“The Rez Sisters” was first performed as a play in 1986, written by Native North American playwright Tomson Highway, and has received much attention and high praise by many critics for its unique representation of life on an aboriginal reservation. In attempt to “show and celebrate what funky folk Canada's Indian people really are” and educate the public of the reality of life on “the rez”, Highway entertains audiences through his exuberant, heartfelt, humorous story of seven women all related through birth or marriage, known as the “Rez Sisters”. Highway himself comments “I'm sure some people went to Rez expecting crying and moaning and plenty of misery, reflecting everything they've heard about or witnessed on reserves. They must have been surprised. All that humour and love and optimism, plus the positive values taught by Indian mythology.” Other critics, such as Carol Bolt, writing in Books in Canada, called the play a “freewheeling, unforgettable journey in terrific company, the Rez sisters, all of them full of energy and honesty and dreams and life.” Personally, I extremely enjoyed the quirky, heartfelt, unique characters; their journey to Toronto; the journey of their hearts and reading the play as a whole. I gained insight into the native culture, including their lifestyle, beliefs and how many aspects of this culture are similar to other Canadian cultures. I also observed that despite the emphasis of native culture in the storyline, it was still very accessible to non-Native audiences. While reading the play, I discovered that numerous aspects provoked various thoughts, such as how I related to the play, how it surprised me, and the many opinions I had developed surrounding the characters and plot.
When our class was first informed that we would be reading the play “The Rez Sisters” and learned briefly of the plot, I was initially slightly disappointed and was not looking forward to the study for a number of reasons. My experience in elementary school history consisted of learning about aboriginal decent, their heritage, and culture, therefore I had already developed a biased distaste for learning about this topic, as I found the subject matter repetitive. We had studied this ancestry for years, and eventually found it incredibly boring. Another reason I was unexcited about the play was because it was written by a Canadian playwright. Although, I regret my pre-existing biased against Canadian work, I was unsure if it would compare to its American counterpart. I was unsure what to expect as I had studied the history of Canadian natives, but I had very little knowledge on life as a native in modern times. As we began to read the script however, it soon became clear that my preconceived notions of the play were incredibly untrue and far from the real nature of the play. “The Rez Sisters” surprised me by being so modern, relatable, and entertaining, considering it was first performed in 1986. As I mentioned earlier, Highway had anticipated audiences to be surprised, which I found was the case with me. Although I did not have the expectation for the play to be miserable and sad, I did not expect it to have “all that humour and love and optimism”, as Highway reported. I also found the storyline quite fascinating in the education of modern Canadian native culture. The play also surprised me by the fact that it was so largely be based on native culture, yet could be so relatable to non-Native audiences. Highway has received much praise for this portrayal, for example by John Bemrose, who wrote in Maclean’s that Highway is a playwright “who has learned to straddle two worlds with more grace than most people manage in one.” There were many aspects of this play that pleasantly surprised me, including how it was relatable, modern, and entertaining.
While reading “The Rez Sisters” I found various elements of the play that are relatable to myself, my life, and to the generic Canadian culture. There are multiple qualities the women possess that are familiar to me, such as some of the women’s love of gossip. Being a teenage girl, gossip is unfortunately almost unavoidable, and like in The Rez Sisters, some thrive on it, and some find it meaningless and unimportant. I was surprised to realize that even in the women’s older age, childish things such as gossip still exist and is a regular occurrence. Also similar to teenage girls, some of the women are self-conscious and insecure, while others are confident, self assured, and could care less how others perceive them. Further, the common trend is that those in the group who are insecure, are the instigators of the gossip. The gossip, like in the lives of teenage girls, can be malicious and hurtful. For example, Veronique St. Pierre expresses her frustration and hurt as a result of others on the “Rez” talking behind her back and making fun of her, and her adopted daughter Zhaboonigan. The cattiness and immaturity of teenage girls is in some ways mirrors the women of “The Rez Sisters”.
