A Moment of Reckoning, an Activation of Refusal, a Project of Re-Worlding

I came to the theatre to discover my own humanity—to discover a belief in my own humanity. I looked to the theatre to teach me the worth of my own life on this earth and to teach me to fearlessly articulate this humanity, to manifest it that I might find the bridge between 'us' and 'them,' between my ancestors and their oppressors, between myself and those who oppressed me, and between my yet-unborn descendants and the peoples among whom they might someday live. I came to the theatre to save my life and to try, through this medium, to transfigure a salvaged wreck into a life well lived.

I am still seeking that bridge between…

Across these territories, a great reckoning is taking place. The fuse is burning, and, it seems, an explosion is imminent—an explosion of the narrative through which this nation that calls itself 'Canada' has spoken itself into being. In this plague year, talk of 'truth and reconciliation' between treaty peoples has evolved into a speech act that activates survivance. Indigenous artists, activists, and scholars, with increasing vigour and conviction, are choosing to activate their refusal of that long-cherished narrative—its content and structure—and the institutions that nourish and uphold it.