WIIKWEMKOONG—The pandemic played havoc with many non-profit organizations, especially in the arts. Debajehmujig Storytellers has been unable to host an annual general meeting since 2020, but recently held an annual general meeting at Waase Abin Pontiac Junior School in Wiikwemkoong where the audit for the year ending March 31, 2020 was presented by Tony McGregor, principal at Freelandt Caldwell Reilly LLP.
“Debajehmujig Storytellers was in a strong position going into the pandemic,” Mr. McGregor assured the board, pointing to the reduced level of debt and strong cashflow position revealed in the audit financial reports. The financial statements for 2021 and 2022 will be presented at the October 2023 annual general meeting.
Board president and elder Marjorie Trudeau delivered grace prior to a meal prepared by Crystal Shigwadja. Debaj sustainable food coordinator Ashley Manitowabi provided a smudge before he and artistic director Bruce Naokwegijig delivered an overview of some of the projects they have been working on and a history of the organization since its founding in 1984 (the organization moved to Wiikwemkoong in 1989, the year after incorporation).
“Since then, a lot of Indigenous actors and writers have contributed to it and been developed by Debajehmujig,” said Mr. Naokwegijig, who went on to relay how he began his theatrical career with Debajehmujig Storytellers as a nine-year-old in 1991 as part of the cast of ‘Lupi the Great White Wolf.’
“Lupi was a turning point for Debajehmujig as it was entirely in Anishinaabemowin,” said Mr. Naokwegijig. “Elders assisted us with teaching the language. I learned to read and write the language, but I am still not able to speak it.”
Other productions followed, including ‘Global Savages,’ which covered the 18,000-year history of the Anishinaabe and took their story to Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Glasgow, Scotland. Taking those productions overseas led to several networking opportunities that have in their turn led to international collaborations.
Locally, Debajehmujig has hosted a popular seed swap event, several artists in the K.B. Mastin Gallery, launched the Wiikwemkoong Arts and Music Festival in conjunction with Wiikwemkoong and the Six Foot Festival.
Operations manager Lynda Trudeau noted the relationships developed by the arts company, including being a touring stop for tourism familiarization tours, being a tourist attraction in their own right, setting up a community market and continuing to produce custom productions in collaboration with organizations such as the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and Rainbow Lodge.
Debajehmujig also has brought a number of internationally renowned productions to Manitoulin to perform at the Larry E. Lewis Creation Centre in Manitowaning.
Debajehmujig is one of three Indigenous arts training schools in Canada that offer the Canadian Arts Training Program. “This is different from other art training as it incorporates Anishinaabe principles, culture and traditions in developing artists,” said Ms. Trudeau. The program consists of three years training with an optional fourth year.
Following the annual general meeting, the Debajehmujig board elected its new executive: Richard Lathwell, president; Marjorie Trudeau, vice-president; Karen Shawanda, secretary; and Cheryl A. Peltier treasurer.
