As part of Shared Territories  the Edinburgh Mela artists-residency programme, Performance Artist Adura Onashile & Community Educator Trina McKendrick developed Boundaries – a walking & performance project exploring trails, stories, identity & belonging, through performance events, film & discussion. 44 participants from 16 countries were involved over 4 months.

 

This project was established in collaboration with The Welcoming ,an organisation which brings together refugees, asylum seekers & people from Scottish & local minority ethnic communities. Working with groups who had English as an additional language, a distinctive dialogical method evolved, underpinned by the awareness that language skills relate directly to emotional wellbeing.

 

This project was inspired by The Dreamtime and The Songlines from Aboriginal culture. It explored how newcomers experience rural environments in Scotland.

 

They developed the key concept of boundaries through workshop sessions, walking in rural environments,  storytelling , film and reflection.

 

A  major aim of the project was for the participants to reflect on their changing identities and sense of