Ceremony of Restoration: A Practice-Based
Experiment in Civil Celebrancy
A project submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design
Carey Walden
Bachelor of Arts School of Social Sciences La Trobe University
Graduate Diploma in Civil Ceremonies Monash University
Diploma of Management RMIT University
School of Media and Communication
College of Design and Social Context
RMIT University
November 2021
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Declaration
I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, this research is that of
the author alone; the content of this research submission is the result of work which has
been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program;
any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged; and
ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed.
In addition, I certify that this submission contains no material previously submitted for
award of any qualification at any other university or institution, unless approved for a
joint-award with another institution, and acknowledge that no part of this work will, in the
future, be used in a submission in my name, for any other qualification in any university
or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University, and where
applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree.
I acknowledge that copyright of any published works contained within this thesis resides
with the copyright holder(s) of those works.
I give permission for the digital version of my research submission to be made available
on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, unless permission has been
granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time.
I acknowledge the support I have received for my research through the provision of an
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
Carey Walden 30 November 2021
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Acknowledgements
My thanks and appreciation go to my supervisor, Lisa Waller, for time, patience, mending,
expertise, care, and support, and to my associate supervisor Linje Manyozo for his
encouragement and support to finish my masters. Thanks go to Brigid Magner and Caroline
van de Pol who helped me start this journey and along the way Rob Watts. Craig Batty was
pivotal in understanding creative practice.
My heartfelt thanks go to Rachael Alexander, Eve Stocker, Monica Andrew and Susan Lord for
their support in assisting me to proofread and edit my dissertation.
A special thanks go to Jessica Wilkinson, Lyndon Medina and Stefanie Markidis for their
care, support, and encouragement. And to my celebrant teachers and celebrant colleagues,
Judy Watt, John Shilliday, Pamela Tulen and Judy Peris my thanks for being there for me and
sharing your expertise.
Thanks, and love go to my family of friends and colleagues for their unconditional support in
listening to me unpack my ideas and their encouragement. Barry, Annie, Nifeli, Ronald,
Andrew, Karen, David, John, David, Crystal, Delcia, Charntel, Lorraine, Cathie,
Mira, Kowlin, Anastasia, Emsie, Jenny, and my many other colleagues – thanks for being there
when I most needed you.
This dissertation and ceremony are dedicated to my brother Adrian, my sister Diane and my
maternal grandparents, Daisy and Jack, and to Paul Gough for his generosity of spirit who
encouraged, supported, mentored, and never gave up on me.
Carey Walden 30 November 2021
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Contents
Abstract 1
Poem - Sashiko, visible
(mending)
. . . . . 2
Haiku of research . . . . . 4
CHAPTER 1
Introduction . . . . . . 5
Celebrant Practice - the role . . . . . . 9
Personal context of celebrant practice . . . . 10
CHAPTER 2
Literature Review: including definition of key terms (ritual, ceremony, performance) and
theoretical framework
Civil celebrancy: an under-researched field . . . . 11
Civil Celebrants in Australia . . . . . . 12
Non-religious pastoral care . . . . . . 13
Commemorations and public events/ceremonies. . . . 14
Rites of Passage, Ritual and Ceremony and Celebrant Practice. . 15
Elements of ceremony and innovation . . . . 17
Writing and performing
ceremonies
. . . . 18
Memory and family research . . . . 20
Conclusion . . . . 22
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CHAPTER 3
Methodology: Sashiko, research framework
Introduction . . . . . . . . 24
Sashiko - visible mending – repair . . . . . 24
Autoethnography . . . . . . . 25
Reflexivity and examining family . . . . . 28
Practitioner-based research - creative arts . . . . 29
Celebrant as a writer and performer of texts . . . . 31
Ceremony structure and elements . . . . . 33
Ceremony Materials (Layers) . . . . . . 35
Constructing family stories . . . . . . 39
Coronavirus and the new world - the impact of performing online . 40
Conclusion . . . . . . . . 41
CHAPTER 4
Ceremony -Creative Work 42
My personal journey – Adrian and Diane’s stories . . . 42
Poem - “Sacred wounds and scars” . . . . . 44
Ceremony of Restoration transcript . . . . . 44
Ceremony link: Carey Walden – Ceremony of restoration SD 480p 1 42