Poetic, sophisticated, and very, very beautiful—that’s what we said to each other as we left the Duceppe Theater after seeing Tupqan, Our Inner Territories. The play is a co-production of the Ondinnok company, Duceppe, the NAC Indigenous Theater, and the NAC National Creation Fund.
It is a “thriller,” a quest for spirituality, identity, and modern indigeneity wrapped in deeply poetic sound and movement. Tupqan can be seen at the Duceppe Theater until April 4, 2026.
Ondinnok, Tupqan and the wampum
The play is in several languages and inspired by the cultures of the different Indigenous nations from which the artists come: Innu, Kanien’kehá:ka, Mi’gmaq, Atikamekw, Gitxsan, Wendate, and Wolastoqey. Sometimes there is a translation projected above the stage. Sometimes there isn’t.
However, like the entire body of work of the Ondinnok company, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the play is incredibly accessible even to those with little knowledge of Indigenous cultures and nations.
At the heart of Tupqan (“earth” in the Wolastoqey language) is a disappearance— a sister who has run away, taking a sacred object with her. That object is the community’s wampum, which is described and explained in a very organic way in the play. Its meaning, what it represents, is conveyed in the silences and movements of the characters, in their breathing and in their intense everyday poetry.
Practical Information
Where? Duceppe Theater, 175 Sainte-Catherine Street West
When? March 4 to April 4, 2026 – 25 performances
How? Tickets start at $40 for Indigenous people and $45 for general admission.
Enjoy the show!