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Issue Details: First known date: 2018... 2018 Exploring Transgenerational Memory through Metaphor : A Narrative Exploration of the Healing Impact of Writing My Biographical Memoir, Whisperings in the Blood
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Inherited trauma is passed down through generations in a variety of ways. My biographical memoir, Whisperings in the Blood (2016), demonstrates through practice-led research how turning life into art and using metaphor as the vehicle to transmit emotional truth can result in emotional healing across generations. Using a fiction writer’s techniques, I explore the idea of employing intergenerational motifs as extended metaphor in order to grapple with the concept that ancestral wounds can be passed down as ‘whisperings in the blood’, or what I call ‘soul dispositions’. The effect of this practice-led research, which required that I had in-depth discussions with my dying father, my uncle and my dying great-uncle, resulted in the emotional healing of some of these relationships, as well as prompting a new level of empathy and understanding of my relatives, their stories, their parents’ stories. This led to profound insights on the role of shared nonfiction narratives in connecting a writer of memoir to both living and deceased ancestors and effecting degrees of emotional healing across the generations.' (Publication abstract)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Axon : Creative Explorations Turning Points : Narratives, Health, and Speaking the Self vol. 8 no. 2 November Jen Webb (editor), Donna Lee Brien (editor), Cassandra Atherton (editor), 2018 15077590 2018 periodical issue

    'The contributions in this issue have been gathered together from various sources including a number of events addressing the themes of this issue. Primarily, these were the Turning Point: Creative Arts and Trauma symposium (University of Canberra, 7 June 2017), and the Narratives of Health and Wellbeing Research Conference (CQUniversity, Noosa campus, 26–27 October 2017). In addition, a series of interviews generated from the ARC-funded project, Understanding Creative Excellence: A Case Study in Poetry (DP130100402) sparked the idea of recruiting more conversations between creative practitioners working in a range of art practices: poetry, prose fiction, film and visual art in particular. Together, these contributions comprise a fascinating, revealing and sometimes provocative collection.' (Editorial introduction)

    2018
Last amended 12 Nov 2018 13:48:07
http://www.axonjournal.com.au/issue-15/exploring-transgenerational-memory-through-metaphor Exploring Transgenerational Memory through Metaphor : A Narrative Exploration of the Healing Impact of Writing My Biographical Memoir, Whisperings in the Bloodsmall AustLit logo Axon : Creative Explorations
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