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Faced with the growl raised by their next show, Robert Lepage and Ariane Mnouchkine decided to reach out to the Aboriginal community to discuss their project, which will take place in Paris next December.
In a letter published by Le Devoir Saturday, about twenty Aboriginal personalities have denounced the absence of actors from their nations among the 34 artists on display in the play Kanata who presents himself as a rereading of "the history of Canada through the prism of the relationship between whites and natives."
Having read their criticisms, Ariane Mnouchkine and Robert Lepage invite co-signers to join them "for a meeting of dialogue "next Thursday in Montreal," the only time Ms. Mnouchkine can travel from Paris to Montreal before a long stay in Asia, "said Robert Lepage's company , Ex Machina, by press release Sunday evening.
No details were specified on the time and place of the exchange, nor even the precise content of it, since the team of Ex Machina was in the process of getting in touch with the co-signers.
"It's a very nice initiative, it's what we've been asking from the beginning, a dialogue," said the author and Aboriginal comedian Dave Jenniss, who was on the list of co-signers. He says he will travel to Montreal on Thursday, even though he lives in the Outaouais region, because "it is his duty to be present at such a meeting."
For him, however, it is a bit late to convince Mrs. Mnouchkine and Mr. Lepage to review the selection of comedians and hope that a place will be made for Aboriginal artists for this show.
If we want collaboration, dialogue, he must meet face to face
"Me, what I expect from this meeting is to understand the why of our absence, he explains. Why when we decide to talk about Aboriginal history, our past, our culture, we come to consult us, but then we never make room on stage? There are plenty of talented Aboriginal artists fighting for recognition in the community.
"Above all, we will have to talk to each other all together, set goals and be on the same wavelength by Thursday to make this meeting productive", adds for her part the jurist specialized in indigenous issues Alexandra Lorange, who is also on the list of co-signatories
She is delighted with the gesture of Robert Lepage and Ariane Mnouchkine, seeing this call for dialogue as an opening to collaboration.
"So far, and this is what is ultimately a shame, the debate was just right in the media, because there was no opening to the discussion otherwise. Ariane Mnouchkine gave his version of the facts to Duty ; we, we answered. But if we want collaboration, dialogue, we must meet face to face, "says the young woman.
The controversy around Kanata comes on the heels of the cancellation in Montreal of show SLÂV by Robert Lepage. The play inspired by African-American slave songs was singled out as an example of cultural appropriation and for its predominantly white cast. Robert Lepage also committed Sunday to meet the collective SLÂV-Resistance before a next broadcast of his play.
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