Bridging Our Vaults
A Cabaret to and from trans community archives between Nepal and Germany

The trans archive is an oxymoron: it does not formally exist. Yet, beyond institutions, trans communities maintain a living history through oral narratives, personal collections of transition objects, and longstanding cultural practices. The queer cabaret project “Bridging our Vaults” connects young trans theatre artists and choreographers from Nepal and Germany to explore these fragments from both sides of the world. Using Documentary Theater, Dance of the Oppressed, and community archiving methods, the project aims to collect and perform memories from queer communities, bridging into their fragile, temporary, and often private archives. Beyond just comparing Nepalese and German queer communities, the cabaret will challenge the idea of a homogenous community, addressing discrimination and violence that go beyond simplistic narratives of development. This project aspires to become a foundational element in a transnational queer arts network bridging national and generational gaps.