DAVID DENBOROUGH
be taken. These actions may be in relation to reclaiming their lives from effects of trauma/hardship and/or in relation to preventing further harm or injustice to themselves, their community or others. 8. The generation and performance of ‘local folk culture’ can reinvigorate local healing knowledges and local social action. If rich descriptions of people’s skills and knowledges in dealing with hardship can be transformed into local cultural mediums (written word, spoken word, song, film, dance, poetry, celebration) this makes many things possible. It can enable people to perform, witness and share within ceremonies of re-definition of identity. This process of cultural creativity can also contribute to the sustenance and reinvigoration of the language of inner life. When engaged with collectively, this process can be sustaining of what Victor Turner described as ‘communitas’ and importantly, of local social action. 9. Throughout this process we can deliberately work for what Paulo Freire referred to as ‘the invention of unity in diversity’. There is a constant responsibility to ensure that the generation of connectedness or ‘communitas’ is not accompanied by the development of new norms and normalising judgement. These approaches seek to resurrect diversity in
everyday life by consistently acknowledging the rich diversity of people’s skills, knowledges, values and hopes for life. 10. Following Freire, we can approach this work with a broad view and a long time-line. Our task becomes to generate possibilities for those affected by social issues to make meaningful contributions to others also affected by these social issues, in ways that provide relief from the effects of trauma and that build both personal and collective agency.
Enabling contribution Let me just say a little more about ‘enabling contribution’. Many of the people with whom we work have very little chance to feel as if they are making a contribution to the lives of others. They may feel hopeless, that they can’t even get their own life together, let alone offer something to someone else. The difficulties that people are facing, however, will not be theirs alone, and their experience of hardship and how they have responded to hardship can offer a contribution to others in similar or related situations. Significantly, the experience of making a contribution to the lives of others can be the catalyst to reduce the effects (or transform the nature) of the suffering in the person’s life. When the hard- won knowledge they have gained through adversity contributes to someone else who is in the midst of similar struggle, this can bring a sense that their suffering
has ‘not been for nothing’ (Myerhoff, 1982, p.111). This can spark a sense of possibility that can ripple over to other aspects of their life. In our experience, the more difficult the circumstances a community is facing, the more significant this principle becomes. So much so, that over recent years this principle has led us to reconfigure our work. People enduring significant hardship are often seen to be requiring ‘help’, ‘healing’, ‘therapy’, or ‘psychosocial support’ and it is often assumed that this ‘help’ is to be provided through professional services. But perhaps something quite different is required. Perhaps what is required is for contexts to be created in which individuals and communities who are going through hard times can make contributions to the lives of others who are going through similar difficulties. As we continue to develop new forms of narrative practice, we hope you will join us in these explorations.
REFERENCES Denborough, D. (2008): Collective Narrative Practice: Responding to individuals, groups and communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications Myerhoff, B. (1982). Life history among the elderly: Performance, visibility, and re-membering. In J. Ruby (Ed.), A crack in the mirror: Reflective perspectives in anthropology (pp.99-117). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Wingard, B. & Lester, J. (2000). Telling our stories in ways that make us stronger. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications For more information about the work of Dulwich Centre Foundation, see www.dulwichcentre.com.au/dulwich-centre-foundation.html
Dulwich Centre, Aidelaide, Australien
Gi’ LOS • 1-2013
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