Place des festivals

Synopsis

The simple translation of Atanukan is “Legends.” These foundational stories have endured through generations thanks to oral tradition and have been passed down to us today. What lies behind this enduring need to transmit them over such a long period? Do they contain a truth about ourselves waiting to be understood? To ask the question is almost to answer it, yet the reflection remains profound.

Beyond this cosmogony and these founding myths, the poetry of these stories is woven into the traditional way of life of the Innu Nation, through everyday gestures such as sharing tea or making moccasins. The family tent is not only a place of transmission, but also a space of boundless imagination where characters born from the ancestral territory come to life.

Omer St-Onge learned these stories from his parents in Innu-aimun. Through his artistic practice, he seeks to reveal the universal dimension hidden within the cultural heritage passed down to him, highlighting the unique relationship that connects human beings with the living world.

Xavier Huard – Director

“These stories are a true treasure inherited through oral tradition, and it is our responsibility to keep passing them on. While the storyteller’s playful spirit is impossible to separate from the tales, they ultimately reveal the profound values of sharing, mutual support, and community—values that are inseparable from Innu culture.”

Omer St-Onge – Biography

A member of the Innu community of Maliotenam, Omer St-Onge is an author, storyteller, actor, and… deep-sea fisherman. In 2015, he served as an advisor to the commissioners and survivors during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. For many years, he has been actively involved in cultural and traditional events.

In 2022, he premiered his play Utei: Récit d’un survivant (Utei: Story of a Survivor) at Montreal’s Monument-National. This powerful work has since toured Montréal’s cultural centres, numerous performing arts festivals, and venues across Québec.

Saulnia Jean-Pierre – Biography

For more than thirty years, Saulnia Jean-Pierre has been recognized for her traditional craftsmanship. She creates a wide range of moccasins and mittens using ancestral techniques. Her language, Innu-aimun, and her Innu culture are at the heart of both her artistic practice and everyday life.

As a performer, she appeared in Utei: Récit d’un survivant, directed by Xavier Huard. A resident of Maliotenam, she has recently expanded her artistic practice into television and theatre productions.

This performance is part of the touring series EKOTE – Spotlight on Indigenous Performing Arts and is made possible through the financial support of the Government of Québec. The tour is coordinated by REFRAIN (Regroupement des festivals artistiques indépendants et régionaux) in collaboration with Télé-Québec, which supports the project’s outreach.

CREDITS

Text: Omer St-Onge
Director: Xavier Huard
Performers: Omer St-Onge and Saulnia Jean-Pierre
Creative Team: Delphine Rochefort, Étienne Thibeault, Gaspard Philippe, Patrick Veys, Eric Fontaine and Mélisande Goux
Object Theatre Consultant: Karine St-Arnaud
Production: Productions Menuentakuan and EKOTE