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Cree reimagining of Macbeth makes makes Treaty 1 territory debut in Brandon
A reimagining of Macbeth — set in a time before colonization and rooted in the Cree worldview, language and tradition — is set to be performed on Treaty 1 territory for the first time this weekend.
Pawâkan, a production from Akpik Theatre — a professional theatre company founded in the Northwest Territories in 2008 that now tours across Canada — transforms Shakespeare's classic tale of ambition and betrayal into a celebration of Indigenous culture.
Audiences in Manitoba will now get to see it for the first time, with performances on Sunday and Monday at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium in Brandon.
Playwright Reneltta Arluk says it centres Indigenous voices, showing the strength and complexity of Cree life before colonization.
Part of that, she says, is using laughter as healing.
"Indigenous people ... our laughter is such a huge part of who we are as people. There's a lot of humour in this play," Arluk said.
While the story draws loosely from Macbeth, it has been completely rewritten to elevate Cree perspectives and language.
The main character, Macikosisân, is consumed by a cannibal spirit known as "the one who walks alone" — whose name is only spoken when snow is on the ground — symbolizing greed and violence, Arluk said.
The three witches of Shakespeare's play are reimagined as the wiyôyôwak, spiritual beings who challenge the characters to reflect on identity and spirituality.
Pawâkan was born out of time spent with students and elders in the Cree community of Frog Lake First Nation, on Treaty 6 territory in northern Alberta, and during her residency across various reserves, Arluk said.
Macbeth became a tool to talk about greed and the cannibal spirit, she said. Elders told stories of the spirit, while youth shared stories of the land.
That blend inspired her to reshape the tragedy into Pawâkan, a story that explores how imbalance, isolation, and spiritual hunger affect communities.
"This play is about balance. It's about when you go too far one way, and you isolate yourself and others," Arluk said.
"We need each other as people. We need each other more than ever. And so that's what this play really does.... It really asks each other to be there for each other."
Elevating Indigenous voices
Pawâkan has toured Treaty 6 territory — including Edmonton, North Battleford, Sask., and Frog Lake — as well as parts of the Atlantic and Northwest Territories.
There are actually two versions of the play — the touring 90-minute version, titled The Community Telling of Pawâkan, and a full-length version that hasn't yet been produced.
Its Brandon performance is unique in another way — it's happening in summer near the summer solstice. Traditionally, director Barry Bilinsky says, stories like Pawâkan are told in the dead of winter.
That means the shorter version also has two versions — one for winter, and one for summer. In the summer version, the name of the cannibal spirit is omitted.
"We need the winter to balance out the summer, we need the light to balance the dark," he said. "It reminds us of what our ancestors went through, and what people right now are going through, and what it means to be truly starving."
The play is also a chance to celebrate Cree culture, especially in communities that don't often see large theatre productions, Arluk said.
When she graduated from theatre school, there were few opportunities for Indigenous actors, even with formal training, she said.
"It was still really challenging to get into those theatres, because I was Indigenous, and those stories were not our stories," she said.
She wants to change that.
Making space for Indigenous artists is critical, she says, especially because Shakespeare is deeply embedded in Canadian education — even in isolated communities where Indigenous stories often are not.
She's seen first-hand how students light up when they get to share Cree cosmology.
"It's powerful … these stories of the land," she said. "I do truly believe that our stories are the most intrinsic and compelling stories."
Bilinsky agrees, adding the production is also a statement about Indigenous presence on stage.
"It's so vital for young people to see themselves up on stage and to understand that these languages aren't dead, that these stories aren't gone and that … we can be on those stages," he said.
Every performance feels different, Bilinsky says. Some audiences are full of Cree speakers, laughing along with the jokes, while others are quiet and reverent.
During some performances, he's heard pop cans cracked open mid-show or audiences rustling snacks — moments that remind him how diverse these communities are, Bilinsky said.
One recent show included evacuees displaced by wildfires. He hopes Pawâkan offered a reprieve for them, and will offer others a reminder of Indigenous perseverance.
