The Indigenous Body of Work is a living document that highlights the incredible breadth of work – published play scripts and live productions of dance, music, and theatre – created by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island.
Read the Indigenous Body of Work in Plain Text.
Photo of Nyla Carpentier by Mique’l Dangeli
ABOUT the Indigenous Body of Work
The National Arts Centre (NAC), along with many partners and collaborators, embarked on a two-year project referred to as The First Cycle: Indigenous Theatre. The Cycle took place through a series of three major events: The Summit , The Study , and the Repast.
The Summit took place in the Spring of 2014 at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and was facilitated by Sarah Garton Stanley and Yvette Nolan. The gathering hosted twelve Indigenous Leaders and ten institutional ‘Listeners’ over three days to meditate on the breadth and scope of Indigenous work, translating notions of a “Canon” to a “Body” of Indigenous works in Canada.
Learn more
Read The Summit Report
Read POWER SHIFT: The Story (Summit/Study/Repast)
Submissions
This compilation is incomplete. This is a living document and we need the community’s help keeping it up to date. Titles of work can be added and retracted from this document.
Disclaimer
Anyone can submit titles of work, you are not required to own the intellectual rights of the work because we do not publish scripts or archivals. This allows the Indigenous artistic community to contribute to keeping the list updated and growing. That said, the person owning the intellectual rights may request their titles be redacted from the list; requests can be made to info@ipaa.ca .
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A
Adams, Evan
Adams, Evan & Clements, Marie
Annis, Heather-Marie
Arcan, Warren Ralph
Arluk, Reneltta
B
Baker, Marie
Barker, Keith
From Nothing The Hours That Remain This Is How We Got Here
Barnes, Herbie
Beagan, Tara
Anatomy of an Indian Bad As I Am Bluebeard’s Wi7e Dear Louis Riel Dreary and Izzy Foundlings The Fort at York (lead writer, collective creation) free as injuns Here, Boy! In Spirit It’s Always You Jesus Chrysler Miss Julie: Sheh’mah The Ministry of Grace RECONCILIATION (with Andy Moro) The Red Room: My Pleasure A Soldier’s Tale They Know Not What They Do Thy Neighbour’s Wife Trans Canada The Woods
Belanger, Mariel
Bell, Kim John
Bige, Tawahum
Mr. Beck’s New Evidence // Bars of Pipe (Flaming Balloon. Jun 30, 2018.) Poets+ featuring Tin Lorica, Justin Percival, Tawahum & Jillian Christmas (FifthChord Studios & Arts Council New Westminster. Jan 15, 2022.) Rehearsal Hall Sessions: Cypher with Kimmortal, Tawahum, Shemedlyne, & Ivy (Evergreen Cultural Centre, Kimmortal. Nov 29, 2021.)
Bobb, Columpa
Creation – My Mother’s Story Dinky
Bobb, Columpa & DeVries, Marion
Borst, Murielle
More than Feathers and Beads
Braverock, Carl
Buck, Sadie & Ronceria, Alejandro
Burning, Jack
C
Campbell, Maria
Campbell, Maria & Daniels, Henry
Campbell, Maria & Griffiths, Linda
Cardinal, Ben
Bones Generic Warrior & No-Name Indians
Cardinal, Cliff
Huff Maria Gets a New Life Stitch
Charlette, Kennetch
Charlette, Kennetch & Cheechoo, Shirley & King, Alanis
Cheechoo, Shirley
Moose River Crossing Path With No Moccasins The River Of Life Shadow People
Cheechoo, Shirley & Greta
Cheechoo, Shirley & King, Alanis
Nothing Personal Respect the Voice of the Child
Chiang, George & Fisher, Jonathan
Chinook Winds
Clements, Marie
Burning Vision Copper Thunderbird The Edward Curtis Project The Road Forward Tombs of the Vanishing Indian Unnatural and Accidental Women Urban Tattoo
Cloutier, Sylvia & Williamson Bathory, Laakkuluk
Collin, Marco
Command, Janice
Manabouzhou and the Wolves
Connolly, Jacinthe & Hébert,Véronique & Jenniss, Dave
D
Dalton, Jack
Dancers of Damelahamid
Dancing our Stories Flicker In Abundance Luu Hlotitxw: Spirit Transforming Spirit and Tradition
Dandurand, A. Joseph
Chili and His Day of Glory No Totem For My Story Please Do Not Touch The Indians Sell Fish Shake Th’owxiya the Hungry Feast Dish
Daniels, Greg
Davies, Olivia C.
