A special, one-off performance staged on Country, at Coranderrk itself, on the very land where many witnesses at the Coranderrk Parliamentary Inquiry gave evidence 134 years ago.
Coranderrk: We Will Show The Country pays tribute to the resilience and adaptability of a people who rose to the challenge despite all odds, appropriating the power of the written word and white political discourse to demand justice, while also celebrating the spirit of friendship and genuine collaboration between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Not a story of ‘black vs. white’, it offers a lesson in justice that still holds today.Journey with Uncle Jack Charles, Jim Daly, Syd Brisbane, Glenn Shea, David Paterson, Greg Fryer, Pauline Whyman, Peter Finlay and Liz Jones through verbatim re-enactments. Brought to life are key passages from testimonies, letters and petitions of 20 witnesses (nine of them Aboriginal) who gave evidence at the 1881 Parliamentary Coranderrk Inquiry. From the Wurundjeri clan-head William Barak, who led the Coranderrk community, to the members of the Board for the Protection of Aborigines, who sought to undermine it.
Pre-performance: A unique culinary tasting will be offered by Charcoal Lane. Please arrive early. Charcoal Lane will be providing tasting plates at 5.30pm. Gates close 6.15pm to allow for parking and walking to stage.
Post-performance: find out how this story continues today as the descendants of William Barak talk about plans to develop and rejuvenate Coranderrk into a self-supporting farming community, thereby fulfilling the dream Barak and the Coranderrk residents fought to achieve in their own lifetime.
Where: Barak Lane, Coranderrk
Cost: Full $25 Concession $18
Bookings: Online or Phone 03 9347 6142
Running Time: Approx. 120 min (including pre and post show discussion)
Other Special Conditions:
- This will be an outdoor event
- BYO food & alcohol (restrictions apply), picnic rugs and chairs. Please note there will be no food vans.
- No umbrellas
- All weather event
- Event will be cancelled on a Fire Ban CODE RED day. Please check La Mama Website & Facebook close to the day for updates.
- Please take your rubbish home
- Limited parking, please car pool if you can
- Please note, this event will be filmed
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La Mama
http://lamama.com.au/coranderrk
Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country was first presented at La Mama Courthouse in 2010. Back by popular demand, La Mama is delighted to present this re-staging of the original reading of this very important work, on Country at Coranderrk where this story belongs.
By Giordano Nanni and Andrea James. Based on the original 2010 production directed by Rachael Maza. Original design by Bronwyn Pringle