Poundmaker playwright brings Indigenous performance vision to international stage

The symposium gave Favel an opportunity to share what he describes as a lifetime of research into Indigenous performance. It also featured a reading of his play Sweet Cherry Wine, which he said demonstrates those ideas in practice.

The method, he explained, breaks storytelling into distinct elements – including narrative, gesture, space, light and shadow – and uses those elements as the foundation for performance.

But for Favel, the international attention is not simply about presenting his own work.

Instead, he sees it as part of a larger effort to create opportunities for Indigenous artists and strengthen artistic practices rooted in community and culture.

“My long-term goal is to keep up the decolonization process and strengthen land-based community-based performance and literary arts,” he said.

A poster for a Polish presentation of Sweet Cherry Wine features a scene from Floyd Favel’s drama, which was presented in English and Polish as part of an international symposium and festival exploring Indigenous knowledge, performance and culture. (Image Credit: Floyd Favel)

Central to that vision is a belief that Indigenous performance should be grounded in storytelling traditions rather than defined solely through identity.

“We need to go beyond the limited category of Indigenous identity,” Favel said.

“It’s using Indigenous storytelling as a base, and as a base for your theatrical presentations, and it’s open to all people. It’s not a category only for Indigenous people, a limiting category.”

He said the approach encourages artists to look to their own cultural roots as a foundation for creative work.

“The mission is to promote Indigenous performance as an artistic genre that goes beyond colonial identity labels and also to look at Indigenous cultures and whatever kind of country you may be from, looking at the roots of your country and your culture as a source and the base of performance development,” he said.

Favel contrasted that approach with what he described as the realism common in much of European theatre.

“Our language isn’t involved, our techniques and methods aren’t put on stage, we are basically essentially Indigenous identity people using European theatre methods and techniques on stage, so nothing really identifies Indigenous performance beyond colonial identity,” he said.

The response overseas suggests those ideas are resonating beyond Canada.

“Yes, it’s very well received,” Favel said.

One example, he said, is a Polish theatre company that drew inspiration from his book Words from the Land before developing productions rooted in local traditions and folk culture. Members of the company later travelled to Poundmaker to learn more about his process.

“What I don’t do is I’m not trying to create imitators,” he said. “But I try to inspire people to look at their own country, their own folk cultures, and to create their own theatres based on that.”

That philosophy also shapes his work at home. Over the years, Favel said he has looked for ways to connect Indigenous artists with international projects and collaborations, believing those opportunities can broaden horizons and strengthen artistic communities.

Looking ahead, he said his goal is not simply to expand the reach of his own work, but to help create pathways for others.

That, he said, is especially important for people from smaller communities who may not always see themselves reflected on larger stages.

“And then I guess it gives people a window and a doorway out into the big world,” Favel said.

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

Poundmaker playwright brings Indigenous performance vision to international stage

What's Trending