With a Song in our Hearts

Traditions are already an import part of our lives here at Native Earth. Our peoples are steeped in Tradition…especially our Traditional ones. Eeiin, just kidding no for real though. Well at this 24^th edition of the Weesageechak I think that a new Tradition has been started thanks to our Aotearoa cousin and at this point new brother David Geary. He started off the festival with singing a song and Tara ended it with one. I think that we might just be seeing that again. I was lucky to be in a workshop of Darrell Dennis’ new piece with David as Dramaturg and he started every session with a circle and a song. 

Each and every piece that was presented at the festival had tremendous experience and absolute freshness about it.  I was in love with the range of ages that we had onstage this year. People learning just by being in the room with each other and the writers being inspired by those people breathing life into their words and characters. 

The theme at Native Earth this season is “All My Relations” and it really did feel like family at Weesageechak. Like a Sunday dinner only on a Tuesday..Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Haha.   Since I first set foot in offices at NEPA I was made to feel welcome…like a long lost brother; familiar and unfamiliar but always embraced as a brother.  Things have changed a lot since those early days for me here, but one thing that hasn’t is that sense of family. I think that the thing that I loved the most about this year’s festival was the return of those that for one reason or another had not been back in quite some time and the inclusion of those that thought maybe there was no place for them here. There is and always will be.

To All My Relations...miigwetch, miigwetch, chi-miigwetch.Bamapii! (cue the music)

Contributed by Craig Lauzon

I Must, I Must, I Must Increase My ... Creative Capacity

Gabriella Caruso, Garret Smith, Rose Stella, Archer Pechawis, Tara Beagan  
Photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

Monday, October 24/11:

1) Artistic Visioning

This session was run by Denise Bolduc. I had heard some of this information before during her classes at The Centre For Indigenous Theatre, but it was very useful information and it was nice to be reminded of it. When we were split up into groups to interview each other and then introduce each other- it was a great way to hear how others view you and how you view yourself as an artist. This was a helpful guidance to writing your own artistic vision. One thing that I took away from the session was what Denise said “Always read over your vision, every so often as it may change as we are always changing our practices and you need to keep it updated”

2) My First Play

Keith Barker and Kenneth T. Williams spoke to their first plays while Tara Beagan was asking questions. A lot of what they were speaking to, was helpful to me, as an upcoming playwright and it also gave me something to think about.

“It is better to write stage directions in your scripts, to help guide the designers when working on your play and yet giving them the freedom to not use them” said David Geary. This spoke to me as I am one who likes to write stage directions – just to write my vision down just to have it out on paper and I found that depending on who you are, sometimes it’s better not to read the reviews on your play as it might affect how you write from then on. However, sometimes it adds fuel to what you write the next time. Kenneth likes to read the reviews yet Keith was thinking he won’t want to read them. It’s up to you and how you are in taking criticism.

Tuesday, October 25/11:

Indigenous Design

This round table discussion had Archer Pechawis, Gabriella Caruso, Rose Stella, Garret Smith. Tara Beagan was guiding the session along. Andy Moro was supposed to be there but he was unable to attend because he was busy with a previous engagement. Which was a great lead into the discussion because there are so few Indigenous designers out there, that when we have one- like Andy, they will get run down from having so much work. Here are a few of the quotes that I really enjoyed from the discussions:

Archer:

 “Discipline grows out of your daily activities- craft” – Archer Pechawis

“The old people are whispering in your ear…..you don’t have to be Native, we all have that.” – Archer Pechawis

“If your connected to that infinite the work flows out of it.” –Archer Pechawis

“If you’re the only Indigenous person in the room, you have got to shine cause everyone is looking to see why you don’t deserve to be there.” – Tara Beagan

“You have to do this work under heart-felt, as there’s no way you could do it…so make sure your ready for the heart-work.” – Rose Stella

“I see genius in diversity…we all have to believe we can. It’s important that we work together…my idea is completed by yours, my stroke is completed by yours.” –Gabi Caruso

           

At the end of the session, Archer showed us the oldest existing footage of indigenous people on film (1894) that had men dancing around the drum and even though there was no sound you could see the men smiling and having a good time. It is his favourite movie to show people and he uses it as a backdrop for sets. It was nice to watch them dancing around and I think it inspired some participants to work on their craft. It certainly inspired me. 

