This fall, Montreal honors Quebec’s aboriginal theatrical creation with a major exhibition in the Quartier des Spectacles.
The “QdS”, which is half-agora and half-fiesta in the heart of Montreal’s cultural hub, is a showcase for Quebec, Canadian and international creation. There’s the Théâtre Duceppe, the Théâtre du Nouveau-Monde, the Musée d’Art Contemporain (still under construction)…
Sometimes it’s hard to see Quebec’s indigenous voices and creations in this chaotic melting pot of culture, with sports matches on giant screens, endless reinventions of Molière plays and concerts that leave Place des Arts in a post-apocalyptic state.
The YAWENDA’ exhibition puts the spotlight on Aboriginal theater over the past 40 years, with a journey through 7 tableaux…
40 years of Aboriginal theater in Quebec
“YAWENDA’ celebrates the power of Aboriginal theater as a space for healing, memory and cultural resistance. Through this retrospective, it is a living breath that connects the voices of yesterday and today in a deeply rooted and resolutely contemporary approach, while retaining its ancestral aspect.” – Dave Jenniss, artistic director of Ondinnok
YAWENDA’ takes place throughout the Quartier des Spectacles with 7 outdoor showcases, and the exhibition is completely free of charge.
It highlights three key periods in Aboriginal theatrical creation: mythological theater, healing theater and contemporary Aboriginal theater.
At the heart of the exhibition is the work of the Ondinnok company. “Ondinnok” means “healing theatrical ritual” in the Wendat language, and through artifacts, photos and archives we discover the journey of this theatrical company.
The original costumes for Xajoj Tun Rabinal Achi, one of the company’s signature pieces inspired by Mayan tradition, will be on display at l’îlot Balmoral (Espace ONF), a few steps from where Ondinnok presented its first creation in 1985. A documentary about the company’s co-founder, Yves Sioui Durand, accompanies the exhibition.
A video projection exploring Montreal as a living space, inhabited by memories and in constant evolution, will be visible on the façade of UQAM’s Pavillon Président-Kennedy in the evening. It is entitled Wolikpotenom – Purification.
Practical info
When and where? September 11 to November 9
An exhibition celebrating 40 years of Aboriginal theater in Quebec
Daily and evenings until 11 p.m.
On Promenade des Artistes
WOLI KPOTENOM | purification
Screenings every day from dusk onwards
Facade of UQAM’s Pavillon Président-Kennedy
A co-production of Ondinnok and the Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada.
Costumes on display & a documentary Salutations: Te’skennongweronne – Yves Sioui Durand
Espace ONF (1500, rue Balmoral)
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (schedule subject to change)
Costumes are on display at all times.
How? Free admission
Enjoy your visit!