Pawâkan Macbeth
A Cree Takeover by Reneltta Arluk
Inspired by the youth of Frog Lake First Nation
Pawâkan Macbeth is Reneltta Arluk’s groundbreaking reimagining of Shakespeare’s darkest play into Cree history, legend and cosmology.
““We Cree have a legend of the Wihtiko; it is an evil being with an insatiable hunger. The more it eats, the hungrier and bigger it gets. The students always draw a comparison between the Wihtiko and Macbeth. Macbeth relates to many themes that are prevalent in Cree legends: greed, loyalty, love, horror, and balance.””
Pawâkan Macbeth is set during pre-colonization, when Plains Cree were allied with Stoney Nakoda, and at war with Blackfoot over territory, food, supplies and trade. When true autonomy existed among Indigenous Peoples and with that their spirits, their wisdom, practices, makers, tricksters, shifters, their darkness and light. When the Canadian Government were making their way west with Sir John A. MacDonald as its leader. Harsh environments brought immense fear, starvation, and uncertainty together to awaken the darkest of Cree spirits, the Wihtiko – a being with insatiable greed. Through the exploration of Plains Cree language, history, stories and cosmology Arluk asks, What is it to be human? What makes a human vulnerable to the Wihtiko? Inspired by working with the youth of Frog Lake First Nation, and shared stories from Elders in the Treaty 6 region, Arluk has created a terrifying journey through love, greed, honour and betrayal, with coyote howlers teaching us that resurgence requires balance.
““Pawâkan is a dream spirit that comes to you during your rite of passage. I see it as a guide that reveals itself in its time of need. Wihtiko can come to you as your Pawâkan and it needs to be rejected. I ask, what happens when it arrives and takes you when you are most vulnerable?””
Pawâkan Macbeth is a full length play commissioned by The Stratford Festival. The community telling of Pawâkan Macbeth embarks on a 2020 tour of Treaty 6 territory, bringing professional theatre into these Indigenous communities for the first time. Performances of Pawâkan Macbeth will be part of The Chinook Festival in Edmonton, AB presented by Azimuth Theatre. In collaboration with the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, Pawâkan Macbeth will also be touring to six communities in the Northwest Territories (Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Inuvik, Norman Wells and Yellowknife.)
Written by Reneltta Arluk (Inuvialuit, Cree, Dene), co-directed by Barry Bilinsky (Métis, Cree, Ukrainian), Pawâkan Macbeth features an incredibly talented all Indigenous cast with: Sophie Merasty, Joel D. Montgrand, Allyson Pratt, Mitch Saddleback, Aaron Wells and Kaitlyn Yott.
Pawâkan Macbeth’s story was inspired by Frog Lake elders: Mary Ann Dillon, Rose Dillon, Henry Smith, Raymond Quinney, Cecile Dion, and Cultural Advisor Gary Berland. With original development of concept by Owen Morris and students of Chief Napeweaw School. Some of Pawâkan Macbeth stories originated from the Frog Lake, Loon Lake, and Onion Lake region on Treaty 6 territory.
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Pawâkan Macbeth is one of the 201 exceptional projects funded through the Canada Council for the Arts’ New Chapter program.
The playwright gratefully acknowledges the support of The Stratford’s Festival’s 2015 Playwright’s Retreat in the writing of this play.