Tone la Maji: Koinonia Caregivers Learn Tips in Bibliodrama

The training on bible dramatisation held at the Tone la Maji centre concluded, after 2 weeks of intense activities and experiences that were coroneted with an awarding ceremony held at Shalom House.

Bibliodrama, a little known genre of drama, uses the Bible as a principle foundation of its engagements which are then largely molded by personal experiences of the participants who enact particular scenes from the bible.

This interpretive engagement with the bible manifests itself in word plays, analogies, and even jokes which intensified the active experience of reading a script.

About 10 representatives and caregivers drawn from all the Koinonia Community centres took part in the two week-training which started on September 3, facilitated by two specialists from Italy.  The two: Gian Paolo and Francesca are part of a visiting team from Italy who have been receding at Tonelamaji for the training and a series of other activities with the boys at the centre.

Bibliodrama is most simply described as a form of role-playing in which the Characters played tasks taken from biblical texts. In this form of interpretative play, the reservation of available roles or parts may include certain objects or imaged, which can be embodied in voice and action and brought into a dramatic stage.

Much of the days’ activities involved sessions of enactments of famed tales from the bible, where the participants took onto the characters in modest. The skits would then be followed by in depth analysis of each character and role, in relation to daily experiences of the participants.

“In Bibliodrama we use bible text and try to see how it speaks to our life. We make the text alive, thanks to our experience and feelings,” said Francesca during an interview with the Koinonia Media Centre (KMC) team.

The training was concluded with a modest graduation ceremony for the participants, held on Saturday September 15 at Shalom House. The partakers were treated with a bumptious banquet, accompanied with lively interactions with other Koinonia staffers who were present to witness the ceremony.

History of Bibliodrama sets back between 1980s and 90s in different parts of the world, though it was first observed in regions of South America, southeast Asia and later in Europe.  Since then it has widely spread all over the world, bringing about varied versions in its practice, depending on the region.

For example the United States version where it originated, dwells more on the in depth study of the biblical texts, while the European one which is more psychodrama explores the character’s life story.

Gian Paolo says Bibliodrama is a way that helps connect personal experiences of people with the gospel within a dramatised context where the participants not only act, but give personal voice to the character.

“We connect the experiences in the [bible] text, with the life of the participants, done in dramatisation through also guided imaginations which will help people experiment with emotions and feelings, and how this text can speak to their life”, Paolo Said.

He states that Bibliodrama which links personal life with the gospel will only succeed when the actors are honest and open. It assumes the readiness to encounter one’s true self in the depth of being able to share it with the others.

He adds that it greatly applies to human psychological studies, where it helps bring out deep set emotions and experiences that can help the educator understand the subject better.

Benson Ndimba from Kivuli centre who was among the participants alluded the training for helping him realise deep information that he never thought would be in the bible, with most experiences learned will aid his engagement with the children in his dealings as a social worker.
“Now am coming to deeper experience and knowledge of the bible, and this will help me to bring this information to the children,” Ndimba said.

Koinonia Leader and founder Fr. Kizito who was present at the graduation fete called on the trainees to set out and put into practice at their various stations what they were taught.