The 7 Stages of Grieving

The 7 Stages of Grieving

by

Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The 7 Stages of Grieving makes teaching easy.

The 7 Stages of Grieving: Scene 8: Black Skin Girl Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
The Woman dances around and sings with a childlike, carefree attitude. The letters of the alphabet begin appearing on her dress. At first, the Woman is delighted, but soon she becomes desperate to evade them. She removes her dress to reveal that the letter Z has appeared on her chest. The Woman sings a song in Gamilaraay, repeating the words “black skin girl” and a refrain which loosely translates to celebrating becoming strong within her own skin. 
This symbolic scene demonstrates how the Woman seeks to disassociate herself from the language of her white colonialist oppressors and celebrate her own identity. 
Themes
Colonialism and Oppression Theme Icon
Aboriginal Identity, Pride, and Resilience Theme Icon