Staging areas : Vietnam veterans from Aotearoa-New Zealand and therapeutic landscapes in black box theatre : an exegisis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
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2016
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Massey University
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The purpose of this exegesis is to document my attempt to ride the practice-theory
divide in an arts-based research project on therapeutic landscapes and war veterans
from Aotearoa-New Zealand. Over a period of nine months, a group of Vietnam
veterans engaged in photo-elicitation methods to explore the concept of therapeutic
landscapes from their unique and subjective experiences as former personnel of the
New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). Of particular interest was to understand how
veterans construct narratives of self-hood and wellbeing, as impacted upon by their
service in an unpopular war, and their subsequent treatment by the government and
public in the years hence. The data produced by the veterans was analysed and
transformed into a draft script; then in collaboration with Te Rākau (a Māori
community theatre group), the script and its underlying themes were re-worked in the
studio using principles and techniques specific to theatre making.
The studio inquiry produced a picture of Vietnam veterans as highly motivated
individuals who are politically cognisant, loyal to their cohort, media savvy, self
sufficient, and who continue to draw upon their Army training to measure and
maintain optimum physical health in their senior years. Key themes that emerged from
the data was their belief in taking individual responsibility for one’s health, an
appreciation of alternative and complementary therapies as part of self-care, and a
collective opinion that the current model of government support is inadequate and
difficult for veterans to access. These and other findings were disseminated via a live
presentation of the work-in-progress, which provided opportunity for further analysis
by the veterans, and resulted in the creation of a final play-script, The Landeaters.
Finally, by sharing excerpts from my production diary, this exegesis explores my input
as a student researcher-artist, and, in doing so, brings to light both professional and
personal challenges that may occur when practising arts-based inquiry with one’s
community – and on a topic close to one’s heart.