 Archer Pechwis photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

 ~Shannon O                  

A Feast to Remember

Photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

On the evening of October 24, 2011 we had a feast to make sure we gave gratitude to all the spirits that are helping us along our journey into making this festival a go.

 Native Earth also had a chance to welcome Ernie Sandy to our feast for the first time.  Mr. Sandy was an elder that most of the staff met during an Indigenous bus tour arranged by the Centre for Indigenous Theatre.  He blessed the food, and explained to us that we give thanks to everything that went into providing the food that will nourish our bodies. 

 With an attendance in the 30’s we were pleased to see an assortment of food shared and faces smiling. I had the chance to talk to a couple of the Animikiig playwrights to see how their experience was going, and I also got to talk to some of the actors who were all excited to be a part of their respective pieces.  Festival photographer Scott Benesiinaabandan was in the house and we are excited to see what memories he captures throughout the festival. 

This feast marked the opening of our Festival, with professional development workshops happening the morning of October 25^th and 26^th, then we get into the swing of things with our first night of pieces, starting with Hoofs and Huff on October 26^th. 

Elder, Ernie Sandy
Photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

~Jantone

Between us playwrights...

Kenneth T. Williams

Kenneth T. Williams is a terribly interesting man.  Over the past two weeks I’ve watched him eat, drink, make merry with his fellow artists in the Stratford Shakespearean Festival’s 2011 playwrights retreat.  And the wheels were always turning.  The man is a storehouse of trivia, data and stories – oh the stories.  Did you know, for example, that there is a species of ants that survives by enslaving other ants, even enlisting beetles which they ride like cows?  Or that String Theory, some kind of sub-atomic science marvel which I have not yet begun to grasp, has already given way to the more advanced M Theory?  Or that one of Canada’s top minds on the matter is Dene scholar Percy Paul?

During the course of the residency, a number of artists gathered for what I will affectionately call You’re Welcome, That’s Enough Now Day, where each artist shared a poem.  Yes, he writes poetry, too.  Ken’s reflective contribution came from his 2008 play, Suicide Notes (published in the Signature Editions anthology Three On The Boards), and is well worth the read.  

There is something about a playwright’s process that turns all of these little things into a greater understanding of universal order, of human nature.   This is evident in the latest draft of his new play, Deserters, which was winner of the 10 Days of Madness festival's 24-hour playwriting competition in 2009.  Ken has gone to task in Stratford, turning out a full and compelling examination of motivations and rationales around conflict.  Director/dramaturg Tara Beagan and our fabulous cast joined him there on October 18 for the first day of workshop, and now the whole gang is in house, preparing for Saturday's public reading.  You should come!

-DM

Michael Greyeyes honoured at Canadian Dance Assembly AGM

"It is observed with alarm that the holding of dances by Indians on their reserves is on the increase, and that those practices tend to disorganize the efforts which the Department is putting forth to make them self-supporting. I have, therefore, to direct you to use your utmost endeavours to dissuade the Indians from excessive indulgence in the practice of dancing. You should suppress any dances which cause waste of time, interfere with the occupations of the Indians unsettle them for serious work, injure their health or encourage them in sloth and idleness. It is realized that reasonable amusement and recreation should be enjoyed by Indians, but they should not be allowed to dissipate their energies and abandon themselves to demoralizing amusements. By the use of tact and firmness, you can attain control and keep it, and this obstacle to continued progress will them disappear.¹³

Duncan Scott to Agents and Inspectors, RG10, Volume 3826, file 60,51101 Part 1 (August 19, 1915)"

 

 

-sourced on Tawow website.

