Calgary play explores impact of Treaty 7
Posted Sep 27, 2022 7:19 am.
Last Updated Sep 27, 2022 7:21 am.
O’kosi (oh-go-see) is a Blackfoot word meaning “in the fall when we gather,” but it’s also the name of a new Calgary play that explores the impact of the signing of Treaty 7 with music, poetry, and a trip through history.
The play is the newest creation from Making Treaty 7, a Calgary-based cultural society, that aims to transfer Indigenous knowledge via art.
Each scene in the production takes place on Sept. 22 at a different time in history — the treaty was signed on that day in 1877.
“It’s about reconnecting. It’s about healing. It’s about love,” said Mary-Rose Cohen, an actress in O’kosi. “It’s really about the ripple effects, especially residential schools and the 60s scoop.”
Janine Owl Child performing in O’kosi on stage at Pumphouse Theatre. (CityNews photo)
Signed between five First Nations and the crown, Treaty 7 set aside land for reserves, while promising annual compensation in exchange for Indigenous territories.
Janine Owl Child, another actress in the play, says one character, in particular, reflects the early optimism in signing the treaty.
“I guess Elk Singing Woman, she kind of talks about how the hopes of signing the treaty would bring if we work together and what would happen. And it didn’t go that way,” Owl Child said.
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The production features a cast of Blackfoot actors, accompanied by a live musical score with powwow and dance.
Owl Child hopes the show will instill a sense of reflection in its audience.
“We’re kind of jumping through time. Showing the effects of some of the issues that we have to deal with as native people,” Owl Child said.
The title of the play refers to returning home to the river valley for winter camps.
O’kosi will run until Oct. 1 at Pumphouse Theatre.
