Showcasing their culture
Performers bring ancient songs, traditions and dance to modern P.E.I. audience
NORTH RUSTICO, P.E.I. – Riley Bernard didn’t begin his career with Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors as a drummer.
He got his start running the sound as a summer gig for the Mi’kmaq Confederacy in 2012.
By 2013, his role had grown to drumming, singing and storytelling.
“You know, I just help out,” he said.
These days, with all the talent they put together on stage, there’s no longer a need for a sound technician, he said.
“We don’t so much have that incorporated anymore. It’s mostly just sounds that we do ourselves.”
Bernard and the rest of the Heritage Actors got to share these sounds and stories with North Rustico on July 12 as part of the Watermark Theatre’s 2021 season launch.
Company member Julie Pellissier-Lush described the show as a sort of anthology.
“A showcase of stories and poems and teachings of the Mi'kmaq culture, with music, dance and song.”
CROSSING CULTURES
Bernard talked about what it means to share Mi’kmaq traditions with a new audience.
“It’s great. What we are as a troupe has evolved so much since the beginning and it's been great to learn from elders and get the opportunity to have these traditional instruments made for us.”
They started out with just a couple of hand drums, he said.
“We didn’t have water drums or koju’a sticks. It’s been great to have it all built up to what it is now. It’s just awesome.”
During the show, Bernard explained the koju’a stick and how it’s made.
“It allows us to spread the teachings, too, in a more authentic way,” he said.
Another of those teachings was about braiding sweetgrass.
“When you have one little piece of sweetgrass all by itself, it’s very easy to fall apart,” said Pellissier-Lush. “But when it is braided together, it is strong. And in unity, you can make change together.”
She went on to explain
sweetgrass has many meanings, including its use as medicine.
“This is just two of the teachings I learned growing up about sweetgrass. First, the unity, being able to work together. And being able to connect to the creator, to your spirit, because when we smudge, we’re taking away the negative. And we smudge with sweetgrass.”
LINGUISTIC LESSONS
Beyond the stories and songs, Richard Pellissier-Lush – Julie’s son – taught the audience some Mi’kmaq words.
“The Mi’kmaq word for hello is, ‘K’ we.’ Now if you’re a true Islander, it’s easy just to remind you to say, ‘g’ way with ya!”
After getting the audience to all say hello, he showed people how to introduce themselves.
Richard also told the story of how the trickster rabbit got its long ears, using the different animals in the story as opportunities to learn more Mi’kmaq.
“This next legend that I’m going to speak to you about has a lot of different origins and a lot of different stories.”
Other highlights from the show include a lesson on different drums and a more solemn moment featuring a song Julie and Richard were asked to write for the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2-spirit people.
“They wanted us to have a song that was from Prince Edward Island that showed our hope that things would change, across our country,” Julie said.
The song’s chorus distills this idea into two powerful lines.
“Think of us now and then, and pray this tragedy will end,” it says.
The artistic director for
Watermark said the show fits with recent major changes at the theatre.
“We just changed our mandate to open up to more diverse voices and diverse playwrights.”
The last part of that is especially important, he said, explaining it’s not enough to just appear diverse.
“It’s mostly the playwright; it’s really the voice,” said Robert Tsonos, adding that goal of adding diverse voices extends to the whole
organization.
“You try to have the entire company have this trend, have this kind of confirmation to include more diversity.”
After an hour of performing to the crown of 150, the show wrapped up with a final song and a final lesson from Julie about Mi’kmaq goodbyes.
“We don’t say goodbye because we do believe our lives will cross again. So, we always says, ‘nmu’ltes.’”