 

 

 

Michael Trent, CDA President and Nathalie Fave, Executive Director hold the award recognizing

the contributions of outgoing Board Director Michael Greyeyes. (Greyeyes was in the rehearsal hall!)

contributed by Tara Beagan

Tulugaq

Thank you to: Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, The Theatre Centre and Kaneq Pictures for helping to support, welcome and document the company from Greenland to Turtle Island. Karitas Productions dance/theatre piece called Tulugaq is on tour across Canada.

On Wednesday August 17, 2011, Native Earth prepared to welcome with open arms our Kalaallit cousins with a hearty feast at Council Fire but because of communication problems, due to language barriers, they were nowhere to be found.  After about 45 mins, we were all united and feasted together trying to communicate and get to know each other. While we were cleaning up after the feast, the Tulugaq cast were excited to tell us that the feast was so inspiring and creative that they wanted to show us new work during their show the following night.

The Theatre Centre was generous enough to host Tulugaq and the show kicked off with the house being a little over half full. Tulugaq is a movement piece that has Kalaallit music serenading each movement piece. From my perspective it was a story of a love triangle that had a fourth character (the older sister whose partner was a part of the love triangle). The fight scene between the men and the dance of choice, where the lead woman chose which man she wanted, was a good performance and the language barrier was not a problem.

The extra pieces that the group worked on during the feast were a hip hop dance piece from Vilhelm Egede, a mask dance from the women (Arnatsiaq Reimer Eriksen and Najattaajaraq Jolesen) and some songs from Mike Thomsen. I found the mask piece to be similar to the clowning that was taught to me while I was at school and the audience responded well with a roar of laughter as the women kept flirting with some of the male audience members. It was fun to see the hip hop piece as it wasn’t really expected and the songs were beautiful. No one would have thought they would yodel like the polka, or at least that is not what I expected to come out of Mike’s mouth when he said that the next song was a traditional song of Greenland.

From the confusion of the feast to the wonderful movement story, the awesome hip hop, clowning mask dance and yodelling, our time with our cousins was full of fun and laughter and we will look forward to working with them in the future.

- Contributed by Shannon & Migizi Mishkiki

The Tao of US

I fear if I say this, I'll be punished.  I got this thing in me that doesn't want to trust it, doesn't want to believe it, doesn't think I deserve it ...

But the truth is I feel lucky.  I feel happy. It's been going on a few years now, it's a project still incomplete, I still got a lot of messed up small me to sort through, but as an adult I've never known this. I'm thankful for it, I'm lucky for it. But the truth is, if you asked me, how's it going, I gotta say, it's going good.

For long time I've been living out of a frustrated worldview, illusions of what my age means, what and where I should have been, things I long should have achieved.  There was no now.  There was a tormented past of almosts and should have beens, and a future I thought I wanted that seemed forever receding into non-being.  And then, in time, you get older, you sink into the now more, the this is it, this is truly where and who you are.

We just wrapped the Strong Medicine theatre to video promo shoot.  A piece about anti-smoking, respecting tobacco, etc.  But the prayer that was answered here wasn't about the "educational message" of the show (that was brilliantly created in the script by Yvette Nolan I should add), it was about touching upon another "you're a lucky human being" experience. 

I'm supposed to write about the process, filmmaking stuff, and I thought I would sit down here and chat about that.  But the truth is, and I realize this could sound heavy handed, but I don't really care about "filmmaking"

anymore, this shoot helped confirm that.  I want to share this profound experience of being alive.  That's it. I have no idea if I'm any good at what I do, or try to do, or if what I do is any good, or if I have anything insightful to say about an art form I'm struggling to get better at.  But I do know this: NEPA has human beings involved in its doors.  Human beings with spirit.  Kindness. Smiles.  A chance to celebrate and be alive with other good souls.

I'm sure I sound like a wanker by now.  A little hammered at an after party?

