What it is

Protocol and Play, through the creation of Pawâkan Macbeth, records the connection of story and community through interviews, notes, filming, photography, language, sharing, critical response, agreements, cultural sharing, elder guidance, transparency, support, et al. This is with intention to share widely ways to continue community engagement to story once story leaves community. This practice ensures accountability of story. It also offers respect to living knowledge shared with Reneltta Arluk about Frog Lake, AB and surrounding area's connection to the Cannibal Spirit, Wihtiko.

Protocol and Play is not a "how-to" guide but a process in progress. It allows for continuous questioning for how to be better and do better for Indigenous communities and the stories they hold. It remains a focus of importance for Akpik Theatre. A purpose of Protocol and Play is to offer Indigenous schools access to the process of understanding how Shakespeare's connection to humanity is universal, but also that Indigenous culture and language is richer than the colonial teachings Indigenous students receive. Its connection to Pawâkan Macbeth is to offer Indigenous youth a First Nations perspective of Macbeth that lessens the language barrier and heightens the story.

Akpik Theatre remains the only professional Indigenous theatre company in the Northwest Territories since its founding by Reneltta Arluk in 2008. In its decade long existence it has and continues to create and support new vibrant Indigenous works that are provocative and grounded in living Indigenous cultural practice. With exception of Pawâkan Macbeth, each Akpik Theatre new work and story exploration have been developed in the North and often are presented in the south. 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.

Protocol and Play deepens Akpik Theatre's commitment to its community engagement throughout the theatre process. This includes documenting artistic engagement in Indigenous story connected to traditional territories through film and disseminating on Akpik Theatre's website to spark curiousity and deeper engagement. Akpik Theatre will continue to value the elders and community members who share their knowledge. It will also allow Pawâkan Macbeth to grow creatively with community engagement.

The Beginning

Protocol and Play mainly focusses on holding accountable space for cultural intellectual property within the artistic creative process. It is with this responsibility that Protocol and Play was founded. This came to be when Reneltta Arluk began working on Pawâkan Macbeth after spending time with Frog Lake First Nation students at Chief Napeweaw School.

Reneltta Arluk spent two weeks with students adapting Macbeth their way. Some scenes were cut, some of the play was shared through storytelling. That was how Wihtiko was revealed. There was a student drum group, Reneltta Arluk incorporated them into the performance with live sound design and soundscape. The play ended with a round dance. Reneltta and team worked with Cree students from grade six and up. The impact was positive and recognized by Cultural Advisor, Gary Berland who brought in ribbon shirts, a headdress and a breast plate for the students to wear. It was a positive and celebratory gathering for a dark play. This activity led Reneltta Arluk's desire to explore this concept further as a Playwright.

The challenge was that although Reneltta Arluk is Cree, she is not Plains Cree. There was contemplation to set the play in her territory but the inspiration came from Frog Lake and only made sense to keep the story in the land that inspired it. There is no formulaic protocol to community engagement, cultural responsibility, and artistic freedom. The need to remain connected and create space for transparency and learning is what drives Protocol and Play.

Reneltta Arluk is working closely with Barry Bilinsky, Akpik Theatre's Associate Director and co-director of Pawâkan Macbeth, to help in keeping communication with Chief Napeweaw School. With their guidance and guidance from Cree Elders, Joanne and Jerry Saddleback, Akpik Theatre has put in place a full acknowledgement of Elders involved, who conceived the story, and communities connected to the play in all its public materials, with no naming of Wihtiko in the summer. There are currently three versions of Pawâkan Macbeth: a Treaty 6 community telling version, a winter script version, and a large-scale summer version commissioned by The Stratford Festival.

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