The Making of Making Treaty 7: A Practical, Philosophical and Ideological Templatefor Intercultural Collaboration

The origins of Making Treaty 7 the theatrical production in some ways mirror the treaty signing process itself 140 years ago: Negotiation, protocol, and the quest of two cultures trying to understand each other. Where this process significantly diverges from the murky dealings in 1877 is that the spirit in which this society and this play were created comes out of a need to repair and reconcile the fractured relationship between the First Nations and “newcomers,” a desire to recognize the facts of the past and have it inform us as to how to move forward together on this land. This article is a unique look inside the genesis and creation of Making Treaty 7. Troy Emery Twigg, a Blackfoot artist, dancer, and educator, and Kris Demeanor, a Calgary-based poet and musician, were part of the initial wave of consultation with Treaty 7 elders, research, and discussion with Michael Green, Narcisse Blood, and Blake Brooker that helped define the trajectory of Making Treaty 7. These interviews illuminate how research, largely based on written versions of first hand oral accounts by First Nations leaders, stimulated the artistic process as “theme bundles” were created and as musical and scene creation collaborations were pursued. Ultimately, it is the story of reconciliation through art, and the blending of socially conscious creation with artistic rigour.