From the Stillness of Burgundy, Through the Movement of Bayou Blue, To the Embodiment of the Green of Change A Journey to Be(Com)ing a Self-Reflexive Oral History Performer

Abstract

In this thesis, I document my journey of transformation from a collector and disseminator of life stories to a self-reflexive oral history performer. The purpose of this study is to find my voice amongst the voices I interview/speak/perform/write, and identify the positioning of my performative-I in relation to others and self, while analyzing how this self-awareness affects my deep listening of interviewees and performance participants. A feminist, phenomenological and autoethnographic approach will guide me. Performative inquiry, performative writing, storytelling, oral history and oral history performance are my tools. I diarize and examine my journey through the Master of Arts in the form of a research/creation oral history solo/participatory performance, entitled Stories of Courtship, Desire and Marriage. I also detail my health journey, a brain injury and an autoimmune illness that affect my memory and movement, which is something that is ever present, at times unsettling, others encouraging, both are always a gateway to knowing. I cannot separate these two journeys