I'm not.  I'm in an airport lounge by myself. Drinking water and eating a granola bar.  Sexy, I know.  But you know what I really think about the shoot? I'm gonna miss them.  Life's funny that way.  For all the studying of the craft that I've done, which began 17 years ago in the same location we shot this project at (York University campus), I've learned this: the art form ultimately doesn't matter.  The deliverable doesn't matter, or any sense of job well done.  It's the people.  The relationships. Them. That momentary and all too fleeting Us. And while there was that Us I was stupidly happy.  And I hope the path leads to more Us's, with all of Them.

-Contributed by Shane Belcourt

Dispatch from Aotearoa

The second annual Matariki Development Festival kicked off on Monday, June 20^th, in Wellington, New Zealand. Native Earth and Tawata Productions enjoy a tuakana – teina relationship, an elder sibling – younger sibling dynamic, that has allowed us to offer guidance and advice as Tawata developed their festival.

Hone Kouka and Miria George, Executive Producer and Artistic Director of Tawata, participated in Weesageechak XXI and XXII, working with our actors on Miria’s new plays Urban Hymns (2009) and Sunset Road (2010), both of which went on to successful productions in New Zealand. Last June, they launched Matariki Festival, which is modelled on our own Weesageechak Festival, a week of developmental workshops of new plays by Maori writers, public readings of those plays and a number of ancillary events.

Both years of Matariki, Hone and Miria have showcased a work by a First Nation writer from Canada. Last year, Tara Beagan directed a reading of Two Old Women; this year, Keith Barker’s The Hours That Remain is getting a reading.  Hone and Miria’s thinking is that the Maori writers get the opportunity to see where their Canadian cousins are at in terms of playmaking, to see what issues we share, how and whether our worldviews are similar. 

Another annual event in the Matariki festival has been a korero, a discussion about First Nations Canadian theatre, with the Tawata whanau. This year, while a slideshow of images from Tombs of the Vanishing Indian, Almighty Voice and His Wife, Café Daughter, Gathering Light, Thunderstick, and Chocolate Woman Dreams the Milky Way looped on the wall of the Circa Two Theatre, the talk turned to home, and primacy of place.  Like us, indigenous theatre practitioners here are without space, and therefore at the mercy of the mainstream producers who do have facilities.  As in Canada, there appears to be a swelling interest in indigenous work here, which is heartening, although it does mean that what gets produced is still being filtered through a certain gaze, because most of the artistic directors here are pakeha, as in Canada.  The news that Native Earth is going to be the operator of the studio space at the new Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre galvanized the assembly, and now, suddenly, all the talk here is about space, a home for artists, for programs, for our stories.

More to follow.

-contributed by Yvette Nolan

Our Day!

If you’ve ever wondered whether or not theatre in a business environment can work, let me assure you… it can!

Native Earth was welcomed into the Ontario Power Generation Native Circle’s National Aboriginal Day Celebration yesterday to communicate sensitivity in the work place. The celebration opened with an introduction from the wonderful David Harney, a prayer from  Bill Woodworth of Six Nations, kind words from John Murphy, and a beautiful opening song by the incredibly talented Rosary Spence.

The show,  titled Win-Talkers (written by Craig Lauzon and Tara Beagan), is a satirical look at "sensitivity training" in the workplace. The premise is that OPG has brought in a facilitator to instruct non-Caucasians on how to better understand their "Visible Majority" co-worker. It starts with a highly entertaining intro  by  Aloysius (yes, spelled with a “y”) played by Isaac Thomas. He begins by shedding light on Canada’s not - so - sunny past in its relations with the First Nations, and graciously introduces his seminar “Win-Talkers: Speaking with Sensitivity”. A crowd pleaser by the name of Marianne  (played by Michaela Washburn)  is soon after stirred out of her seat  in the auditorium by the subject matter. She snags the spotlight for as long as she can. Kurt,  (AKA Kent, Kristy or Klurp) played by Craig Lauzon, is summoned to the stage to reenact his experience with insensitivity with a fellow co-worker deemed a “Non-Sensi-talker”. Through some  reluctant role-play, a dispute at a printing centre line -up  is explored by Kurt (AKA Kent, Kristy, or Klurp) played by Craig Lauzon and the big bully Stuart played by Jeremy Proulx.   

