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Dear Son [1]

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Date: 2025-12 

Letters to sons that shape the men they can become.

“Being open, talking up, yarning… this is about dispelling the stereotype around what masculinity is for First Nations men.” – Tara June Winch.

In the referendum’s aftermath, twelve Indigenous men were asked to write a letter to their son – or father – about themselves, their mob, their story, their hopes for the future, and the things they’ve never said before. From Thomas Mayo’s seemingly simple idea came Dear Son, a collection of messages to the future and the past that celebrate Indigenous fatherhood, and might even light a way to come together.

In 2025 Dear Son was made into a show for the stage, featuring beloved luminaries such as Jimi Bani (My Name is Jimi, Peter Pan), Waangenga Blanco (37, Patyegarang), Kirk Page (Black Diggers, Redfern Now), Aaron Pedersen (Dead Heart, Mystery Road) and Tibian Wyles (37, Black Diggers). And after extended hit seasons in Brisbane and Adelaide, it now comes to Sydney.

This tender and truthful piece of theatre is a small model for a greater possibility: a rightful place in this country for the strength and vulnerability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. Presented with Sydney Festival, for a limited season in summer, I can’t think of a better way to start the year than the thoughtfulness and emotional integrity of Dear Son. – Eamon

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[1] Url: https://theconversation.com/au/events/dear-son-based-on-the-book-by-thomas-mayo-15369

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