Laughter is good medicine visits Sagamok

Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation hosted an evening of story-telling and hilarity with comedian Don Burnstick on November 29.

By Leslie Knibbs

SAGAMOK ANISHNAWBEK FIRST NATION—Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation hosted an evening of story-telling and hilarity with comedian Don Burnstick on November 29.

Burnstick’s mantra is “laughter is good medicine”— indeed, he brought tears of laughter and joy to everyone in attendance.

Burnstick is well known across Turtle Island as one of the premiere stand-up comics performing at small local events such as Sagamok as well as mega shows at Casinos featuring headliners such as Jay Leno and others. He is considered a top of the class Indigenous comedian playing to sellout crowds wherever he performs. The Laughter is Good Medicine event in Sagamok was no exception—the room was packed with community members of all ages.

From the moment he took to the stage and turned on the microphone, he had everyone in the palm of his hand with his comedy routine. Whether he was pacing frantically back and forth across the stage cracking one-liners or sitting in a chair telling stories, the audience was mesmerized. Without missing a beat, he went from telling heart-warming stories of hard times he’s experienced yet always told with a humourous bend, to cracking one-liners that had the audience doubled over with laughter. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

Prior to doing comedy, Burnstick was a wellness worker with youth. Throughout his storied past, Burnstick has gone from a life of alcoholism, living on the streets in Edmonton, to becoming one of the most influential Indigenous comedians in North America today. And all the while through recovery, going back to school to become a wellness worker, to headlining at venues far and wide.

“I used comedy and laughter as a survival tool from an early age,” said Burnstick, adding that he was one of 12 Indigenous students in his highschool. “We felt like raisins in white rice pudding.”

The renowned comic was given advice early on in his career from local Elders from Alexander Cree First Nation just outside Edmonton – “Do not play in bars and never swear on stage.” To this day, Burnstick follows their advice. He has never worked in bars or uttered profanity on stage.  Another bit of wisdom coming from the Elders reminded him that laughter is good medicine.  “Make them cry [with laughter],” they told him.

“When they laugh so hard, their healing turns into a spiritual laugh,” he said. “With each tear, someone has come down from heaven and laughs with you.”

Now that’s good medicine.

Laughing has long been a way to manage the stresses and strains we go through most days. Most would agree that laughter encourages healing as well as harmony amongst each other. Upholding a sense of humour delivers a way out from our day-to-day struggles and the challenges that we, as Indigenous people, face since colonization. Like Burnstick, most of us, although inadvertently, benefit from laughter as a means of survival whatever trials we encounter.

In a recent paper published by Dr. Cynthia Lindquist, President of Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Ft. Totten, North Dakota, referred to laughter.

“Humor exists in many forms and is essential as a basic human need. Laughter is an instinctive behavior that binds people together through humor and play. Indeed, scientific research demonstrates that laughter is good medicine and there is documentation dating from as far back as the 13th century maintaining that humor and laughter help with healing and recovery from many ailments. Current research shows that laughter rids us of tension, stress, anger, anxiety, grief, and depression. Laughter releases endorphins, which in turn relieve pain. It also boosts your immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexibility, and is linked to healthy, functioning organs. Laughing makes people healthier, happier, and more efficient—people who have fun get more done.”

One Sagamok citizen, Priscilla Southwind, attended the event with husband Orion.

“It was an evening of love and appreciation,” said Southwind following the show. “Along with Don sharing his story and laughter, all in all, it made perfect sense. We all need laughter in our lives, its good medicine.”

True to following what his Elders had told him to do at the beginning of his career, Burnstick had the scores of people attending his Sagamok performance wiping tears from their faces. So how do you explain or enlighten people on the healing power of laughter or the age-old maxim, “laughter is good medicine”?

Burnstick himself did this best with three easy questions: “How did you feel when watching my show, before, during and after? That feeling after the show is where the healing is.”

“Hard to explain, better to feel it,” he said.

Following his performance in Sagamok, Burnstick travelled to Fort McMurray for another performance.

The event was sponsored by the Community Wellness Department and culminated ongoing events in Sagamok for Addictions Awareness Month.