2.5 Postcolonial and decolonial approaches to performance

Postcolonial and decolonial approaches to performance examine how colonialism shapes cultural practices. They look at how performance can resist or reinforce colonial power structures, and how it can be used to reclaim indigenous traditions and identities.

These approaches connect to broader theories in performance studies by highlighting issues of power, representation, and cultural identity. They show how performance can be a tool for social change and cultural empowerment in postcolonial contexts.

Postcolonial and Decolonial Theories

Key Concepts and Their Application to Performance Analysis

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• Postcolonial theory examines the cultural, political, and economic legacies of colonialism and their ongoing impact on formerly colonized societies and their cultural productions, including performance
• Decolonial theory critiques the Eurocentric nature of knowledge production and seeks to decenter Western epistemologies by foregrounding the perspectives, experiences, and knowledge systems of colonized and marginalized peoples
• Postcolonial and decolonial approaches to performance analysis interrogate the ways in which performance practices are shaped by colonial histories, power dynamics, and cultural hegemonies, as well as how they can resist, subvert, or transform these structures
• Key concepts in postcolonial and decolonial theories include hybridity, mimicry, ambivalence, subaltern, epistemic violence, and border thinking, which can be applied to the analysis of performance texts, practices, and contexts
  • Hybridity refers to the mixing and blending of cultural elements from different traditions, often as a result of colonial encounters (Bollywood films, Afro-Caribbean music)
  • Mimicry describes the way colonized subjects imitate and appropriate elements of the colonizer's culture, often in a subversive or ambivalent manner (colonial theater, postcolonial literature)

Postcolonial and Decolonial Approaches in Practice

• Postcolonial and decolonial approaches to performance analysis can be applied to a wide range of performance practices, from traditional and folk forms to contemporary and experimental works
• These approaches often involve a critical examination of the historical, cultural, and political contexts in which performances are created, presented, and received
• Postcolonial and decolonial performance analysis may focus on issues such as:
  • The representation of colonized subjects and cultures in performance
  • The use of performance as a tool of colonial education, assimilation, or resistance
  • The negotiation of cultural identity and difference through performance
  • The role of performance in shaping national and transnational imaginaries
• Examples of postcolonial and decolonial performance analysis include studies of indigenous performance traditions, diaspora theater, and intercultural performance collaborations

Colonial Legacy on Performance

Marginalization and Suppression of Indigenous Performance Practices

• Colonialism has profoundly shaped the cultural landscapes of colonized societies, including their performance traditions, through processes of cultural imposition, appropriation, and erasure
• The colonial encounter has often resulted in the marginalization, exoticization, or suppression of indigenous performance practices
  • Many indigenous performance forms were banned, censored, or discouraged by colonial authorities as part of efforts to control and assimilate colonized populations (Hula dancing in Hawaii, Aboriginal ceremonies in Australia)
  • Indigenous performance practices were often dismissed as primitive, pagan, or uncivilized by colonial discourses, which privileged Western cultural norms and aesthetics
• The suppression of indigenous performance practices has had lasting impacts on the cultural heritage and identity of colonized communities, as well as on the transmission and preservation of traditional knowledge and skills

Imposition of Western Performance Forms and Aesthetics

• Colonialism has also involved the imposition of Western performance forms and aesthetics as the dominant cultural model in colonized societies
  • Colonial powers often introduced Western theater, music, and dance forms as part of their "civilizing mission" and as a means of asserting cultural superiority (Shakespeare in India, ballet in Southeast Asia)
  • The adoption of Western performance practices was often tied to processes of modernization, urbanization, and the formation of colonial elites
• The imposition of Western performance forms has contributed to the marginalization and devaluation of indigenous performance traditions, as well as to the emergence of hybrid and syncretic performance practices that negotiate between colonial and local influences

Performance and Colonial Power

Performance as Resistance and Subversion

• Performance can serve as a powerful tool for resisting and subverting colonial power structures by providing a space for the expression of marginalized voices, the critique of dominant narratives, and the assertion of cultural identity and agency
• Postcolonial and decolonial performance practices often employ strategies of appropriation, parody, and subversion to challenge the authority of colonial discourses and to reclaim cultural sovereignty
  • Appropriation involves the selective adoption and adaptation of elements from the colonizer's culture, often in a way that subverts their original meaning or function (Noh theater in Japan, Carnival in the Caribbean)
  • Parody involves the satirical imitation or exaggeration of colonial stereotypes and tropes, often as a means of exposing their absurdity or hypocrisy (blackface minstrelsy, postcolonial literature)
• Examples of performance as resistance and subversion include anti-colonial theater movements, protest performances, and satirical works that critique colonial power structures

Performance and the Reproduction of Colonial Power

• However, performance can also reproduce colonial power structures, particularly when it is co-opted by dominant cultural institutions or when it reinforces stereotypical or exoticized representations of colonized peoples and cultures
  • Colonial cultural institutions, such as museums, theaters, and schools, have often played a role in legitimizing and disseminating colonial ideologies and aesthetics (ethnographic exhibitions, colonial education)
  • Performances that cater to the tastes and expectations of Western audiences may reinforce colonial stereotypes and power dynamics, even when they are created by postcolonial artists (world music, cultural tourism)
• The role of performance in resisting or reproducing colonial power structures is often ambivalent and contested, reflecting the complex negotiations of cultural identity, political agency, and social change in postcolonial and decolonial contexts

Performance for Decolonization

Reclaiming and Revitalizing Indigenous Cultural Practices

• Decolonization refers to the process of dismantling colonial structures and ideologies, both in terms of political and economic systems, as well as in terms of cultural and epistemological frameworks
• Performance can contribute to decolonization by providing a space for the reclamation and revitalization of indigenous cultural practices, the assertion of cultural identity and pride, and the imagining of alternative futures beyond the colonial legacy
  • Decolonial performance practices often involve the revival and reinterpretation of traditional forms, such as ritual, storytelling, and dance, as a means of preserving cultural heritage and knowledge (Maori haka, Navajo chants)
  • These practices may also involve the creation of new forms that draw on indigenous aesthetics and worldviews, while engaging with contemporary issues and audiences (Aboriginal theater, Māori contemporary dance)
• The reclamation and revitalization of indigenous cultural practices through performance can contribute to processes of cultural healing, empowerment, and self-determination for colonized communities

Decolonial Performance and Social Transformation

• Decolonial performance practices often prioritize the voices, experiences, and knowledge systems of marginalized communities, and seek to create new forms of cultural expression that reflect their lived realities and aspirations
• Examples of decolonial performance may include:
  • Community-based theater projects that address local issues and promote social change (Teatro Campesino, Sistren Theatre Collective)
  • Indigenous performance festivals that showcase the diversity and vitality of indigenous cultures (Garma Festival, Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival)
  • Experimental performance works that challenge Western aesthetic norms and foreground non-Western cultural traditions (Butoh, contemporary African dance)
• The potential of performance as a tool for decolonization and cultural empowerment is contingent on its ability to mobilize communities, generate dialogue and reflection, and contribute to broader processes of social and political transformation
  • Decolonial performance may involve collaboration and solidarity across different marginalized communities and social movements
  • It may also face challenges and limitations, such as issues of access, resources, and institutional support, as well as tensions between tradition and innovation, or between local and global contexts