Using great chemistry on stage and constant humour, the characters teach the audience how they to can become Win-Talkers  - primarily by never assuming one's make-up by one's appearance. 

Everyone was treated to some lovely venison and rice, with a refreshing strawberry beverage , all  provided by Council Fire.  

On the whole, Native Earth felt very welcome in  OPG's corporate domain, and have been invited back! 

-contributed by Richael Laking

catch NEPA patron saint Amanda Pereira on stage in Aurora!

4) How did theatre win your love?

Indirectly my interest in theatre began because of my big sister. She started singing and, like many little sisters do, whatever she was doing, I wanted to do. In being put into vocal lessons by my parents however, I realized just how much I loved it for me. Training in voice opened me up to wanting to explore all of the performing arts. Growing up, apart from my aspirations to become like my big sister, I also had always watched shows thinking how spectacular it would be to actually be up there myself. My first show was when I was 15 years old playing one of the witches in Allison Williams' Mmmbeth. In preparing myself for the show, practicing with my fellow cast members, and finally performing it in front of my family, friends and community, there was a feeling like no other! I loved being able to share a story with people, and be a contributor to why they were enjoying themselves for those couple hours. I was hooked. I have since then been a part of as many theatre productions, musicals, and vocal performances I can; I am currently with Aurora Performing Arts Group, a community musical theatre group in Aurora - we're preparing to put on Cabaret in May! I love the feeling of being given a character to embody and bring to life and make your own. I love the excitement and the on-edge feeling of being a part of live theatre, and I love the trust the audience puts in you as a performer to give them all you've got! I believe I always knew that somehow performance would be a part of my life, and once I got involved I have never been able to look back. It has become, and maybe always was, a part of who I am.

thank you, Amanda.
break a leg.

-submitted by Amanda Pereira and Tara Beagan

VOTE

amanda pereira, Patron Saint of Native Earth,

Part III

 

4) Why should artists vote?

 

Growing up a part of the performing arts, I have seen first hand how difficult it is to find the funding and support to keep the arts going. The only way to acquire this support is through the action of the members of the performing arts community. It is up to us to request and demand support, and this cannot be done without the support of our fellow artists. The performing arts are seriously underrepresented, Indigenous peoples are even more so underrepresented in the government, and I believe the only way this can change is by collective action. In being an artist, you are creating and exercising a voice of freedom and expression. This voice needs to be heard, and it will not be unless each artist pushes a little further and demands his or her voice be heard on a national level. As much as it is the responsibility of artists to present the messages they have through the stories they tell, it is their responsibility to ensure the stories and voices of the next generation of artists may also be acknowledged. This can be done simply by having each artist vote and therefore collectively demonstrate a more powerful presence in this federal election. For our voices cannot be heard unless we speak.

a home

more from amanda pereira. please see part one back on april 25th.

 

 

2) What compelled you to gather support for Native Earth?

 

When the professor of my Indigenous Resistance in Global Context class (Guy Letts) recommended that we not only think about the things we were learning, but actually go out and do something about what was happening in our world, I couldn't have been in more agreement with him. Throughout the school year I had this unsettling need to do something; I hated the kinds of things I was learning had happened, and are still happening, to Indigenous peoples around the world. At first, I wanted to do everything...restore stolen land, return stolen children, abolish stereotypes and unfair biases, rewrite laws to benefit everyone...but I knew I had to find a focus. I thought the best place to start would be to start with what I know: performing arts. Performing arts has changed my life, and given me a kind of spark to persevere when things are difficult. What an incredibly wonderful and magical gift theatre has given me, everyone should have the opportunity to receive the same gift. Upon my researching, this is when I found Native Earth Performing Arts. To this day I cannot say exactly what it was that compelled me to this company, that kept my gaze on the website. In looking around Native Earth's Official Website, there seemed such life, such movement, and such inner peace. In reading more about the company, I truly admired their 7 values and the goals they presented. Upon meeting with Native Earth's Yvette Nolan and Ulla Laidlaw, there was such a presence of kindness and strength; even being in the beautiful inspiring office I felt that I was in the midst of something exceptional. They were resisting Indigenous oppression by giving Indigenous peoples a home to tell of their culture and their stories, collectively and individually - I loved that. In speaking more with them, I knew I wanted to support Native Earth in any way that I could, and I knew I had to give it all I had.

