They Were Silent

This study gives expression to my journey of mediating my Sangoma (Southern African shaman), artist (performer and theatre maker) and scholarly roles. It is a personal journey that paints the picture of my multi-faceted identity, particularly within the context of pursuing my Masters studies. This study is not trapped within the confines of giving expression to my identity, but also engages with specific research questions that have guided the course of the research that is detailed in this monograph. Three questions demarcate the parameters that define this study’s locale. These enquiries were grappled with through a creative project entitled They Were Silent. This creative project points to the practice as research paradigm and methodology employed by this study. Essentially, this study provides a possible conceptual approach of how theatre and ritual can merge, illustrates the complexities of communitas and proposes a perspective into how a contemporary theatre performer could be shamanic.