Exploring the use of Process Drama in dialogues on Race and Memory among black ‘Born Frees’ of South Africa

Abstract

This research project examines the use of Process Drama in creating dialogue about race and memory among Black Born Frees in South Africa. Process Drama was used as a dialogue facilitation tool, which involved both participants and a facilitator in role. The study further unpacks how process drama impacted participants’ attitudes on race and memory. Reflective practice is employed to interrogate how Process Drama creates empathy, to enable reflection on lived experiences, to lead to an examination of stereotypes around race and memory through constructive dialogue. The research focuses on the facilitation of improvised, episodic scenes and creation of images structured around themes of race and memory leading to post 1994 democratic South Africa. From the facilitation process, it emerged that improvisation in the dramatic action enables dialogue by allowing the participants to raise each other’s awareness by sharing various perspectives and understandings. Using a Process Recording as a tool for analysing the facilitator in action the paper makes a case for performative writing as way to present the process and findings of the research. The method of allowing the participants voices to be heard and validated began a process of healing psychological and emotional wounds among the black born frees.