38
The collaborative nature of performance means
that many people contribute to the work.
Performers may have strong ideas on character
development and styles of performance.
In a practical sense, it may be too difficult to
accommodate all suggestions.
Wesley Enoch says:
It is still the writer who has to choose what to
take on and what to reject in their pursuit of a
better script/performance… As a course of
action, the employment of a cultural consultant
as a single focus point is the best option.39
Performance of a dramatic work
The context in which a dramatic work is
performed is very important to the authenticity
and integrity of the work. For instance, when
performing a song or other cultural material in
an Indigenous language, it is important to
establish the nature of the song, know what
it is about and perform it in its correct context.
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Helen Anu says:
Performing a song in the wrong context
can ridicule that work. There are many songs
that are not appropriate to be performed
at a political venue or meeting, for instance.40
Case study: Marrugeku Company
Impact of context on a performance
We think very carefully about the ways our
work is presented also. We turn down a lot
of touring work we get offered if the context
for presenting the work is not appropriate.
We have found that particularly in Europe
there is an ‘exotifying’ of Indigenous
culture. We don’t go unless we feel that the
presenter has enough understanding to
contextualise the work properly. We feel
that is a big part of our responsibility. We
take on how the work is seen and toured,
how it is contextualised, when it is shown
and where it is shown.41
Integrity
Integrity is an important aspect of the treatment
of original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic
works. It is also important for any copies that
are made of them. Performances will often
include aspects of all four types of works.
Under the Copyright Act, the moral right of
protection for integrity provides a right of
protection for individual authors against
inappropriate treatment of their work. For
example, unauthorised sampling of Indigenous
music may alter the original meaning of the
work and infringe the author’s moral rights.
Maintaining the integrity of a work is important
for the creators, but integrity of performance
is also very important for the Indigenous
communities where the performance includes
traditional dance, story, song or art which is of
special cultural significance to the community
where it originates. Unfortunately, there is no
Performing arts
Drama principles and protocols
legal remedy yet for a community as a whole if
traditional material is subjected to inappropriate
treatment. A legal remedy may be introduced
by the Indigenous Communal Moral Rights
Amendment to the Copyright Act, which is
currently proposed by the Australian Government.
See the section on Indigenous communal
moral rights in this guide. At present, individual
creators can exercise their moral right of
integrity in their copyright material.
Comment: Yirra Yaakin Noongar Theatre
When a non-Indigenous company licenses
production of a work developed by an
Indigenous theatre company, it is very
important that protocols are put in place for
the use of the work. For instance, our first
performance of a new work is for the
Indigenous people the work is about.
When a new company subsequently
performs the work, the same Indigenous
people should be shown the work and
invited to make suggestions about the new
production. This is essential to ensure that
the authenticity and integrity of the work
is maintained.
The protocols need to recognise that when
a non-Indigenous company licenses the
use of an Indigenous work, they are not
just buying the performance rights; they
are required to engage with the Aboriginal
community. The theatre company that
originally developed the work needs
recognition for their role in facilitating
the engagement.42
Comment: Ilbijerri Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Theatre Co-operative
Maintaining the integrity of
an Indigenous voice is central
to the work of Ilbijerri
We are conscious that funding bodies need
to see box office numbers, product and
financial returns. Our challenge is to fulfil
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those requirements while at the same time,
keeping true to our core values, working
in an Indigenous way and maintaining an
Indigenous voice.43
Authenticity
Giving proper consideration to authenticity
and integrity means respecting any customary
law or cultural obligations associated with the
work. These include gender, correct language,
sensitivity to the context of the work’s
performance, and respecting cultural norms
in promotional material (such as posters).
Proper regard to these factors will help protect
the Indigenous cultural property from misuse
or exploitation.
In the Torres Strait, for instance, phrases or
accents are distinctive among certain Island
language groups. Respect for authenticity and
integrity would require acknowledgement and
consultation on the form to be adopted in
performance.44 The use of the Dhari, the Torres
Strait Island traditional headdress, would
require permission, proper consultation and
respect for authentic use in any performance.45
Many Aboriginal theatre companies strive to
ensure their work and work practices embrace
Indigenous practices.
Case study: Ilbijerri Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Theatre
Co-operative
Ilbijerri is committed to ongoing development
of Indigenous ways of working. Why have
an Indigenous Theatre Co-op if we are just
emulating mainstream theatre? We should
be constantly challenging mainstream theatre
concepts. One of the ways we do this is by
writing as a team. So while the playwright
has the final say in the creative product,
having a team of playwrights working