 

meegwetch, amanda.

-writing by amanda pereira

No bedtime for democracy!

Share the knowledge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpye1sa2y-I

By Craig Lauzon

instant family

last month, York Uni student amanda pereira brought a heap of folks in to see the NEPA/red diva projects Tombs of the Vanishing Indian. most of those people were new to NEPA work. amanda also took it upon herself to fundraise a substantial amount of cash donations to NEPA.

 who IS this magical woman, you ask? 

over the next few days, i offer you some insight into how such wonders can happen, here on earth. 
i posed a few questions, and amanda took them on.

1) Why is Native Earth work for everyone?

Although Native Earth Performing Arts presents stories of an Indigenous basis, I do not believe only Indigenous peoples can enjoy these stories, nor do I believe they are put on only for Indigenous peoples. In raising money for Native Earth, I brought a group of 30 classmates of all different backgrounds to Tombs of the Vanishing Indian. Despite our multicultural histories, I heard the same thing from everyone: how powerful the show was, how beautiful the presentation and style, how important the message, how magnificent the performers were...whether they were Indigenous or not, none of us could deny the brilliance of the piece. Furthermore, I believe Indigenous stories are ones every person living in Canada, living on Native land, should be familiar with. Borrowing from the words of Ward Churchill, if you are living on someone else's land, you ought to learn about those people and perhaps why it is no longer their land. I believe in doing nothing, one is actively participating in the oppression taking place against Indigenous peoples, and so these stories told by Native Earth include everyone! It is my duty, I believe as a non-Indigenous person, to familiarize myself with these stories, and direct others where they can learn of these stories as well. The stories of Indigenous culture told by Native Earth I believe are stories of North America before it was deemed North America and about what has happened since this land has been deemed North America. In that sense, the stories include and encompass everyone. The pieces of art presented by Native Earth are ones that can be enjoyed and learned from by all peoples.

amanda's words conjure up the text spoken by the character "Ruth" played by michelle st. john.

"As a practice, you should always know whose land you're walking on."

                                                        Michelle St. John and Nicole Joy-Fraser.        photo by Nir Bareket

-contributed by Amanda Pereira and Tara Beagan

Thompson's Highway to Hell...for Native Theatre!!

 Watch this video first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SghnqacuVs

I felt a single glistening tear spill from my duct and slowly make its way down my high cheekboned face as I came to the sad realization that when you are right, you are right, and these guys are right. I mean how couldn’t they be right, right? They are R.H Thomson and Paul Thompson, you don’t get more respected in theatre in Canada than these guys are; let alone Native theatre. Right? While I was sitting at the opening of Métis playwright Marie Clements’ aptly named Tombs of the Vanishing Indian co-produced by Native Earth Performing Arts and red diva projects, I thought the same thing. No one and nothing relevant is happening in Native theatre, not in years.

This litter strewn hillside that is Native theatre, will, no matter the efforts of Native Earth, red diva projects, Saskatchewan Native Theatre Centre, Full Circle: First Nations Performance, Cheyikwe Performance, Red Sky Performance, Kaha:wi Dance and Alberta Aboriginal Arts never amount to anything. Not even Kenneth T. Williams who in the past eighteen months has had shows like Thunderstick, Bannock Republic, Three Little Birds, Gordon Winter and Café Daughter produced from the Yukon (Gwaandak Theatre) to Ottawa (NAC) can save it. I also thought about how futile meager works like Dreary and Izzy, Quilchena, free as injuns or any of the other 16 plays written by Dora award winning playwright and new Artistic Director of NEPA Tara Beagan have been. I have no idea why companies continue to produce Annie Mae’s Movement by former NEPA Artistic Director Yvette Nolan. Don’t even get me started on Kevin Loring, Alanis King, Drew Hayden Taylor, Darrell Dennis, Daniel David Moses and The Turtle Gals. Why is all this effort put into these festivals like Weesageechak Begins to Dance or the Talking Stick Festival when nothing worthwhile is being produced?

