Guest Speaking
The great gift of being asked to speak to people is that you remember heaps about your life. When I give talks I sift through and pick out the bits that shine in the light of that moment.Like having a pet lamb and two sheep dogs as best friends growing up in a remote area of western Queensland and being taught correspondence school by my mother.Or discovering poetry as an adolescent trapped in boarding school, eight hours drive from home.Or creating theatre events in different parts of Australia and finally crossing the world following the northern migration of an Eastern Curlew wading bird.Or being inspired to write my first book by a black-crocheted-bikini-wearing-ninety-year-old and a pool full of older women.Or travelling with Boori Monty Pryor in his homeland of North Queensland, being with his mum and dad and aunties and uncles and cousins and nieces and nephews and learning something of his indigenous culture, the oldest continuous living culture in the world.
Boori and I often get invited to speak together to groups.A highlight of 2001 was flying to Alice Springs and then driving out to The Rock visiting Imampa and Ulara communities on the way and the school at Mutitijulu right there in the shadow of the biggest monolith in the world. Boori and I were learning as much or more than we were teaching and felt very grateful to be invited to these special places.
Writing Workshops
The workshops I like to give are for adults or for students - tertiary, secondary or upper primary. After sixteen years directing theatre, I mix some theatre skills and techniques into the workshops to stir the creative energies. Oral storytelling and working collaboratively usually feature in the workshops as well.
In fourth term, 2001, I spent five days at Taylors Lakes Primary School. I was inspired by the great writing the students were doing.Facilitation
Arts groups as diverse as the Women's Circus, Regional Arts Victoria, Shire Councils, Circus Oz, street-theatre performing groups and the Arts Industry Council have invited me to facilitate meetings or conference sessions. This work often involves reviewing performance objectives, setting future goals and directions, planning and invigorating aspects of organisation or practice.
copyright meme mcdonald 2002
