What is the purpose of the Rez Sisters?

The Rez Sisters features an ensemble cast of seven women dreaming of winning, and working toward raising enough money to attend, “The Biggest Bingo in the World,” and one male actor/dancer in the role of Nanabush (originally played by the playwright’s brother René Highway).

What happens in the Rez Sisters?

The plot follows the pattern of the journey motif. Seven women on the “Rez” share anger, laughter, hardship and gossip when they decide to go to Toronto for the world’s biggest bingo game. During the trip, one woman dies of cancer, and another wins $600, which she uses to install a new toilet in her home.

Who is nanabush in the Rez Sisters?

“Nanabush” is the Ojibway name for the Trickster, a central figure in Native mythology. Throughout The Rez Sisters, Nanabush observes the action, seen only by Marie-Adele and Zhaboonigan (because their suffering has brought them closer to the spirit world).

What does bingo symbolize in the Rez Sisters?

Bingo represents the ultimate escape—more pathetic even in the case of the belles-soeurs whose rewards seem hardly worth getting worked up about (“plaster dogs, floor lamps”) than for the rez sisters, who are true gamblers at heart, always expecting the big jackpot that will take them out of their misery.

Which of the following is the major theme of the Rez Sisters?

Getting the loan and going to the bingo are the two major themes Highway uses to throw the sisters into the “white” Canadian life, society, and system (Enright, pp. 22-27). Whether they like it or not, they have become an inseparable part of the system. Pelajia says this towards the end of the play.

Where was the Rez Sisters first performed?

November 26, 1986
The Rez Sisters/First performance

Who is the central character in The Rez Sisters?

Recently returned to the Wasy reservation, Emily is the 32 year-old sister of Annie (and half-sister of Pelajia and Philomena). Described as “one tough lady,” Emily’s coarse language and rough exterior are the results of an abusive ten-year marriage and the death, years later, of a female lover in San Francisco.

Who is the trickster in Ojibwe culture?

Nanabozho is the Ojibwe trickster figure and culture hero (these two archetypes are often combined into a single figure in First Nations mythologies, among others).

What is the message in the Rez Sisters?

Each woman’s dreams of wealth are linked to their desires to make life at Wasy more bearable—or, in the case of Marie-Adele, escape “the rez” entirely.

How long is the play The Rez Sisters?

One hour and 45 minutes
Ribald, harrowing and mystical, this seminal work of Indigenous drama celebrates the spirit of resilience and the powerful beauty these women bring to the tough world in which they live. Runtime: One hour and 45 minutes no intermission.

How long is the play Rez Sisters?

What does nanabush look like?

Nanabozho most often appears in the shape of a rabbit and is characterized as a trickster. In his rabbit form, he is called Mishaabooz (“Great rabbit” or “Hare”) or Gitchii-waabooz (“Big rabbit”). He was sent to Earth by Gitche Manitou to teach the Ojibwe. One of his first tasks was to name all the plants and animals.