I was also able to relate to the play due to the fact that a few years ago, I visited a town called Moosonee located in northern Ontario with a population of 85% Cree natives. While visiting this reserve, I became aware of its seclusion, the low financial status of its inhabitants, and how there was very little to do. This was illustrated in the play when Pelajia complained about “plain, dusty, boring old Wasy” and how there were “no jobs. Nothing to do but drink and screw each other's wives and husbands and forget about our Nanabush.” When I read this quote, I became aware of how unfortunately, very true this aspect is in present day native communities. I visited Moosonee with my mom and we both agreed it was a good thing we “liked each other’s company” because of the lack of entertainment and recreation. Highlights of the trip included walking down the dirt roads kicking stones, and visiting the local dump in hope to catch sight of bears. We also took note of the fact that there were security bars on the windows of the liquor store but not the bank, indicative of their different values. The description Pelajia provided of life in Wasy was very reflective of my experience in Moosonee and what life was like in this small town of approximately 3000 residents. Pelajia’s comment of the minimal employment on the “Rez” was also reflected in Moosonee, as due to its small size and seclusion there would not be many jobs available. Also, the low income was portrayed through the quality of the homes and communities, as many homes consisted of shacks. My experience in Moosonee also led me to an understanding of the gossip and fighting between the sisters. I would imagine there would be little to discuss other than what the others on the “Rez” were doing, and its low population would mean spending much time with the same people. I found my trip to Moosonee and my experience in the small town to be reflective of the description of life in “Wasy”.
Other concepts in the play I thought to be relatable to generic Canadian culture, were the hardships and conflict the sisters were presented with in the play; for example, illness, specifically cancer. I know many people that have been affected by this terrible disease, including my aunt, grandmother, and various family friends. Due to my understanding of how upsetting and frightening this illness can be to a patient and they’re family, I have developed an admiration for Marie-Adele’s strength and bravery during her battle with cancer. Also, I am aware that this disease can be fatiguing and painful, yet despite these symptoms, Marie-Adele is selfless; constantly taking care of and worrying about her family, which is yet another reason for my admiration. Other problems the characters in the play are faced with are alcoholism, unemployment and poverty. Although I cannot personally relate to these matters, I recognize that they are societal problems in all Canadian culture, as there are many families in Canada that are not of native descent dealing with these same issues. Although the native culture portrayed in the play is different from the general Canadian culture in a variety of ways, it also emphasises the many similarities between the cultures, such as the same issues each struggle with in their communities.
Not only did the play pleasantly surprise and relate to me, but it also quite simply captivated my attention and was entertaining. I loved how Highway created a story that allowed myself, as an audience member, feel as though I also was a part of this amazing journey. For example, the script literally involved the audience through participation during the bingo game near the close of the play. I had never experienced anything like this before, and thought it was a brilliant way to enrapture the audience, as they too experienced the excitement of the game. As Carol Bolt said in her essay on The Rez Sisters, in Books in Canada, the audience feels as if they “have been a part of an extraordinary, exuberant, life-affirming family.” I also thoroughly enjoyed the characters of the play and their relationships between each other. It was exciting and humorous to read how these individual characters with such opposing personalities collided and meshed. The scene of all the women in the store fighting with each other was very comical and entertaining. Yet, I also enjoyed reading of the women getting along and supporting one another, such as when they shared their individual stories receiving emotional comfort from their sisters. I thought Highway did a wonderful job of portraying the different sides of each woman, their personalities on the surface and their inner self; confessing their secrets, fears, and emotional scars. Overall, I loved Highway’s creation of this group of women, Pelajia Patchnose the leader, Annie Cook the gossip, Veronique St. Pierre the busybody, Emily Dictionary the sister with a tough exterior but warm heart, Philomena Moosetail the light-hearted comic relief, Marie-Adele Starblanket the kind mother-figure, and Zhaboonigan Peterson the honest and joyful optimist.
I extremely enjoyed this play, and its many aspects such as its quirky, heartfelt, unique characters, their journey to Toronto, and the journey of their hearts. I observed that despite the emphasis of native culture in the storyline, it was still very accessible to non-Native audiences, as I found many relatable concepts in the play. While reading the play, I discovered that numerous aspects provoked various thoughts, such as how I related to the play, how it surprised me, and the many opinions I had developed surrounding the characters and plot. “The Rez Sisters” was a heartfelt portrayal of seven women’s journey to achieve their dreams that along the way included bitter arguments, heartfelt revelations, and a closeness that developed between the characters. It is a great play that evokes humour and emotion on all levels that I would highly recommend.
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