Without an Avatar or Dances with Wolves-like white male to champion our cause how will we ever be important again? Where are you Jake Scully? Why have you abandoned us John Dunbar? Please help us…what was the guys name in Little Big Man again?  Cue the tomahawk music: duuuuuu, du, du, dudu, du, dum.

- Contributed by  Craig Lauzon 

OPEN

Monique Mojica, Gail Maurice, Cheri Maracle, Denise Bolduc, Wanda Nanibush, Laura Milliken...

Last night was a who's who of powerful indigenous women at the opening night of the Native Earth Performing Arts and red diva projects world premiere of Tombs of the Vanishing Indian by Marie Clements.

the show is on until March 27 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Many shows are now sold out, and word of mouth will kick that into high gear, so book now!

Marrow-deep

This week I was lucky enough to escape from the office and watch a run through of Tombs of The Vanishing Indian which opens on March 10^th at Buddies in Bad Times. I wasn’t sure what to expect having not read the script since its workshop at Weesageechak XXI, back in 2009.

I was blown away with what I saw; under the direction of Yvette Nolan the performers on stage weaved together the tale of three sisters torn apart so beautifully that I forgot that I was sitting in a rehearsal hall surrounded by old props and costumes. Instead I was taken into their personal dioramas and shown the lives of those before us.

The topic is not an easy one. It places the audience in 1973 America, in a time when the government was still intervening “for the good of the Indian” in how we raised our young, educated ourselves and how we chose to live. During these times of involvement the government sanctioned sterilizations of Aboriginal women, relocated whole communities, and continued the removal of children from their families to “kill the Indian in the child”. All of these scenarios seem outside of the realm of possibility to many of us now, but to the 3 million plus Aboriginal people living in North America it is very real.

I am always surprised at how little Canadians know about their history. In grade 10 social studies I was made to memorize all the prime ministers of Canada but not once did they mention residential schools, or the people who were on this land long before the founding of the nation. I was an Aboriginal student who didn’t really know my own history. All I knew was the history that was part of my families’ story.

My grandparents were sent to residential school; 6 out of 10 of their children were sent to residential schools because this would help integrate them into society and make them upstanding citizens. Instead what this did was create a great disconnect from those before us. We lost our language, our rituals and our sense of belonging to this land.

Now my generation is here and we are finding our way back to some sense of belonging but these stories, like Tombs of The Vanishing Indian, are deep within our marrow. In order for healing to happen both within the community and in this country we need to share the stories and acknowledge them and grow as a group because no matter how hard we try to push past this we can’t, we can only grow with it.

The history is in us.

-Contributed by Isidra Cruz

Young Voices 2011

Preshow! The seats in the audience are filled with new playwrights, experienced mentors and friends, fans of new theatre or dance, loads of support. A contagious enthusiasm fills the space. Two weeks earlier, the actors began reading drafts of each Young Voices play. Each script is the work of some brave fledgling: “New Plays by Emerging Aboriginal Playwrights” a headline might read.

A brief thought; is there something about an Aboriginal designation? Is it necessary? Yes we are proud. But who fills the audience tonight? Are they intimately tied to Native Earth or have they wandered in from the public? Does every Canadian go to shows like this? every Turtle Islander? Attending some great meeting of our aged and ageless family… No time to think, a discussion better left to the essayists, for this is a blog, and the show is about to begin! 10 minute excerpts,  also new dance works and spoken word to be shared. All the young artists worked very hard in order to give the audience their best work. Some danced hard. Some wrote long into the night. Some travelled from afar in order to participate. All are here to share now, and the show begins.