Conversation Open Fire The Falling Stars
Dauenhauer, Norma Marks
Debajehmujig Theatre Group
The Best Medicine Show Dear Daphne Elders Gone A.W.O.L Ever That Nanabush (based on the stories of Daphne Odjig) From Sinew to Sequins The Gift The Global Savages The Gulch An Honour Story The Indian Affairs The Jerry Jessie Jones Show Jiis Giizhigat (Turnip Day) New World Brave Norval-A Born Artist Our Relations The Peace Tree The Seven Grandfather Teachings SKY, An Aboriginal Dance Drama Thunderers and Water Monsters
Debajehmujig Theatre Group & Naokwegijig, Bruce
Debassige, Diane
First Love Judgments Too Severe
Dennis, Darrell
Tales of an Urban Indian The Trickster of Third Avenue East
Denomme-Welch, Spy
Denomme-Welch, Spy & Catherine Magowan
D’Hondt, Jeff
Everything I Couldn’t Tell You (May 3-11, 2018) Mesingw (Sept 2013)
Dieter, Connie
Dieter, Mark
Love Songs From a War Drum The Pursuit of Indian Hollywood RRAP Where Spirits Walk
Dietz, Steven
Dudoward, Val
Teach Me the Ways of the Sacred Circle
Dumont, Dawn
Crystal Clear Fancy Dancer Four Directions Hamlet Nicimos Spirit Song Spirited Angels Stalker
Dunn, Carolyn
Ghost Dance (Double Sided)
Durand, Yves
Un Monde qui s’achève-Lola
Durand, Yves & Joncas, Catherine
E
Elliot, Cathy
Aluasa’sit The Talking Stick (Charlottetown Festival)
Elter, Sheldon
Eshkibok, Gloria May
F
Favel, Floyd
Attawapiskat Governor of the Dew Lady of Silences The Learning
Fisher, Leonard
Fleming, Neil
Fobister, Wawaate
Francis, Marvin
Frazier A. & M. Kelleher
Friday, Christine
G
Garcia, Maura
Ahwisgvsvo’i Ancestor Dances (Mark Gabriel Little, James Pakootas) People
Gin, Steven
A Trick of Truth / Les Fourberies de la Verité
Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre
Shadows among the Prairies (Jennifer Dawn Bishop. Production: Sept 9-18, 2021. Digital Streaming Jan 24-Feb 6, 2022)
Gould, Glen
Greyeyes, Michael
Greyeyes, Michael & Favel, Floyd
Gummerson, Penny
Is There Bingo in Heaven Wawatay
Guno, Larry
H
Highway, Rene
Highway, Tomson
Annie and the Old One Aria Caribou Song Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing Ernestine Shuswap Gets Her Trout I Have Seen the Giant The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito The Large Tit Pimooteewin The (Post)Mistress The Rez Sisters A Ridiculous Spectacle in One Act Rose The Sage, The Dancer & The Fool A Trickster Tale
I
Innuinuuit Theatre Company/Nalujuk Players
Isaac, M.
I Know Where the North Is
Ivins, Terry
J
Jacko, Esther
The Thunderbird Children Lupi, The Great White Wolf
James, Andrea
Jenniss, Dave
Jensen, Lorre
Joe, J.B.
Johnson, Falen
K
Kahawi Dance Theatre
The Honouring TransMigration Requickening
Kam Lab Theatre/NEPA
Native Images in Transition
Kane, Margo
Confessions of an Indian Cowboy Moonlodge Reflections in the Medicine Wheel The River Home
Kasokeo, Deanne
Keeptwo, Suzanne
Keeshig-Tobias, Lenore
King, Alanis
The Art Show – The Daphne Odijig Story Born Buffalo Bye Bye Beneshe If Jesus Met Nanabush Lovechild The Manitoulin Incident The Tommy Prince Story
King, Bruce
Evening At the Warbonnet Wolfe in Camp
King, Thomas
Kotowich, Jeanette
Kramer, Lara
The Indian Problem NGS (”Native Girl Syndrome”)
L
Lakevold, D. & Racine D.
LaRiviere, Wayne
Laronde, Sandra
Lauzon, Jani
I Call Myself Princess On the Road to Freedom A Side of Dreams
Lauzon, Jani, Merasty Billy, Mojica Monique, & Perez F.
Lawrenchuk, Michael
Lemay, Harding
Lewis, Larry
Linklater, Leonard
Linklater, Leonard & Patti Flather
Loring, Kevin
Loyie, Larry
Ora Pro Nobis (Pray For Us)
Luna, James
M
Mahoney, M.
Mahto, Jamison
Blues for Franklin Avenue
Manitowabi, Darrel
Many Fingers, Justin
Many Fingers, Justin & Brian Solomon
Mason, Tina
Matthews, Pamela
Juliet igwa Romeo The Chief’s Son The Tempest (adaptation)
McIntyre, D.
Mcleod, John
McMahon, Ryan
Medicine, S.
Melody, Bridget
Spirit Dance Written on the Wind
Menard, Andrea
Merasty, William
Fireweed Godly’s Divinia Going Through Deja Vu
Messier, Jean-Frédéric & Yves Sioui Durand
Miguel, Gloria
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Miguel, Muriel
Red Mother Trail of the Otter
Milliken, Barry
Misquadis, R
Mojica, Monique
Princess Pocahontas and the Blue Spots
Mojica, Monique & Chocolate Woman Collective
Chocolate Woman Dreams the Milky Way
Morris, Jim
Morrisseau, M.
