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Abstract
This article outlines an innovative narrative therapy project in the remote Aboriginal community of Kalumburu, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project was a collaboration between the Tramalla Strong Women's group from Kalumburu community, and a narrative and community practitioner. The project incorporated digital storytelling in combination with narrative therapy practices to document and reclaim stories of survival and resilience to enable people to speak of future hopes and dreams. Narrative therapy practices such as re-authoring, rememembering, outsider witness process and definitional ceremonies provided the framework to unearth these stories. This article explores the ethical position underpinning the collaborative partnerships and how narrative therapy practices and digital storytelling practices were adapted in a rural and remote context. The project also outlines an experiment with an online outsider witnesses practice.
Key words: Kalumburu community, digital storytelling, outsider-witness practices, narrative therapy, narrative practice, 'conscientization', racism
Acknowledgement:
The usual academic protocols about authorship can understate the role played by non-academic contributors. This project and subsequent paper would not have been possible without the generosity, participation, cultural guidance, judgment and wisdom of members of the Tramalla Strong Women's Group - in particular, Mercy Fredericks and Doreen Unghango. The project commenced at their invitation to record stories of hope and survival and their contribution as co interviewers and leaders meant these stories could be documented and shared. They also reviewed and improved the draft during the writing process. They join Clare and Beth as co-authors who express their gratitude and thanks with this acknowledgment. Clare and Beth would also like to acknowledge Kalumburu community members, Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation, Kalumburu remote community school, Kalumburu Mission, and artists from Kira Kiro Art Centre for their collaboration. Clare would also like to acknowledge Beth Neate at ABC Open for her willingness to tackle this challenging project with the spirit of adventure, creativity, and rigour and her skills in involving community members in the use of equipment in the co-creation of these stories.
Introduction
This paper outlines a narrative therapy project in a remote Aboriginal community, Kalumburu, in the Kimberley region in the far north of Western Australia. The project is a collaboration between a group of senior women from Kalumburu community known as the Tramalla Strong Women's Group,...