As an educator and a parent, I'm disturbed by the research that shows that many Australian kids and teenagers continue to experience racism at school. Unsurprisingly, this has a wide range of negative health impacts, particularly in relation to mental health. I'm convinced that as a nation we can do better than this for our young people and I believe a better understanding of history is part of the solution.

Over the past few years, I’ve watched people of all ages and backgrounds respond powerfully to an amazing theatre production called Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country. This performance recreates a Victoria government inquiry in 1881, when a group of Aboriginal people from the Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve fought for their right to self-determination.


Image from 'Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country' La Mama Courthouse Theatre, 2011.
Photo credit: MoE project  

It’s a gripping story that brings to life the racist structures and individuals that oppressed Aboriginal people and other non-Europeans. It also shows the courage of those who fought against these forces – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, working together. Many Aboriginal people in Victoria today can trace their heritage back to the courageous people of Coranderrk reserve and this story honours their long fight for justice. 


Now I’m working to bring this performance to high school students and to get a better understanding of how historical story-telling can educate students against racism. Researchers have shown that a better knowledge of our history can decrease racism among Australians, but we need a more detailed understanding of what works and what doesn’t in presenting that history to kids. I’m collaborating with experienced anti-racism and education researchers - both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal - to evaluate how teenagers respond to this performance and to use that to develop models for history education in anti-racist initiatives.

I'd love for you to support this campaign and be part of using history for change!

With your support, we will fund a professional cast of actors from La Mama Theatre to present two performances of Coranderrk to schoolkids from the Geelong region. We have support from Deakin University to host the performance and cover some of the research costs, but we need funds to pay the actors and stage the performances.

$9500 will cover the cost of
-- rehearsal costs for 9 actors and a director for two days @ $300/person/day ($6000) 
- performance fees for 9 actors for two performances @ $300/person/performance ($2700)
- a performance/production stage manager for two performances ($750)
- printing costs for programs ($300)

In addition, $50 will be used to print the photos that will be available as rewards and cover postage.


If we receive $12000 in donations we will be able to add an extra evening performance (in addition to a ticketed evening performance already scheduled) and invite members of the local Aboriginal community and families of the students who have seen the performance to attend.

Around 225 kids will see the performance and your donations will allow our research team to undertake research through observation, interviews and group discussions, to analyse their responses and build new models for anti-racist education. 

The Coranderrk performance involves some complex topics that will be challenging for some kids. We'll be embedding the performance within a curriculum that provides lots of context for interpreting the performance and the issues that it raises. 

Research involving kids, particularly on a sensitive topic like this one, requires skill and integrity. I'm working with a number of experienced anti-racism and education researchers, who have the proven skills to effectively work with kids on their understanding and experiences of racism. Our research team involves Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers and our research project will be approved through Deakin's rigorous research ethics scheme.