The Path to Native Nation

By: Sequoia Dance

Tribal affiliation: Shoshone-Bannock/Assiniboine

Major: Master of Arts, Social & Cultural Pedagogy

Native Nation is a unique and immersive theatrical experience that pivots on community input, from developing the script all the way to the final production. Writing the script is Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota) with Michael John Garcés directing the production. In partnership between Los Angeles-based Cornerstone Theater Company and ASU Gammage for a Beyond Series performance, the final production of Native Nation will take place in April 2019.

For the past year, FastHorse and Garcés have been visiting communities in the Valley to meet with and hear from local Indigenous people and organizations. They have organized story circles both on and off ASU campus to hear from the community on the broad topic of, “What is it like to be Indigenous here in Phoenix?” From these visits, FastHorse reviewed over 90 pages of single-spaced notes and created the first draft of the script, with fictional stories incorporating pieces and themes from the community input. As of the late fall of 2018, they are in the process of receiving feedback from the community by sharing the first draft of the script. The upcoming Community Script readings are included below. Starting in this new year, Native Nation will be casting as well as looking for community members to help in all aspects of the play. There’s a space and place for everyone’s strength here!

I have have been working with Native Nation for a year. The project has helped to teach me more about my story and how that story relates to others. I have been able to see Larissa and Michael work together in sparking conversation and placing value on Indigenous voices by just listening. I witnessed and experienced this listening in a way that reinforced the power and value of self and community narrative. Through my eyes, I see Native Nation as a process. We aren’t just contributing to a single experience — we are building and strengthening our community while doing it. This is so much more than the end product, as it moves far beyond standards and definitions of Indigenous peoples and stories that outside communities impose.

Native Nation is not only important and necessary, it is a platform that elevates our voices to be seen and heard. Your story matters, my story matters, our stories matter.