Words and Meaning
This is the year that I suddenly realized I had to do something.
I had positioned myself and The Global Theatre Project to work within the conversation about international relationships and to make inquiries as to what that meant. . . But that word. . . ‘relationships’. . . was too easy off the tongue. And without really specific inquiry, it is only a word.
We use it quite often. I use it all the time when talking about The Global Theatre Project. Our relationships abroad, the relationship between American and international artists, the relationships between students and the local residents, the relationship between our projects and the community. But when I look at what I have been saying and writing, I see that, without stepping first into a very deep inquiry, it is almost generic and meaningless.
But how do we take a word like ‘relationship’ and expand our understanding of it? I guess by stepping more profoundly into our own self. By looking at how we view ourself in the world, acknowledging the borders we have created in order to define that view and then taking a look at who (and what) we are comfortable allowing inside them. For our sense of safety.
Once seeing this…. then I can’t ignore this consistent theme which reappears throughout our inaugural year. Which is…… the concept of ‘the other.’
There are so many of ‘them’, aren’t there? And the more we allow ourselves to accept it when we are told that there is a ‘they’ which exists, it keeps us from creating authentic relationships when we actually come face-to-face with one of ‘them.’ Categorizing individuals into groups and territories certainly seems like a long-term human pastime. One that, frankly, I have not understood from the moment I was a child.
But, of course, that has never kept me from engaging in this pastime. I see, clearly, where my prejudices are rooted, where my thoughts and opinions come from. I believed when I was told that there was a ‘they’ out there which I should fear. And for years, I did fear them. Certainly September 11th brought that into strong relief for many Americans. I also held my ancestral, tribal, cultural beliefs that the enemies of the Jews were my enemies. That Germany will never be a country I can visit, that all Arabs and Muslims wanted me dead. However, the more I work internationally… the more I know that is simply not true. I have German friends, I have friends from the Middle East.
I refuse to participate in this game any longer.
I am not a social scientist or a politician so my arguments about how life and the world can work come from my heart as an artist. So, simply put…. can’t we stop this some how? Is it best for us? To quote a popular American talk show doctor when he is addressing problems in his guests that are obviously not moving in a positive direction: ‘and how is that working for you?’
In my humble opinion, it is no longer working for us to spend precious lifetimes creating enemies and building borders to keep ‘them’ out. This is just my perspective. But I don’t see how we can approach our work at The Global Theatre Project without truly exploring the meaning of the word ‘relationships.’ To be working globally, it is essential we bring some courage to our inquiry.
Hence, our next project. The best thing we can do…. or that I, frankly, can think of…. is to ask a basic question of as many people as possible and then form a creative piece of work out of it. So I hope you will join me and all of The Global Theatre Project community….. with a look at the question:
Take a moment, write this question down, take a breath and write what first comes to mind.
Please send all answers whether they are one word or a page with permission to use your words in a final product to: info@theglobaltheatreproject.org Our project playwright for this is Victor Bumbalo. He will use the responses to create a new piece of work.
I am hoping that by opening this exploration…. we might encourage reflection and discussion. As well as possibly other artistic or educational possibilities.
And that way we can begin…. relating…. to our ‘them’ with a bit more consciously applied thought and action.
These are my thoughts on something I could do, as we come to a close on the first year of The Global Theatre Project’s life.
Thank you for listening! and, I hope, participating.
Bari
