Ben Cardinal: Putting truth behind the stereotype

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Ben Cardinal, a Metis originally from Lac la Biche, first began acting when he was only 10 years-old.

As a child he had this restless energy and a "big mouth" which sometimes got him into trouble, he recalls. His teacher thought drama was the way to harness that energy and he told young Ben about a school play and the role of Tom Sawyer.

"I think I was the first Native Tom Sawyer in Canada," he chuckles.

It was that first role which made Cardinal decide he wanted to make a living as an actor.

Now 31, Cardinal says he's been doing it for so long, acting comes naturally despite his lack of formal training. His most recent role was in Theater Network's 'Third Ascent.'

"I've played Big Joey (in Dry Lip Oughta Go To Kapuskasing, a Thompson Highway play). He's a mean non-caring individual."

He says Big Joey was interesting and a challenge to play because he had to learn to be mean, something he wasn't used to.

"I'd come out of the show and people wouldn't even talk to me because of how mean a character he was."

He's also played Sam, a Native activist, in Northern Light's production of 'Jessica' and he had a part in 'The Ecstasy of Rita Joe'.

In between acting he worked at different trades like glazing and carpentry.

Cardinal says he's played lots of Indian chiefs and would like to play a doctor or a lawyer sometime, but says Big Joey was his favorite role.

"It was an all-Native cast and was written by Thompson Highway, a Cree from Manitoba," he reminisces. "I got to work with some really wonderful guys -- some Mohawks, Iroquois and a bunch of Cree guys."

He gives credit to his high school drama teacher who taught him how to mold his ideas into a project by letting him and the other students write their own stories. Tjat helped launch his second career as a playwright.

"I really wanted to write because I got tired of the Native stereotype," he says.

"When a mooniyaw (non-Native) writes about the Native community, a lot of it's not really true. I wanted to show some truth, so I said it's time to write parts."

He gets his ideas from himself and the people around him Cardinal says his plays aren't traditional but are more like mirrors of the past and present.

Learning lessons from the past have to be passed on because "people forget", he noted.

"Being an actor makes it a little bit easier for me. I talk as I go along, I play the parts. The characters write for me after I start, I just happen to be there at the conversation."

Among the plays he's written have been 'Bones', 'Generic Warriors' and his current project, a television script called 'Moccasin Flats'.

In 'Third Ascent', he played four different characters, including a middle-aged Native, a college student at Yale, a U.S. diplomat and a Japanese diplomat.

The play, directed by Stephen Heatley, played live at Roxy Theatre (10708-124St) for 12 performances and has now moved on to the Magnus in Thunder Bay.

Cardinal found it difficult accepting a part in the play because it was written from a non-Native point of view about a Native legend.

He explains non-Natives try to portray Native culture but really show their misunderstanding. In the end, they look naive.

Cardinal had gone to the writer to express his feeling that the legend may have been misinterpreted. But the playwright indicated he was showing how non-Native people don't understand Native culture.

Cardinal also had a few problems with a buffalo skull and an eagle feather being used as props in the play.

"I thought about it, but they've done the show before. It's theatre."

After this, Cardinal says he saw it as "just a story."

Acting is a double reward for Cardinal, offering the challenge of the character he must play and the opportunity to work with other talented actors.

"Someone once said artists are a privileged people," he said, smiling.

"It's always going from one job to the next. But I've been fortunate that I've been able to make a living at this. It's hard to make a living at his, but it's the people you get to work with," he said.

While Cardinal doesn't see himself as a role model, he does like to encourage young adults to write and act.

"I really see a lot of kids writing and doing things. I'm really proud to see that," he says. Good writing is very important, to get things happening, to show ideas and truth. Theatre is a really interesting way to go about it."

Cardinal has lots of plans to keep him active. While he plans to continue writing plays, he eventually wants to move on to writing movies.

"I want to learn and see the growth of Native artists."