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Join playwright, producer and founder of , Reneltta Arluk, ‘05 BFA, ‘24 DLitt (Honorary), and ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ Assistant Professor Willow White, ‘15 MA, for an in-depth conversation about Dr. Arluk’s incredible creative career and her transformative reimagining of Macbeth - Pawâkan - a powerful Cree takeover of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Rooted in the voices of youth from Frog Lake First Nation and guided by the knowledge of Treaty 6 Elders, Arluk reimagines Macbeth through the legend of the Wihtiko—a being consumed by greed and imbalance. Explore the creative process behind this bold and culturally grounded work, and how it contributes to the resurgence of Indigenous languages, stories, and sovereignty on stage.

This event is presented in partnership with the Augustana Indigenous Speaker Series.

Speaker Info: Reneltta Arluk, is an Inuvialuk, Gwich’in, and Denesuline-Cree artist from the Northwest Territories. Raised by her grandparents on the trapline, her early nomadic life shaped her multidisciplinary artistic approach. She is the founder of Akpik Theatre, the only professional Indigenous theatre company from the NWT. In 2005, she became the first Indigenous woman and Inuk to graduate from the ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥’s BFA Acting program. Reneltta was the first Inuk and Indigenous woman to direct at the Stratford Festival, earning its 2017 directing award. She also directed The Breathing Hole at the National Arts Centre in 2023. Currently, she serves as Senior Manager of Indigenous Ways and Decolonization at the National Gallery of Canada. Reneltta advocates nationally and globally for Indigenous-led artistic spaces and mentors emerging Indigenous artists. She is Vice-President of the Inuit Art Foundation and SHINE Network’s board, and a proud mother to her son, Carver.

See Pawâkan Macbeth in-person or online on June 17