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From the late 1800s to 1996, when the last Indigenous residential school closed, over 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families to be schooled by religious communities. After decades, nay, centuries of oppression, Indigenous artists are now championing the survival of their cultural heritage. Omer St-Onge is one of them.  

From the Innu community of Maliotenam, St-Onge is a writer, trapper, hunter, offshore fisherman and… a residential school survivor. UTEI : A Survivor’s story is a personal account told through theatre. The synopsis is akin to his biography: from his childhood on the land with his family, to the residential school, all the way to the present day. To quote St-Onge, “I am what they call a survivor. And a survivor’s tale is specific in the sense that it is plural. I’m not only the bearer of my own story, but my voice speaks for all those who never made it out.” He adds, “This creative process is the best way I found to revisit our collective trauma in a respectful and humane way.” UTEI : A Survivor’s story” is a militant stage experience that takes root in the oral storytelling that is specific to the First Nations. Omer St-Onge recounts the teachings, culture and traditions of his ancestors; he humbly opens his heart to tell us about his life and his consequential worldviews. After the show, you will be invited to have tea with the cast. Menuentakuan Productions has been a meeting space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples for 7 years now! 

Co-founded in 2015 by Charles Bender, Marco Collin and Xavier Huard, who still run the company together, the collective is far from idle and created two productions in March 2022: Mashinikan, at the Théâtre du Mont-Jacob in Jonquière, and Alterindiens at the Diamant in Québec City. 

Starting this summer, Menuentakuan Productions will become one of the co-directors of the Montreal Aux Écuries theatre. 

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