|
What is Ethnodramatology?
Is there a
universal form of
drama?
And if so, can it be used for Christian communication?
Many
involved in drama today would say "yes", thinking particularly that
Western-style mime (such as Marcel
Marceau’s technique) is a universally understood dramatic
form.
Drama is a powerful tool for
communication, and so people are
interested in harnessing
it for evangelism and teaching in cross-cultural situations. Generally,
Western-style drama or mime is all that they know of drama and so they
take those forms into their culture of ministry assuming, in
the case of mime, that to remove the spoken language removes all
barriers to understanding the message. However, drama consists of
twelve languages (or signal systems), eleven of which are non-verbal,
and potential for misunderstanding exists in each of those languages
because they are culturally defined. Understanding the existence
and nature of these languages is necessary in order to create dramas
that reach deep into people's hearts.
Why drama?
In most cultures, new information is not given through
lectures
but through role-playing dialogue and various art
forms. Neglecting indigenous means of communication has often resulted
in a merely intellectual understanding of the message., particularly
where the church is concerned. Drama that speaks in the heart
language(s) can often result in whole-person change, which is the goal
of those seeking to share Christ. Therefore, indigenous drama forms
must be understood and redeemed for Christ as a powerful way to improve
communication for change.
"A Guide to Ethnodramatology" covers three related areas:
- A model is developed for ethnodramatology to
help answer the
question of how to discover and understand the drama forms of a
culture.
- The model is illustrated in three cultures in
the attempt to show
how and why drama style differs from culture to culture and that a
universal drama form does not exist.
- Recommendations are made for Christians to
utilize drama in their
own cultures, or cultures of ministry. Particularly appropriate forms
for change-messages in Kenya and India are suggested.
The model provided in this book can serve as a guideline for other
cultures to locate, understand and develop their own indigenously
appropriate dramas. It was written in fulfillment of the
Doctor of Missiology degree for Julisa Rowe. |
