Cottagers and Indians by Drew Hayden Taylor

Author:Drew Hayden Taylor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Talonbooks
Published: 2020-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Lights go down.

End of play.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish I could say this play and everything within its universe was my idea alone. But not only would that be a bald-faced lie, as opposed to a hairy-faced one, it would also be a gross dereliction of responsibility to those who helped me carve out this play. Many people, past and present, have their fingerprints all over this creation. To those hovering in the mists of time, I would like to thank all who have told me stories over the years, all of which helped hone my ability to weave a tale or two. I constantly get asked by students where I get my ideas … well, I get them from other stories and storytellers.

More directly, I would like to thank my mother who, for reasons of her own, decided I would be a good child to conceive and raise. I know I am rather biased on the topic, but good decision, Mom.

Cottagers and Indians … this is a play I never planned to write. Even though I live at ground zero for the whole issue, I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. It took Richard Rose, artistic director of Tarragon Theatre, to see the obvious, and coax me into writing it. Good decision, Richard.

An enormous thank you goes out to James Whetung. Though Arthur Copper is an invention of my own, I cannot deny that much of James’s DNA runs through the play and the character. I like to think the play is a third James, a third my-own-wacky take on life, and a third sheer imagination. Without James’s struggle, this play would be a lot shorter. Keep fighting the fight, James.

It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the contribution of the Save Pigeon Lake organization, and other people not necessarily affiliated directly with SPL, for disagreeing with James’s viewpoint on wild rice. Without them there would be a lot less drama, and quite probably no play or book. So thumbs up, gang, I do deeply thank you.

And of course, Ms. Patti Shaughnessy, director and friend. Together we put this play on stage and to our joint surprise, it was a hit. A big hit. As I write this, it is going on a province-wide tour, and next year, possibly a national tour. A fellow Curve Laker, she knew James, the issue, me, and how to make wild rice seem interesting and exciting. Chi-miigwech, Patti.

Some additional words of thanks: to Leanne Betasamosake Simpson for permission to reprint “Land & Reconciliation: Having the Right Conversations,” to Jonathon Taylor (yes, a cousin) who provided the Anishnawbe translations and helped the cast with pronunciations, and to the amazing cast and crew who made the play equally amazing. Just as important, thanks to Janine Willie, who still laughs at my jokes.

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