Quest Theatre staging We Are All Treaty People for thousands of kids
The word quest can mean a search, hunt, voyage, journey or adventure and they all apply to Quest Theatre’s production of We Are All Treaty People.
This powerful and groundbreaking collaboration between Quest Theatre and the artists who created the 2013 landmark theatrical and cultural event, The Making of Treaty 7, began touring Alberta schools in 2017. The tour sold out and the waiting list just kept growing. This year’s tour also sold out and the 2020 tour is rapidly filling up.
Troy Emery Twigg, one of the creators of Quest’s We Are All Treaty People, points out the first tour was seen by more than 11,000 children and, before the current tour ends, it will have reached more than 15,000 kids.
“The demand continues to grow as this story and its importance draws hope for better understanding and encourages celebrating the land we all call home. It is significant in that the true history of the land is uncovered through a spectacle of historic characters, song, storytelling and a dancing buffalo.”
Calgarians will have several opportunities to catch We Are All Treaty People. It will be part of the opening ceremony of the new BMO Theatre at Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge (11300 Rocky Ridge Road N.W.) at 2 p.m. on April 21. There is a performance at Fort Calgary at 12:30 p.m. on June 9 and two performances at Quest Theatre’s home in cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Avenue S.W.) at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on June 3 and 4. Check out questtheatre.org/ontour for tickets for the Rocky Ridge and cSPACE performances. Fort Calgary ’s website has information on its shows.
Nikki Loach, artistic director of Quest and co-director of We Are All Treaty People, says the excitement over the show is growing nationally.
“Two other provinces want us to tour our show to them. We can’t make an official announcement until all the contracts are signed. This is super unheard of for us. It’s a wonderful adventure.”
Quest’s involvement with The Making of Treaty 7 began in 2013 when the late Michael Green, who was instrumental in the creation of that show, approached Loach.
He felt Quest could help bring the concept and ideas behind The Making of Treaty 7 to children through schools, said Loach, who joined the board of the Indigenous group.
“I listened for 18 months without saying a word. For me, it was all about relationship building with this culture. I finally worked on a proposal but Michael died before I was able to get it to him. That’s when I began working with Troy (Emery Twigg).
“We pulled those things from the content of The Making of Treaty 7 that we felt was accessible for children and created a show for kindergarten to Grade 3 and another for grades four to six.”
The play centres around an Indigenous girl and a city girl and questions whether they can be friends considering Canada’s history with First Nations.
The story is told to the students by a character called Trickster who is not dressed in traditional First Nations attire.
“Kids will disconnect unless Trickster is dressed in normal
The future of the relationship between First Nations and newcomers is in the hands of the children in the audience, so it is a hopeful message the play brings to the schools.
clothes. The story mesmerizes the children and during every question period, a child will ask if there are any First Nation people left in Alberta.
“The irony is they are asking that question of an actor who is First Nation. Part of the message of the play is that First Nation people are here. They are survivors because their elders have kept these stories alive,” said Loach.
“The future of the relationship between First Nations and newcomers is in the hands of the children in the audience, so it is a hopeful message the play brings to the schools. Healing comes in facing the truth of what happened in history.”
Loach says that Indigenous children are learning their history, too, and learning that they must be strong and persevere.
“It’s vital we bring these plays to the schools on the reserves, yet they cannot afford to bring us in which is why we are doing fundraising. Michael Green told me it was these children he wanted to reach and I think Quest owes it to Michael to fulfil that part of his dream.”