On November 22, the LSSU Arts Center hosted a performance of the play Ishkode presented by Double Edge Theatre and Ohketeau Cultural Center.
Created and performed by Tomantha Sylvester, and directed by Travis Cole, Ishkode is a retelling of the Seven Fire Prophecies of the Anishinaabek. The seven fires served as a guide for the Anishinaabek during a mass migration inland, in which the Anishinaabek moved away from the Atlantic Ocean and spread throughout the modern-day Great Lakes region. The first six fires have come to pass between the beginning of the Anishinaabek, through the American and Canadian colonialism periods and ending in the modern day. The Prophets spoke of a time when humanity would face a critical decision: to choose the path of destruction and malice or the path of life and unity – the seventh fire. Today is said to be the time of the seventh fire, where a “New People” will emerge to lead us into harmony and balance and the seventh fire will light the eighth and final eternal fire, which represents peace.
Set in a technologically advanced research facility, Ishkode takes viewers on an unexpected journey through time by a whimsical, ever-evolving human… and robot?
If you didn’t get the chance to see Ishkode in person, or were able to attend and are interested in seeing more work from the minds behind the production, check out the Double Edge Theatre Website, Ohketeau Cultural Center Website, and Instagram profile of creator & performer Tomantha Sylvester!