All 7 Stages

“nothing. Nothing. I feel nothing.”

The original final line. Based on changing social times, the play’s material was reconstructed. The playwrights are open to the creation of new versions, new stories and the influences of time. The playwrights felt a renewed feeling of hope rising through the reconciliation movement when the country witnessed the walk for reconciliation bridge that gripped the country. They sought to embrace this moment and wrote a final scene that talks about the great serpent of people winding their way and the feelings that inspired. As time changes so does the interpretation. Along with these subtle rewrites, audiences read the actions in a new way.

“you can’t park here, you’re taking up the whole bloody harbour. Get in your boats and go”.

Enoch and Mailman present the false hope and belief to reverse the arrival of white men. Through a humorous and sarcastic tone, the playwrights present the ridiculous and unthinkable outcome during the arrival of the colonisers. There is a large power divide between the new and old forces. Consequently, the forceful intrusion into old cultures was unstoppable.

“Women who couldn’t trust doctors, a woman who wouldn’t speak to teachers or police, wouldn’t answer the phone”.

There has always been a present mistrust in the colonisers. There is deep suspicion for the government institutions which comes in the form of mistrust.

“we’re not fighting, we’re grieving”

“our customs, our heritage”

“these are my stories, my people’s stories. They need to be told”.

Enoch and Mailman present a sense of communal unity amongst the Aboriginal community. There is a strong use of inclusion language present in the play as individuals stand together to experience these stages of grieving rather than alone.

“the black princess sipping tea with the queen”

“crying at last crying”.

regain of cultural identity

“permission to tell the story of her grief”

The Woman conducts a purification ritual with eucalypt leaves, sings a song in Gamilaraay language

Story-telling through ancestors is the method used throughout the play to bring a sense of culture. This designated process for dealing with loss shows how best to tolerate their ongoing grief. Aboriginal communities are in a constant state of grief for the lands, traditions, cultures and people that have been lost which has led to rituals like these.

“images of landscape interweave with family portraits creating a tapestry of Land and People”

Covers herself in traditional paint and delivers an indictment of the idea of reconciliation

“they demanded respect and talked to me of things that made no sense”

“told me not to speak, not to dance, not to do what I have always done”.

The woman seeks to disassociate herself from the language of her white colonialist oppressors and celebrate her own identity.

“she took so many stories with her to the grave. Stories of her life, our traditions, our heritage, who I am gone”

Storytelling is the only way the woman knows how to make sense of her grief or to do justice to her family.

“the older generation were in the middle of ‘Delta Dawn’”

“the words were unfamiliar to me. The tune soared above us with the Kingfisher”

“Music fills the space. There is a feeling of catharsis and release”

cultural songs

“a testimony to good times, a constant reminder… passing time till they can be talked about again”.

The connection to ancestors in present in 7 Stages through the symbol of the suitcase. The suitcase is filled with photographs of the dead and nameless. This symbol becomes a repository for the grief that the Woman and her family feel. The suitcase makes the processing of grief easier to carry. However, with each added death, it becomes heavier and difficult to bear.

“A large block of ice is suspended by 7 string ropes”

The symbol of ice is a powerful message for the vulnerability of Aboriginal communities. Over the course of play, it slowly melts. Overtime, this outer layer loss represented the non-linear progression through each stage of grieving. The gradual melting of the ice shows how Indigenous lives and communities have eroded due to white supremacy and legacy of colonialism. The melting represents the destructive forces of racism, poverty and violence.

“faint sound of someone crying in the dark. The sobbing grows into a wail”

“the pain comes in and I cry and cry until I can’t feel anymore”

“I am so full and know my capacity for grief. I fear I can no longer grieve”

loss, mourning, grief. pain through constant crying and an inability to no longer feel

“we have been taught to cry quietly where only our eyes betray us with tears”.

crying and expression of emotion are seen as a form of weakness. this idea has been dismissed and frowned upon

“if you feel like fighting, if you feel like yelling, grab it in your hand and show your grief, lift it up and show the world”

expression of grieving and authorial intentions.

“flooded with colour”

“the story is textured with sounds of family, country, music and the call of the Kingfisher”

“the only thing black at a funeral should be the colour of your skin”

“stew – rice… steak and chips – rice… sandwiches – rich… hot rice, cold rice, in between rice”

funerals. celebratory atmosphere that permeates because of the coming together of the wider family.

delivered in the style of a court report with no hint of emotion”

“allegedly”, “vocke went to the ground”

There is alternation between language than represses and oppresses. Discrimination in court institutions and inability to tell the real story

“finally break out. People called him Boonie… she stops herself and continues to read tonelessly”

“breaks away from written word”

The woman attempts to give his identity and language back from the injustice court system

“she attempts to evade the letters by removing her dress. She is left topless with the letter Z on her chest”.

The projections represent the indoctrination of western culture upon herself. The combination of singing and the projections creates a dissonance. She cannot escape the letters yet is able to maintain her song.

“took a handful of my hair and led my head to their knee”

“they chained my feet. My feet”

“forced to feed upon another tongue”

physical violence and impact of colonial forces

“a peaceful march, a silent march… we’re not fighting, we’re grieving… no one speaks, no one yells, everyone just walks together.”

“traffic stopper… no one said that about the fucken Santa Parade the week before”.

Subversion of modern Australian attributes humour

The poem is written in free verse with an embittered and cynical tone. The poem encapsulates the experience of colonisation with an anticipation of the challenge of genuine reconciliation. The playwrights questions how we reconcile people haunted by a recent history of oppression.

“paints herself as if preparing for war”

war paint as a significant moment of change in the narrative in which a fight back will occur

gubber and wreck con silly nation

“having a word if we don’t think and talk about it… its something you do” (pointlessness)

Breaks down the word reconciliation that is at the centre of the Australian movement to repair relations between white Australians and Aboriginals. Points out the ridiculousness of the concept by mocking the four smaller words (written in childlike script the words ‘wreck, con, silly, nation’) in a poem.

“carries the suitcase with her as she approaches the audience”.

This action is an invitation and sharing of culture and stories with Western ideals.

“I get that tingle”, rising through the reconciliation movement with the walk for reconciliation bridge, “flag flying on the bridge, red, black and yellow, they’ve written sorry”, “rainbow serpent”, “I guess we can’t go back now”.

The playwrights continue to develop their play in response to changing social times. Enoch and Mailman added an additional scene around the idea of Treaty following the 7 stages. The original final line of the play concluded the play with no emotions following the progression through each stage. It leaves the audience feeling empty, as though the culture has completely disintegrated.

Yet the creation of a new scene allows it to be open to the new influences of time and speak continuously to audiences. The playwrights felt a renewed feeling of hope and by embracing this moment, the final scene portrays a great symbol of Aboriginal dreamtime of people winding the city. Along with these subtle rewrites, audiences feel the progression into a more equal society.