An artist excelling in cultural engagement

By Kelly Anne Smith

NIPISSING FIRST NATION—He speaks to children across Canada via the airwaves as the host of CBC Kids’ Canada.  He mesmerizes as a grass dancer, mimicking the Prairie Grouse.  He teaches performing arts and is an accomplished actor.  It’s Sid Bobb, of course.

As host of CBC’s Kids’ Canada, Bobb was in Toronto for filming in June. Bobb travelled back to North Bay on National Aboriginal Day to educate children and staff at Holy Cross Elementary School.

Bobb is half of a dynamic duo with Penny Couchie.  The two are directors of Aanmitaagzi, a performing arts company out of The Big Medicine Studio. This year, Penny Couchie won the K.M. Hunter Award in dance for her career accomplishments in choreography from the Ontario Arts Council. “The jury cited When Will You Rage; they considered the twenty years of work that I’ve done teaching at The Centre for Indigenous Theatre in Toronto; and then here for Dances of Resistance.”

Bobb also teaches at The Centre for Indigenous Theatre. And he has always been a Pow-Wow dancer. Now he brings awareness to Indigenous culture.

Bobb was part of a presentation to Holy Cross School on National Aboriginal Day.  Drumming and singing were explained. A smudge and different styles of dance were demonstrated.

Tasheena Sarazin told the many children sitting in a huge circle that she is a Shawl Dancer that is like a butterfly. She told how the colours and designs destined for one’s regalia may come in a dream.

Katherine Sarazin lives and teaches traditional ways. “I’m in traditional regalia. My regalia is worn by older women who are not as fast.” Sarazin wears a long dress with strings and pouches attached. She explains that historically, a woman would accompany the hunters with provisions such as knives and tobacco pouches, and tying medicines right to her dress.  “We say prayers for Mother Earth. The Shawl is for chilly nights.”

Singers Jacob Dayfox from Sheshegwaning First Nation and Darren Nakogee from Attawapiskat First Nation were in the center of the circle of students with huge bowls of fresh strawberries at their feet. Skyler Hookimaw, a men’s Traditional Dancer from Attawapiskat First Nation and Sacha Stevens, a Métis Jingle Dress Dancer, danced for the students.

Sid Bobb had the children entranced. “We brush the grass. We are like a gentle lawn mower. We are blessing the grass. We are giving thanks to the grass. We all have animals on our regalia. We thank the grass and show love to the earth. We need water, earth and sun to grow the grass,” says Bobb.

Then Bobb encouraged all of the children to take part in a round dance. “It is an intertribal dance. Everyone is invited to join in and dance,” noted Bobb. Students and teachers seemed serious at first as they learned the special steps; soon after, everyone was grinning ear-to-ear as they danced the round dance, especially the principal, Dan Sequin.

Bobb says he is super excited about the receptiveness to Indigenous history and culture. “With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission came recommendations bringing hope to building better relations. There are community members that love this country, so I’m happy to be a part of that with these children.”

Holy Cross School was not the first time I watched Bobb offer cultural teachings.

Bobb was part of a presentation of Indigenous culture at Culture Days in Corbeil, Ontario, in September 2015. Bobb had a cat-painted-faced little boy enthralled with him, sending him into an Indigenous dance frenzy. The boy’s grandmother wondered aloud if the boy would leave willingly when Sid Bobb was finished dancing for the day.  Bobb’s wisdom about how to grow up to be a good warrior was surely etched on the boy that day.

Bobb has also visited jails and offered presentations for the inmates encouraging all to love culture.  He is a natural having grown up surrounded by the arts. “I use it for a platform for cultural awareness. I help others look at different aspects of it, such as Residential Schools.”

His mother, Lee Maracle, was one of the first authors writing to empower First Nation women.

His sister, Columpa Bobb, recently toured Jumping Mouse, a children’s play written by The Urban Indigenous Theatre Company.  She is the Artistic Director and playwright who designed Jumping Mouse masks for children to replicate in fun lessons at home or school.

Bobb’s great Grandfather was Chief Dan George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a Coast Salish. George was an accomplished actor which included receiving a Golden Globes Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1971 for his role in Little Big Man. His poetry moved people to action as he told of colonialism’s unjust impact on First Nations people.

Unique creativity is evident in the professional multi-arts company that Bobb and Couchie run.

The husband and wife team move seamlessly from one project to the next.  During July and August, Aanmitaagzi offered a three-week intensive summer arts program, The Serpent People Project.

Sid Bobb and partner Penny Couchie are now gearing up to start touring in the spring after premiering the play, Material Witness, successfully in New York last May. It is a co-production with Spider Woman Theatre. The tour is expected to run through the winter.

International projects are now in sight for the pair.  Couchie recently returned from Australia to have Aanmitaagzi community engaged workshops featured in an arts festival. Their teachings will be appreciated the world over.