Morrisseau, Renae
Moses, Daniel David
Almighty Voice and His Wife Big Buck City Brebeuf’s Ghost Coyote City de Winter’s Tale The Dreaming Beauty Kyotopolis The Moon and Dead Indians Songs of Love and Medicine
Moses, Daniel David & Jim Millan
Mosioner, Beatrice
A Little Black Cat and a Little White Rat Night of the Trickster
Murray, J. Melanie
N
Neal, Justin
SO DAMN PROUD (Holy Crow Arts, Olivia C. Davies, Jay Havens, Michelle Bardach, Aaron M. Wells. Sept 10-24, 2021)
Clown Trickster’s Workshop Death of a Chief Double Take/A Second Look Give them a Carrot for as long as the Sun Is Green Native Images in Transition Who am I?
Nepinak, Doug
BBQ Coo-Coosh The Crisis in Oka, Manitoba
Nolan, Yvette
BLADE Child A Marginal Man Savage Skin Deep from thine eyes The Unplugging
Nowra, Louis
O
Olson, Michelle & Lisa Ravensbergen
Omnika, Amie Lynn
Ondinnok
Iwouskea et Tawiskaron Opitowap, Sakipitcikan et Mantokasowin Le Porter des peines du monde
Osawabine, Joe
How Will You Remember Me?
Osawabine, Joe & Elisha Sidlar & Paula Wing
P
Payette, Corey
Children of God Starwalker Les Filles du Roi (Julie McIssac) Sedna (Reneltta Arluk, Marshal McMahen)
Pechawis, Archer
Talking to My Horse, Whistling the Garry Owen
Peeteetuce, Curtis
In the Midst of Memory Mekiwin : The Gift Popcorn Elder
Peltier, Doris
Peltier, K.
Pepin, Genevieve & Laurentio Q. Arnatsiaq
Petit, Marcel
Pheasant, Karen
Prudat, PJ
R
Ramirez, Vickie
Raven Spirit Dance
Ashes on the Water Earth Song Evening in Paris Frost Exploding Trees Moon Gathering Light Luk T’äga Näche Northern Journey Salmon Girl Songs of Shär Cho Ta’wan
Backbone Dancing Americas The Great Mountain by Tracey Power Mistatim Raven Raven Stole The Sun by Drew Hayden Taylor (based on a traditional Tlingit story as recounted by Sháa Tláa Maria Williams) Shimmer Underworlds
Reid, Stephen & M. Poushinsky
Riggs, Lynn Rollie
The Cherokee Night Green Grow the Lilacs
Ronceria, Alejandro
Rosie Simas Danse
Ross, Ian
Ruffo, Armand
Ghost Woman Grey Owl The Mystery of Archie Belaney The Visit A Windigo Tale
S
Scurvey, Sweeney
Seabrook, M.
Seawell, Annamarie
Sergel, Christopher
Simpson, Brock
Sinclair, Bruce & Waweyekisik Theatre
Sinclair, Bruce
Smith, Santee & Michael Greyeyes
Smith, Santee
A Constellation of Bones Electric Inter-tribal Here on Earth The Honouring Kaha:wi I Lost My Talk (NAC Orchestra) Maadaadizi/Summer Journeys (Jason Baerg) Medicine Bear MidWinter Dreaming NeoIndigenA Re-Quickening Sacred Spring A Soldier’s Tale (Theatre Aquarius, directed by Max Reimer) Star Dreamer A Story Before Time Susuriwaka – willow bridge Tkaronto Bounce TransMigration Tripped up Blues
Smyth Z.
The Tale of the Four Directions
Solomon, Brian & Justin Many Finger
Spiderwoman Theater
St. Bernard, Donna-Michelle
Stella, Rose
T
Tangen, Rulan
Walking at the edge of Water
Tanguay, Nicole
Tarbescu Edith
Taylor, Drew Hayden
alterNATIVE The Baby Blues The Berlin Blues The Bootlegger Blues Dead White Writer on the Floor Education is Our Right Four Hundred Kilometers Girl Who Loved Her Horses GOD AND THE INDIAN Heat Lightning In a World Created by a Drunken God Indian Time Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth Pictures On the Wall Raven Stole The Sun (based on a traditional Tlingit story as recounted by Sháa Tláa Maria Williams (Red Sky Performance) The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny Someday Three Tricksters Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock
Tisiga, Joseph
Tonto’s Nephews
Trujillo, Raoul
Tunooniq Theatre
The Only Good Indian The Scrubbing Project The Triple Truth
Twigg, Troy Emery
Assimilating Richard Iitahpoyii
Two-Rivers / Broessel, E. Donald
V
Vermette, Sarah
Villeneuve, Alain
W
Wallace, Yvonne
Welsh, Joe
Williams, Angeline
Biidaasigekwe, Sunlight Woman
Williams, Kenneth
A.W.O.L. Bannock Republic Café Daughter DESERTERS Gordon Winter In Care Project 7 Suicide Notes Three Little Birds Thunderstick
Williamson Bathory, Laakkuluk & Sylvia Cloutier
Wiseman J.
Worn Staff, Sadie
Shadow Warrior The Tribes of Dawn Winter Moon Magic
Y
Yellow Robe Jr., William S.
The Independence of Eddie Rose A Stray Dog
Young Ing Greg
Z