A collaborative oral history research-creation project based on the life stories of individuals who experienced transracial  and/or intercountry adoption

Zeina Ismail-Allouche, Individualized PHD (INDI), Concordia University

“ineradicable voices: narratives toward rerooting” is an online oral history performance, the outcome of an Individualized Ph.D. research-creation of Zeina Ismail Allouche, INDI program, Concordia University, under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Fast, Dr. Steven High and Dr. Ursula Neuerberg.

The research-creation process is informed by Indigenous Methodologies where authority is shared and approaches are decolonized. Based on oral history interviews with individuals who experienced transracial and/or intercountry adoption, 17 persons collaborated to create a special Zoom edition performance that carried the ethics at the heart of the process. The creation process was informed by the listening sessions to the individual’s story that aimed at holding a safe space for deep discussions.

All our decisions were made collectively and the voices of those who shared their life stories of being adopted guided us towards the best ethical way to represent their perceptions and views.

It is not a story; it is their real-life experiences that were not sufficiently heard.

While acknowledging both the limitations and opportunities of the online platform, we are happy to present to you our Zoom format of “ineradicable voices; narratives toward rerooting”.

Ph.D. Supervision Committee: Dr. Elizabeth Fast, Concordia University Chair in Land-Based Learnings and Indigenous Pedagogies, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Human Sciences; Dr. Steven High, Professor, Department of History; and Dr. Ursula Neuerberg, Associate Professor, Chair Department of Theater.

Advisory Committee: Amandine Gay, Daniel Drennan ElAwar, kimura byol-nathalie lemoine, Vicky Boldo

Zoom Visual Design: Zeina Ismail-Allouche and kimura byol-nathalie lemoine

In collaboration with: Amandine Gay, Annie Lafrance, Brent Mitchell, Daniel Drennan ElAwar, Jennifer Mitchell, Haiti (Anonymous), Krista Visser and Vicky Boldo (Individuals who experienced transracial and/or intercountry adoption).

Emma Haraké, Ibtissam El Assaad, Jad Orphée Chami, Jen Cressey, Louise Bédard, Mona Merhi, Victoria May, Wissal El-Assaad and Yasmine Chami.

Dramaturgy for Zoom: Zeina Ismail-Allouche with the support of Mona Merhi

Performers (Audio-Verbatim): Chloé Germentier (kimura*lemoine), Emma Haraké (Annie), Hiba Sleiman (Brent), Ibtissam El Assaad (Krista), Jad Orphée Chami (Daniel), Jen Cressey (Vicky), Sandy El Bitar (Amandine), Sarah Atallah (Jennifer), Yasmine Chami (Anonymous)

Embodied Response: Jen Cressey, Louise Bédard, Stella Sylvest, Victoria May,

Original Musical Theme: Jad Orphée Chami