CORANDERRK: WE WILL SHOW THE COUNTRY

“With lessons to be learnt at so many levels – historical, social, language and geographical – this play should be compulsory reading in high schools across Australia.” – Australian Stage

VICTORIA, 1881: the men and women of the ‘Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve’ take on the Board for the Protection of Aborigines in a fight for justice, dignity and self-determination. For the first time, we bring back to life Coranderrk’s voices – both black and white – through a theatrical re-enactment of their official testimonies before the 1881 Government Inquiry into Coranderrk.

CORANDERRK: We Will Show the Country unites the power of oral history and the authority of the written-word to forge a personal connection with the voices of the past; allowing key figures such as William Barak and several of the men and women of Coranderrk to speak directly to a contemporary audience.

Not a story of “black vs white”, CORANDERRK 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 make their voice loud and clear; whilst also celebrating the spirit of friendship, and the power of genuine collaboration, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

ILBIJERRI acknowledges the support of the Australian Research Council and the Minutes of Evidence Project (LP110200054).

MORE INFO: ILBIJERRI Theatre Company info@ilbijerri.trueserver.com.au