The Debajehmujig Storytellers, also Debahehmyjig Theatre Group, or informally Debaj, is a

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

theatre group and multi-arts organization based in the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on

Manitoulin Island Manitoulin Island is an island in Lake Huron, located within the borders of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the bioregion known as Laurentia. With an area of , it is the largest lake island in the world, large enough that it has over 100 ...

Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Pro ...

. Debaj is the longest running Indigenous theatre in North America.

History

''Debajehmujig'' is from the

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

(''debaajimoojig'') and Cree (''tepācimūcik''), both meaning "storytellers". Debajehmujig was founded by

Shirley Cheechoo Shirley Cheechoo ( cr, ᔒᓕᒋᒍ born 1952) is a Canadian Cree actress, writer, producer, director, and visual artist, best known for her solo-voice or monodrama play ''Path With No Moccasins'', as well as her work with De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig theat ...

, Blake Debassige and colleagues in 1984 in

M'Chigeeng First Nation M'Chigeeng First Nation, also known as West Bay, is an Ojibwe First Nation band government in the Manitoulin District of Ontario, Canada. The total registered population as of December 2018, was 2623 people, of which their on-reserve population ...

(formerly known as West Bay) on

. In 1989, the company moved to Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve (Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory). In addition to being located in Wiikwemkoong, the company operates the Debajehmujig Creation Centre in

Manitowaning Assiginack () is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on Manitoulin Island. An Ontario Historical Plaque was built on the grounds of the Assiginack Museum by the province to commemorate the Manitoulin Treaties' role in Ontario' ...

. The main stage is the open air stage in the ruins of the Holy Cross Mission in Wiikwemkoong. The company plays throughout Canada under its Outreach program. The company was established so that "Native youth be given the opportunity to see themselves and their lives reflected on the stage, in the characters, in the stories, in the experiences portrayed."Canadian Shakespears
Spotlight
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Notable alumni

— founder, actor, playwright, artistic director, board member *

Tomson Highway Tomson Highway (born 6 December 1951) is an Indigenous Canadian playwright, novelist, and children's author. He is best known for his plays ''The Rez Sisters'' and ''Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing'', both of which won the Dora Mavor Moore ...

— playwright, actor, artistic director (1984/85) * Rene Highway — actor *

Drew Hayden Taylor Drew Hayden Taylor (born 1 July 1962) is a Canadian playwright, author and journalist. Life and career Born in Curve Lake, Ontario, Taylor is part Ojibwe and part Caucasian. About his background Taylor says: "I plan to start my own nation. Bec ...

— actor, playwright

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Theatre companies in Ontario First Nations theatre

History

See also

Notable alumni

References

External links