Process

Through the creation of Pawâkan, Protocol and Play recorded the connection to story and community through interviews, notes, filming, photography, language, knowledge sharing, critical response, agreements, Elder guidance, youth engagement, and various support methods et al. This process was created with the intention of sharing the journey of Pawâkan transparently with Frog Lake and to keep Pawâkan connected to the community that inspired it. This practice ensures a framework of accountability and offers respect to the living knowledge shared with Reneltta Arluk about Frog Lake and surrounding area's connection to the Cannibal Spirit also known as, Wihtiko.

Protocol and Play is not a "how-to" guide but a process in progress. It allows for continuous questioning on how to be better and do better for Indigenous communities and the stories they hold. This is an important factor for Akpik Theatre. A purpose of Protocol and Play is to offer Indigenous schools an access point in understanding how Shakespeare's connection to humanity is quite universal. To learn that Indigenous culture and language is richer than the colonial teachings Indigenous students receive and that Shakespeare is there to distrupt that narrative for them. Pawâkan offers Indigenous students a Plains Cree perspective of Macbeth that lessens the language barrier and heightens the story.

Akpik Theatre remains the only professional Indigenous theatre company existing from 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, each Akpik Theatre new work and story exploration have been developed intentionally in the North and often are presented in the south. Pawâkan 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 the Pawâkan stories originated from the Frog Lake, Loon Lake, and Onion Lake regions 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 Elders and community members who share their knowledge allowing The Community Telling of Pawâkan to grow creatively through community engagement.

Protocol

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 after spending time with Frog Lake First Nation students at Chief Napeweaw School on Treaty 6 Territory, a territory not her own.

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 and Reneltta incorporated them into the performance with live sound design and song. The play ended with a round dance. Reneltta and team worked with Plains 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 it 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 to help in keeping communication with Chief Napeweaw School. With their guidance and guidance from Cree Elders, Joanne and Jerry Saddleback, and Jhaik Windyhair, 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 that exist: a Treaty 6 Community Telling version, a winter script version, and a large-scale summer version originally commissioned by The Stratford Festival.

Play VIDEOS TO LEARN MORE

All videos shot and edited by Brianne Nord-Stewart. Nord-Stewart Productions was incorporated in 2015 and is based on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Credits

Akpik Theatre would like to recognize and offer gratitude to the following Frog Lake First Nation members for their support and creativity of Pawâkan: Tony Arcand - Elder, Gary Berland - Elder, Mary Ann Dillon - Elder, Henry Smith - Elder, Raymond Quinney - Elder, Owen Morris - Cree Content, Cecile Dion - Cree Content, and the students of Chief Napeweaw School - Cree Content.

The community of Frog Lake First Nation has a strong connection to the language, culture, and teachings of Treaty 6 territory. To have been able to spend time with the students there and develop the integral root of Pawâkan beginnings has inspired dozens of Indigenous communities to learn and tell their own lived histories.

Akpik Theatre with its entire company is in deep gratitude to the community and Elders of Frog Lake First Nation for being able to share this story with integrity.

DIRECTED BY Brianne Nord-Stewart

WRITTEN BY Barry Bilinsky

Producer: Reneltta Arluk

Executive Producer: Tallis Kirby

Creative Producer: Barry Bilinsky

Post-Production Producer: Brianne Nord-Stewart

Associate Producer: Shivani Saini

Cinematographer: Brianne Nord-Stewart

Halifax 2nd Unit Cinematographer: Dario Lozano-Thornton

2020 Videographer: Eric Janvier

Editor: Brianne Nord-Stewart

Composer: Jason Burnstick & Carmen Braden

Colorist: Christopher M. Ray

Post Production Sound Mixer: Gregor Phillips

Title Designer: Lucas Green

This film follows the process of Akpik Theatre’s A Community Telling of Pawâkan.

PAWÂKAN CREATIVE TEAM

Barry Bilinsky - Assistant Director & Protocol Sharer

Darlene Auger - Plains Cree & Woodland's Cree Translator

Jhaik Windyhair - Plains Cree Consultant & Wihtiko Clan Member

Joanne & Jerry Saddleback - Elders

MJ Belcourt - Cree Cultural Consultant

Buddy Wesley - Stoney Nakoda Language Consultant

Anders Hunter - Nakoda Cultural Consultant

Bruce Sinclair - Cree Content

Curtis Peeteetuce - Cree Content

Anders Hunter - Composer

Ray Thunderchild - Composer

Lancelot Knight - Composer

Santee Smith - Movement

Paula Wing - Dramaturg

Jessica Charmichael - Dramaturg

Keith Barker - Dramaturg

2023 PAWÂKAN CAST

Mallory Amirault

Lisa Nasson

JD Montgrand

Mitchell Saddleback

Spencer Streichert

čačumḥi – aaron wells

Akpik Theatre is grateful for the Indigenous stewardship of these inherent Territories of which Protocol & PLay was filmed ON

Ermineskin First Nation, Samson Cree First Nation, Louis Bull Tribe, Montana First Nation, Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, Frog Lake First Nation, Mi’kmaw First Nation, Membertou First Nation, We'koqma'q First Nation, Eskasoni First Nation, The Scotiabank Studio Stage at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 2023 Prismatic Arts Festival, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation, K’atl’odeeche First Nation, Salt River First Nation and Smith’s Landing First Nation in Minhrpa, Amiskwacîwâskahikan, Sǫǫ̀mbak'è, Kjipuktuk, in Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 lands in Alberta, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories in Canada.

The Filmmakers and Akpik Theatre thank:

Katharine Shockley, Aryn Mott, Cody Clyburn, Greg Dowler-Coltman, Pablo Saravanja, Mark Ratzlaff, Henry’s Camera Halifax, Atlantic Filmmaker’s Cooperative, Conner McNally, Candy Fox & Sergeo Kirby