Artistic Resilience and Sovereign Spaces

Growing up in St. Albert as the only Indigenous family in every classroom carries a certain weight. Building your own sense of cultural identity against a sea of colonial narratives presents its own challenge and can lead to confusion and hardships. In this conversation, Josh Languedoc shares his own journey from cultural alienation to finding ways to carve out his own space of cultural sovereignty in colonial artistic and educational spaces.

Josh Languedoc is an Anishinaabe playwright, theatre creator, and educator currently living in Amiskwaciywaskahigan and is a proud member of Saugeen First Nation. For the past 2 years, Josh has been touring his acclaimed solo show Rocko and Nakota: Tales From the Land across Canada. Other projects include: The Eyes Of Spirits (Dreamspeakers), CIVIL BLOOD: A Treaty Story (Thou Art Here Theatre), Feast (Tiny Bear Jaws) and IN-COR-RI-GI-BLE: The Legend of Thundervoice (Blyth Festival). Josh is currently a candidate at the University of Alberta’s MFA Theatre Practices program focusing on Indigenous playwriting. As an educator, Josh has taught theatre, acting, improvisation, and playwriting at the Citadel Theatre, Artstrek, and all throughout Edmonton Public Schools. Josh is currently the Youth Education and Outreach Coordinator for Workshop West Playwrights Theatre.