Youth tackle the residential school issue in performance

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"I am so glad to be speaking my language in this place," said Amos Key Jr., executive director of the Woodland Cultural Centre. Key spoke the Ohen:ton Karihweatehkwen (Thanksgiving Address) in the Cayuga language on Jan. 26 preceding a performance of One Voice, Many Stories, a series of sketches portraying life inside the walls of residential school performed by the Six Nations Community Youth Outreach (SNYCO) drama troupe.

The Woodland Cultural Centre, former site of the Mohawk Institute Residential School that operated in Brantford from 1834 until the doors closed in 1969.

The SNCYO drama troupe decided to tackle the sensitive issue of residential schools for the topic of their first performance because of the long-reaching arm it has had through generations of Native families and its legacy that sustains social problems in the Native population.

Eleven members of the Native youth drama troupe performed more than a dozen dramatic sketches dealing with a variety of issues.

The performance opened with the members, dressed in residential school uniforms of white shirts and gray jumpers, kneeling in prayer. Instead of prayer, each gave voice to their innermost feelings and abusive statements they heard.

"I miss my home."

"I want my mom and dad."

"Stop speaking that gibberish."

With each passing statement, their voices grew louder in volume until the students began to laugh, drawn together by the common thread of desperation and loneliness in a place so far from home.

Cast members Falen Johnson and Whitney Mcrae, whose three scenes throughout the performance piece centred on the friendship formed between two girls, gave powerful performances. They portrayed Anna (Falen) and Elizabeth (Whitney) whose story of strength drawn from simple friendship and caring between two individuals led them through truly difficult times.

The suicide of Elizabeth in the residential school left Anna filled with anger for most of her life. Years later, on the occasion of Anna's death, Elizabeth comes to her and is able to apologize for leaving her. In death, they are finally able to come together again.

One Voice, Many Stories is about creating awareness, offering understanding and continuing healing.

"Many people think that this is yesterday's problem. It's not," said actor Falen Johnson.

In the final scene, the drama troupe gathered on stage to perform an originally choreographed dance sequence to powerful words and music that reflected the position of youth in dealing with this debilitating legacy.

"We don't need your education

We don't want no pacifier

We are the leaders of your nation

We're gonna make sure the world survives."