Creating a conversation

Indigenous youth to present Mi’kmaq Voices of P.E.I. in Charlottetown this month

Richard Lush said he has come full circle as he prepares to launch Mi’kmaq Voices of P.E.I. this summer.

Lush started performing 14 years ago with the Young Company and appeared in Abegweit, Soul of the Island and The Talking Stick.

“It was one of the most remarkable, memorable jobs of my life – creating this family of Indigenous people across Turtle Island – all come together to perform a show,” said Lush.

After the finale, the director of the 2011 production wasn’t ready to leave behind those Mi’kmaq stories.

“There’s too much talent here in Epekwitk, Mi’kmaq territory, we need to continue this on,” the late Cathy Elliott said to Lush.

“At the time, she heard Mom had written some poems,” said Lush, who is the son of poet Julie Pellissierlush.

Elliott took Pellissier-lush’s first seven poems and turned them into the Mi’kmaq Legends.

“Thus, we were created,”

said Lush.

Together, mother and son told their stories and legends to audiences for more than a decade, gathering performers into a troupe that stuck together and will feature in this summer’s amphitheatre production.

“It was very surreal for me last year because I was on stage, just talking about the story and came to the realization: This is where I started. It’s like a full circle, now, here I am again,” said Lush.

Together, voices new and old will take the stage in Charlottetown for much of this month.

Mi’kmaq Voices of P.E.I. will run six days a week at noon in the Confederation Centre of the Arts outdoor amphitheatre, July 7-22.

The troupe of Mi’kmaq dancers, singers and drummers will share songs, dances, stories, teachings and a little bit of contemporary hip-hop, said Pellissier-lush, who will perform in the show, along with her son.

“It’s going to be an amazing group of vignettes that everybody will be able to take some good stuff away from,” she said.

GROWING TOGETHER

As the show prepared for its final rehearsal before opening day mother and son took a few moments to talk with Saltwire Network about their latest creation.

Lush enjoys the interactive aspect of performing, said his mom.

“Years ago, when we did the early shows … Mom used to say, ‘Take what you want…’”

“Use what you can,” Pellissier-lush chimed in. “But most of all, enjoy.”

“So, we always try and encourage (the audience to) take one thing, two things, that you can learn and be part of so you can continue the conversation,” said Lush.

The shows will teach some Mi’kmaq words and share stories. The performers will wear traditional regalia and share songs and dances from not only Mi’kma’ki but Indigenous cultures across the nation.

Lush and Pellissier-lush are proud to see the performers grow as they get comfortable in their roles.

“Mom and I put a lot of work into the show and to see those kids just dancing and thriving and so proud of their culture – in a lot of cases, they wouldn’t be involved in their culture without the show,” said Lush. “To give those kids an opportunity to showcase what truly was taken away from a lot of their ancestors, they’re just flourishing. In a lot of ways, when they dance, when they sing, you can almost hear some eerie ancestor moments … looking down, proud.

“That’s what it’s all about for me in a lot of ways, just giving those kids the opportunities that maybe their ancestors didn’t have,” said Lush.

A particularly meaningful chant led by Pellissier-lush is The Strong Woman Song.

“It has a heartbeat rhythm, so you feel that rhythm as it’s going through you as you’re listening, as you’re processing the chant, it’s very, very powerful,” said Pellissier-lush.

Sean Lush, Richard’s little brother, who has been performing Mi’kmaq stories since he was six years old, is the main drum-keeper and makes sure the large drum is always safe. He also has two original songs in the production.

He said being on stage in his regalia sharing stories is “pretty exhilarating”.

“It’s a really fun environment. And just really nice to be in and be able to song and dance and all that stuff.”

He said he keeps coming back to performing because he loves the community and welcoming new members to the stage.

“It’s a no-judgment zone,” he said. “Seeing people just getting into it, it’s really nice to see their improvement over time.”

Caseon Acorn, who drums and dances in the production, said he also enjoys the community.

“It’s really fun and really amusing,” he said. “Because even when I’m onstage, there’s still some stuff that I don’t really know about and I gotta learn.”

‘USE WHAT YOU CAN’

Continuing to share Indigenous legends and perform in regalia remains important in light of the truths coming from the unmarked burials at residential schools across the country, said Pellissierlush. Even though they don’t address the issue directly in the show, she hopes it sparks conversation.

So does Lush. He also wants audiences to see the rich culture that has persisted despite the impacts of colonialism.

“We’re creating education, we’re creating awareness but, most importantly, we’re creating a showcase for our youth, our adults and our elders to take pride in what we’re offering and showing it to the world,” said Lush.

“How incredible would it be if instead of everybody going ‘bonjour’ or ‘hello’, that we all just say ‘k’we’, the Mi’kmaq hello – change that whole dialect of conversation.”