NAC Indigenous Theatre shines light on residential schools with performance of The Mush Hole

Tuesday, April 5th, 2022 10:34am
Mush Hole NAC
The Mush Hole will be performed by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre at the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre. Photo by David Hou
Regular Performances: Wednesday April 13 to Friday April 15 at 8 p.m. and Saturday April 16 at 2 p.m.; Student Matinee: April 13 and April 14 at 11 a.m.; In-person panel discussion: Friday April 15 at 2 p.m.

From April 13 to April 16, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Indigenous Theatre brings The Mush Hole to the stage with an all-Indigenous cast.

Created by multi-disciplinary artist and choreographer Santee Smith and performed by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, The Mush Hole weaves the traumatic memories of the Mohawk Institute residential school with a celebration of the resilience of two generations of survivors.

The Mohawk Institute, the oldest residential school in Canada, was called the Mush Hole by students because of the sticky porridge they were served there. It operated in Brantford, Ont. from 1828 to 1970, and served as an industrial boarding school for First Nations children from Six Nations and other communities throughout Ontario and Quebec. After it closed in 1970, it reopened in 1972 as the Woodland Cultural Centre.

“The Mush Hole is a story about hope and finding light in dark places. As much as it speaks to intergenerational trauma, it screams resilience,” said Santee Smith, managing artistic director of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. “Every single element represented on stage comes from survivors sharing their experiences with us.”

Visit Ticketmaster to purchase tickets online or call 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS).