Traditional Plant Knowledge

AboutProject

Traditional Plant Knowledge is a creative project led by Sofie Dieu, working with culturally diverse women to explore traditional plant knowledge, cultural memory, and intergenerational storytelling. Through a series of workshops, Gülşen Özer (Soft Systems Lab) supported the development of movement and choreography, working alongside the broader creative team across visual design, costume, music, and film. Participants were invited to share knowledge, memories, and stories carried across generations, with creative processes providing a way to embody, interpret, and connect these experiences.

The project created a culturally respectful environment where different cultural traditions could meet through creative and embodied practice, fostering connection, belonging, and the sharing of knowledge between women.

Impact

The project supported cultural exchange, belonging and intergenerational connection, creating a space where women could share stories and knowledge while experiencing themselves as creative contributors. Movement became a way of crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries and building connection between participants.

Testimonial

“It might seem like the last thing you would do, to have a group like us, all from such different backgrounds, dancing together. But in just two minutes, you had us doing it. It was really beautiful.”

“I was thinking if all the girls and women where I am from, they can’t dance, they are not allowed to do anything. I had to cry. But today I felt belonging, and I felt like a warrior.”

Location: Dancehouse, Melbourne, Victoria

Date: 2026

Artists: Creative Director — Sofie Dieu; Movement Facilitator & Co-designer — Gülşen Özer

Collaborators: Women participants from Multicultural Women Victoria; creative contributors involved in movement, storytelling and film development

Organisations / Partners: Multicultural Women Victoria

Photography: Sofie Dieu