Paper short abstract

My presentation will be on a workshop on ethnographic theatre I conducted at Joy House, Mae Sot on the meaning of home. Based on storytelling, the participants took the performance into their own hands by writing a script about stories of memory, painful loss, and new beginnings.

Paper long abstract

My presentation will be on a workshop on ethnographic theatre I conducted at Joy House, Mae Sot, in January 2025, on the meaning of home. Based on storytelling, the participants of my workshop took the performance into their own hands by writing a wonderful script about stories of memory, pain, and loss, about the talisman, and new beginnings at the community center Joy House- a place by Burmese for Burmese. My presentation is about the way democracy and human rights activists from Myanmar imagine home and leaving behind the role of being a victim/ refugee. Performing allowed participants to be visible, reclaim dignity, and tell the painful story of Myanmar in a performative way. Creating powerful images about home, the participants experimented with mixed media and other forms, including political performances and podcasts. Moving from biographical theatre to Forumtheatre, the participants creatively used videorecording to speak out about their lives interrupted by wartime, to a Burmese audience. Becoming the “fireflies”, young people in Mae Sot took their fate into their own hands, moving from traumatic experiences to artistic production. The presentation will delve into creating an ethno-drama based on the storytelling of actors. Through documentary, I aim to demonstrate how the community of practice is fostered by the performing arts to promote recognition, hope, and a life of dignity.