Although the annual Rez Christmas plays celebrate Indigenous grandmothers, there have never actually been any elderly women in the cast.
Playwright Curtis Peeteetuce says that was rectified in a way with a video series on YouTube commissioned by the Library Services for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples.
He was approached about doing a video series to celebrate Indigenous storytelling and since it was around November when it began, the Rez Christmas series came to mind.
The videos show the three Kohkoms, which is grandmothers in Cree, learning about acting and telling their stories.
Peeteetuce says having these Kokhoms involved with all of their experiences brings a new dimension to the grandmother roles.
He notes that when you see the women just laughing and full of joy, there is lots of story and heart in that.
You can click here to see the videos, which continue until February 1st, the beginning of Aboriginal Storytelling Month.
The three kohkoms are Donna Lynn Lerat, Gloria Myo and Donna Merasty.
(CJWW)
