There’s a showdown looming at Pigeon Lake.
Out on the water paddling his canoe — or steering his noisy mechanized harvester — is Arthur Copper, an Anishnawbe whose ancestors were sustained by this lake for centuries.
Sitting on the dock of her cottage is Maureen Poole, a retired human resources manager from Toronto, for whom the lake in the Kawarthas represents a tranquil retreat from the bustle of the city.
This clash of cultures and values is at the heart of Cottagers and Indians, a play by Ojibway author and humorist Drew Hayden Taylor that comes to Lighthouse Festival Theatre on Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. to kick off the Port Dover theatre’s 2019 One Act Festival.
“Among the most exciting and compelling aspects of Cottagers and Indians is its topical narrative — one that continues to unfold each day across our country,” said director Melody A. Johnson.
“This provocative argument asks us to listen and watch actively as jurors and confidantes, and then to weigh each of the characters’ vivid testimonies.”
The onstage battle is ripped from the headlines in Ontario’s cottage country. There really is a Pigeon Lake, where fed-up cottagers remain locked in an acrimonious dispute with a farmer from Curve Lake First Nation who is restocking the lakes with manoomin.
“It’s been said that everything is political — where you come from, what you eat, where you spend your recreational time,” Taylor said. “A story like this epitomizes the unfortunate differences between cultures, economic status, and people.”
Taylor is a prolific author whose personal reflections on Indigenous life often skew humorous, and his script contains no shortage of zingers delivered by both characters. But behind the humour are moments of touching humanity and sharp insight into the challenge of true reconciliation and coexistence.
“The premise — about our intense connection to land and water — demands that we look deeply at what’s truly important to us in terms of tradition and the preservation of our own lives and families,” Johnson said. “And although this battle is both current and serious, it is depicted here with compassion and humour. I hope (audiences) will be ignited by our play and enjoy the great spirit of its humour.”
Cottagers and Indians is on at Lighthouse Festival Theatre Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 or $65 for a three-show subscription to the One Act Festival. Learn more at lighthousetheatre.com or call the box office at 519-583-2221.