Opinion: Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin/Gállábártnit

By Kristin Crawford

TORONTO— After seeing my fair share of opera’s in French, Italian and German over the past 20 years, I was super excited to see that Sound Streams was doing one in Cree; Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin/Gállábártnit.

I am Cree on my maternal grandmother’s side, so this was especially significant. As I entered Ada Slaight Hall, the comforting smell of smudging gave the impression that this was not your typical opera experience. As I exited the hall, disappointment lingered in the air, as did the feeling that this production was a missed opportunity.

Pimooteewin is written by fellow Cree playwright/author Tomson Highway. It tells the story of the Trickster Weesageechak and the eagle Misigoo as they try to bring back their departed loved ones from the Spirit World.

Right from the beginning, I was surprised to see the opera being narrated in English with Cree subtitles. Full disclosure, I only speak a few words of Cree, so that was part of the initial appeal to me was seeing what words I could pick out. I digress; certainly, dialogue at all is an unexpected choice as operas are typically sung through.

When the music in Cree finally started, it felt like it could be Gregorian chant or any other European opera. There was nothing other than a shaker that had Indigenous flair.  I pondered where the hand drum or the big drum was instead of the western timpani drum? Normally, when I hear traditional drums, it speaks to my soul. There is a deep spiritual connection there for me, even if I don’t speak with language. The music in this show left me wanting because it didn’t have any First Nation intonations.  Honestly, I feel more of a connection to the music in Disney’s Pocahontas. I can’t say it is because the Hong Kong born composer Melissa Hui is not Indigenous because Pocahontas’s composer wasn’t either.

There is also the issue of the costumes. The floor length robes that Weesageechak and Misigoo were wearing looked like something a clergyman would wear.  Not that I was expecting ceremonial regalia, but perhaps a ribbon shirt could have been more appropriate? The narrator wore a plain denim jacket; no one was available to bead to embellish it? The masks that were representing the Weesageechak and Misigoo were modernistic wire ones, it felt out of place when our people have such a rich history of wood carving. Couldn’t they have done something inspired by Norval Morriseau?

I have no complaints about the performances; the performers were talented. I just couldn’t get past rather than getting an imaginative twist on this ancient European artform that I was I was hoping for, I was left with a strong feeling of cultural appropriation. It was almost as if a European company took one of our legends, white washed it, and made an opera. That is where I feel more should have been done, we have such a vibrant culture why not highlight it?

Ultimately, although I was disappointed with the artistic interpretation it is a great starting place for us to build from. There needs to be more works like this especially to help maintain our languages.