The Matriarchs Banquet

Take a seat at the irutahuna - where stories are shared, wisdom is passed and the spirit is nourished. The Matriarch’s Banquet (working-title) is a 90-mins immersive dinner theatre experience. Weaving together the familiar chaos and comedy of a family dinner, the simmering friction of unresolved family conflict, and a world where the boundaries of reality blur into the magical. At its core, this work is an invitation extended to you into the heart and spirit of Pacific-Matriarchal relationships. ​

 

This is a story the celebrates, grieves and demystifies Matriarchs - looking behind the titles and the stories of their names to reveal the real women who lead families, foster care and love, guard traditions, and shape generations.

 

This work asks questions that lingers long after the last meal is served:

• How do we grieve our Matriarchs passing?

• Where in the midst of our grief and in our messy, unresolved relationships can we all find peace?

• And ultimately, how do we carve out acceptance when our truth is often left unspoken?

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This work is Created by Moale James-Proud; co-directed by Lisa Fa’alafi and Moale James-Proud and Written by Wendy Mocke.

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In the spirit of co-creating work with, for and by our women at the closing of the “theatrical veil”audiences are given space in this warm, communal and Matriarchal-world to engage with the themes of the work, to share kai and tok stori.

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For presenters, The Matriarch’s Banquet offers two powerful experiences:

• A immersive theatrical work: A stage play inspired by community-sourced stories, full of tenderness and memories of the women we love and hold dear.

• A warm community space: A place for conversation, to lead each other to your own peace and resolutions.

My first encounter with death:

As a child my first encounter with death was with the passing of my younger brother. During our families grieving my Mother and Father found themselves in our church prayer circles as a way of healing. But in what would seem like clashing ideologies my Melanesian-Mother also would tell stories of how she felt in the moments of my brothers passing that she had been carried by her Elders that had already died - hearing their voices and feeling their touch. My Mother recalls his death although it being tragic also feeling warm and safe - a concept that as a small child I could never really understand. It was in these moments that I began to realise the significance of having a Matriarch to guide us through these cross-cultural situations - but it also made me question how far away are our Ancestors?

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Losing a mentor:

As a young-woman I recently experienced the passing of a beloved mentor, it was a shock to our Pacific-community and although our interactions were few and far between, the impact of her loss shook me more than I could have imagined. This sudden passing and other events led me to wonder -What happens to our Matriarchs who become Ancestors?

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Marking our skin:

As a Melanesian-woman whose body is heavily covered by the marks of my Gatana’s (great-grandmothers) - whom I have never met. I have often stepped into the space where we as Pacific people understand that we have the opportunity to communicate with our Elders. It is their knowledge that guides what mark is placed where and by whom. Throughout my own journey of reclaiming our reva reva marks and the knowledge we have lost because of colonisation and the passing of our old-women I am once again met with this resounding question - How do we continue to receive knowledge from Ancestors?