With Raven Mother, choreographer Margaret Grenier wants to honour the precious artistic legacy inherited from her mother, the late elder Margaret Harris. Through dance and song, Dancers of Damelahamid, founded by Elder Harris and her husband, the late Chief Kenneth Harris in 1967, presents an intergenerational dance performance that addresses current Indigenous realities, drawing from a rich lineage of teachings and insights.
Raven Mother illustrates the vast impact that Elder Margaret Harris had on the revitalization of song and dance along the Northwest Coast while celebrating the essential role of our mothers in holding cultural knowledge, and their force and influence in awakening Indigenous dance. The ambitious production is the culmination of generations of artistic and cultural work.
While the show developed with the support of the National Creation Fund and presented by NAC Indigenous Theatre and NAC Dance is sold out, we had the chance to exchange with choreographer Margaret Grenier about Raven Mother and the creative process.
Can you tell us about the creation process behind Raven Mother?
Margaret Grenier: The process is collaborative with all the elements created in relationship with one another and in response to the core themes. In this piece, movement, song, regalia, and set are interwoven with the embodied narrative, which takes time to cultivate. Movement is informed by music and regalia, but it also informs the creation of these elements, and everything supports the story. With Raven Mother we are working to revitalize what has been lost to our family for generations, while at the same time innovating to create something transformed.
How important was it for you to tell the story of Elder Margaret Harris?
M.G.: Our family has song and dance today because of Elder Margaret Harris. She dedicated so much of herself to strengthening song and dance. She didn’t just teach us one part of what we needed to be able to practice dance, she also taught all aspects of regalia and drum making and ensured that her family was immersed in these practices. Most significantly she taught the importance of living by the teachings that are integral to these art forms.
Can you tell us about the impact of your mom’s works on the community, on dance?
M.G.: Margaret Harris was known to many as Grandma Harris. Grandma Harris was compelled to bring healing to those who are most in need. She always shared her teachings with an open heart as well as with a clear and rigorous approach to the transfer of knowledge. She sustained the strength to hold her vision for her children and future generations, overcoming so much in order to establish a beautifully rich artistic practice in the lives of many. Her impact was also a reflection of the way she uplifted others, she healed through the work she did because she did it with great care and empathy.
What did you want to represent with Raven Mother?
M.G.: Our artistic practices define us by establishing the very essence of our identity. We are connected to an ancestral legacy, to land, to story, to language, to community by upholding a continual practice. This speaks to the heart of Raven Mother. Our mothers knew this and with dedicated love, they instilled in us everything we needed to hold ourselves in this life. Raven Mother honours our mothers and celebrates their legacy.
What was the impact of the National Creation Fund on the development of Raven Mother? Did it shift how you usually create?
M.G.: The creation of Raven Mother is not just about developing new work, it is about building upon the culture that has been passed on and continuing to innovate in our artistic practices to ensure the longevity of our arts. The dance, music, regalia, technical aspects, and set design are strengthened as a reflection of the family’s ability to sustain our culture, simultaneously support and encourage the next generation in their artistic practices, and build upon the previous works. With the support of the National Creation Fund we were able to realize what we set out to do in this production, to push ourselves and offer our fullest to its creation, working with a large family of collaborators who were all deeply affected by Elder Margaret Harris.
Can you tell us about the regalia?
M.G.: The regalia in Raven Mother was created by Rebecca Baker-Grenier. It is a beautiful coming together of convention and innovation, drawing from the regalia originally designed by Elder Margaret Harris and extensive research. Each piece carries its own story and has intricate detail. For the Raven Mother who is danced by Margaret Grenier, a feather cape was created. The cape name of gwiis ga’ak, or Raven cloak, was used to inform its conception and meticulous construction. The regalia and carved masks in Raven Mother were created over time and each piece carries a feeling of respect and love for Elder Margaret Harris.
Your daughter, Raven Grenier, composed the music, and performs in the piece. What does it represent to you to work with your own children?
M.G.: When Elder Margaret Harris passed our family felt its impact deeply. There was a shift, a great loss in the generation that revitalized dance, and a new role for the next generation of knowledge carriers. Our daughter Raven worked dedicatedly on song composition for her grandmother. She has elevated everything that she inherited through her musical training with Raven Mother. The compositions reflect the purity of her heart, a young woman offering her best self in honour of Elder Margaret Harris, and in witnessing her efforts it secures hope in our generation for the future of these practices.
