Centre of the Storm: In Search of

Centre of the Storm is a series of performances-rituals embarked upon from 1998 to 2000 as a way of discovering how to bring ancestral stories and ritual into the past and present story of Australia, and by so doing begin to develop a spirituality that has meaning in this country and recognises the long and enduring story of First Nations peoples. [1] “These histories were swirling around us unspoken as we sipped our tea and Jane continued: ‘If you are not connected with your ancestors, if you are not honouring of them, then it won’t be possible for me to trust you, for us to work together.’ ‘But what if my ancestors’ actions caused profound harm to your people?’ I asked. ‘You must still find a way to connect with them, to acknowledge them. You will find a way.””   [2] CONTENTS Posts Women and the Land BEGINNINGS: Midwinter stories ARRIVAL: Spring Stories  SURVIVAL: A Summer story PASSAGE:  An Autumn Story Pages Centre of the Storm : Thesis Introduction Midwint...

Introduction and Contents BEGINNINGS – in search of origins, ancestors and their beliefs, stories and cultural practice. Performed at PCL Exhibitionists, 1999, Gadigal country Masks, costumes and artwork by I. Kindness Performance of ancestral stories from the North …of origin…of creation…of Cessair…of the Norns... [1] dance, music and ritual the work of the bards, filidh , seanchai , ollamh , druids, sharmans and seers of my heritage and remembering with love my ancestors, Elizabeth Pulley and Eliza Ann Miller Final story: “ There is a building, a monument, a tomb, on a hill overlooking a river in Ireland... Once surrounded by smaller domestic buildings, shelters, hearths, pits, signs of life over 4,000 years ago.   The door has been sealed shut with heavy stone slaps In front a large stone decorated with spirals in two’s and three’s and a mark indicating the direction of the door             Behind another ...

The following was written in 1998 as part of university studies and served as the text for a video as well as a directional arrow for the reading, series of performances, and analysis which comprised my thesis, Centre of the Storm .   Written spontaneously in response to artwork by I. Kindness ( Mat meets gloss.   PCL Exhibitionists, Sydney, 1998) [1] , the poem was driven by years of questioning my ancestral story in the context of the colonisation of Australia and the impact this had on the First Peoples.   Details of this process can be found in the thesis Introduction , especially the sections Less Than Half the Story and Performance as Religious Expression and Political Action . Introduction and Contents WOMEN AND THE LAND (filmed on Gadigal and Dharug  land) (All photos are of A. Maie and artwork by I. Kindness)   Women and the Land Women on the Land Women in the Land   Tread softly dear heart Each step a mark.....an imprint ...