Theatre of Conversation
I live on the land of the Gadigal People. Sovereignty never ceded. I pay my respects to elders past and present. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
I am the daughter and granddaughter of migrants from Lebanon. Their stories of (be)longing and resilience made me understand what it means to survive and to belong. Our home was filled with the aroma of garlic, onions and olive oil; our television screen glared with SBS news, Arabic films and Sale of the Century; tape recorders played cassettes from the homeland and the radio played Arabic music - sometimes whilst the television was on. Our home was always filled with people who had a story to tell; something to say and give. This was my starting place. This was my inspiration to become a storyteller.
-Claudia Chidiac Makdessi -