Debajehmujig theatre group shines at Commonwealth Games

A storytelling group from Mantioulin Island has been taking part in The Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Debajehmujig Storytellers from Wikwemikong First Nation have been performing a show called On Common Ground.

The artistic director of Debajehmujig Storytellers, Joseph Osawabine, said it’s a story about a character’s grandmother having a vision about a thunderbird — an iconic figure within Anishnawbek culture.

He said the vision shows the thunderbird leaving Turtle Island, or North America, to go to a global gathering featuring many nations.

The group's final performance is set to run Thursday evening in Glasgow. It will be their fifth show.

“It’s a long time to be away from our families back home there in Canada, but it’s a relatively short time to create a good piece of theatre,” he said. “I think we did a bang-up job.”

Osawabine said the reviews in Scotland have been great, including two four-star ratings in newspapers overseas.

“The audience is very receptive and responsive and they love it,” he said. “We’ve had standing ovations just about every performance so far.”

Group one of several up for Premier’s Award

Performing at the Commonwealth Games is not the only good news the group is celebrating as Debajehmujig Storytellers is also one of 12 finalists for the Premier’s Awards for the Excellence in the Arts.

According to the province, the award recognizes extraordinary achievements of artists and arts organizations. The award will be announced at a ceremony in Toronto on Sept.

Other finalists from northeastern Ontario include Christi Belcourt of Espanola, Keith Campbell of North Bay, and Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario in Sudbury.