Lights up and the stage is littered with the papers of old script versions, editions of work now grown and changed. The territory is acknowledged in respect, and then actors enter the stage to begin their story. This is no tame staged reading. Two of the actors lay head to head, close to the audience, quietly, intensely showing their link to each other. Others wobble like caricature versions of drunken parliamentarians in Early Canada. Another sits quietly in the black depths, at the rear of the stage, ready to contribute his action, at the point in the story where he is needed. Everything is clear and apparent, simple yet deep, and the playwright is watching from the audience with bated breath. The story is shared and the audience applauds, then they ready for the next piece.

Weesageechak is the trickster, the creator of the world, Coyote perhaps, and he is to thank for bringing us this evening. With the hard work of the festival office, the generosity of funders, and the creativity of all, we are gifted with an evening of newness. Weesageechak is likely delighted. We see stunning play excerpts, seven in all. The plays are well on their way, wherever the writers wish them to go. Two vibrant, provocative dances entice the audience to ask for more. An Inuk poet slams his truth for all to enjoy, and take from his words what they will.

After the show, as is Native Earth tradition, there is snack, and people stay to visit. There are questions and congratulations for the playwrights, dancers, and performers. New viewpoints brew in the minds of the audience, hopefully new understanding about the diversity of our people for those who did not know. The transfer of knowledge and changing of generations occurs before our very eyes. It is a strong night for the Weesageechak Begins to Dance Festival. Strong enough, so that when everyone there goes home and sleeps, come morning they shall all find something new.

A chick is hatched from an egg. An arrowhead, long buried, is exposed by the night wind or the paws of coyote, coyly crossing the dark field, kicking up dirt and dust with no regard. Any of these could bring change: the plays, the dances, the truths; but somehow, in the imaginary field of snow and wintered grass and dirt, at dawn, something is there that was not there before.

-contributed by Intern Acting Apprentice, Rob Hunter

Oh Captain! My Captain!

Incoming Artistic Director Tara Beagan neatly tied the past to the present in her first words at the opening night of this year’s Weesageechak. She talked about doing her first play, Thy Neighbour’s Wife on that very stage at the Theatre Centre, and looking into the sparse audience and seeing Michelle St John – and completely losing her lines. Michelle St John, who for so many is inextricably linked to the first time we saw one of our stories – our mothers’ stories – on the screen in Where the Spirit Lives. Michelle St John – wherever she goes – is greeted by young First Nations people with awe and tears and effusion. Her character’s story in the 1989 CBC television movie is one of resistance. That she is a young girl who insists on holding on to her language, her culture, her connection to her people, has inspired thousands and thousands of young Aboriginal people, from every nation.

(that that story – Where the Spirit Lives – is contentious because none of the primary creators – director, writers, producers – were Native – well, that is another much longer discussion…)

So here is Tara Beagan standing on the Theatre Centre stage, some six and a half years after spotting Michelle St John in the audience, and drying, speaking extempore, about our stories, our people having voice, the importance of Native Earth, and why she would accept the role of Artistic Director.

Welcome Beagan. Hoka hey!

Opening Weesageechak Begins to Dance XXIII

Heya, friends.

Tonight we officially launch our twenty-third annual new works festival, Weesageechak Begins to Dance.  

Running up to the opening, we’ve had some ancillary events, each one warming the path for the big events - and all of the attendees and artists - as they unfolded.

Some of the words from yesterday’s Professional Development workshop, The Director’s Chair…

“As a director, you can inculcate a bigger idea in someone about what they can do. [abbrev.] Sometimes it’s just your job to be the bearer of the belief.” - Michael Greyeyes

“You bring people together to get lost in the woods. You provide the woods.”  - Eda Holmes

“I wrote my first grant for my first play, and I didn’t get it, so I said Fuck You and I produced it anyway.”

-Djanet Sears

Tonight at the Theatre Centre,  we have dance from Yvonne Chartrand with Alejandro Ronceria, and a film with dance by Michael Greyeyes.

Wound a knee.