IBEX PUPPETRY: AJIJAAK ON TURTLE ISLAND

On Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 pm, Catskill Mountain Foundation presents IBEX Puppetry’s production of Ajijaak on Turtle Island. The performance will take place at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street in Tannersville.

Ajijaak on Turtle Island tells the story of Ajijaak, a young whooping crane. Separated from her family in a Tar Sands fire caused by the monstrous Mishibizhiw, Ajijaak must make her first migration from Wood Buffalo, Canada, down to the Gulf Coast on her own, finding her voice and a family through the interconnectedness of all of creation.

Ajijaak begins her travels with a medicine bundle, given to her by her parents, as her guide. She encounters deer, buffalo, coyote, and turtles as well as communities of people from Ojibwe, Ho-Chunk, Lakota, and Cherokee Nations, living in balance with their environments. These people share with Ajijaak prayers, songs, and dances that celebrate life on earth and help Ajijaak find the meaning and strength of her own song.

It is with this song that Ajijaak must restore balance to Turtle Island and return Mishibizhiw to sleep.

A reflection on life’s energy and how it connects all aspects of our world, Ajijaak on Turtle Island brings communities together through puppetry, music, traditional dances, animations, and kites. Ajijaak’s story puts forward visions from Indigenous com- munities, celebrating the symbiotic relationship between cranes and Native American/Indigenous peoples, and inspiring the next generation of storytellers, change-makers, and eco-champions.

The Creators

Ajijaak on Turtle Island is an original production by IBEX Puppetry, written by Ty Defoe and based on original storyboards written and drawn by Heather Henson. The world premiere presentation of Ajijaak on Turtle Island was hosted at La MaMa in NYC, February 8-18, 2018.

Ty Defoe is from the Oneida and Ojibwe Nations. He is a Grammy award-winning composer, a librettist, interdisciplinary artist, actor, Broadway choreographer, eagle dancer, and hoop dancer. Ty interweaves artistic projects with social justice, indigeneity, trans rights, Indigi-Queering, and environmentalism.

Ty says that “Ajijaak on Turtle Island is a metaphor about how we need to take care of mother earth and one another. This story is written and is to be experienced from an Indigenous/ First Nations perspective. Ajijaak and Mishibizhiw are entities in stories I would hear as a youth going to the round house. The symbolism of deer falling from birch bark trees, trickster coyotes teaching life lessons or grandmother moon giving advice to a granddaughter are all part of my classical literature. This is my reality. The teaching of giving is threaded throughout and it is subtle and comical as it humbly unfolds. I’m interested in seeing, hearing and experiencing ritual and ceremony as performance, the elemental forces of nature, and how we as humans can learn from the two-legged, four-legged, winged, rooted, and finned.”

Heather Henson is a contemporary puppet artist whose work promotes harmony and healing for the planet through artistic spectacle and discussion. Backed by a degree from Rhode Island School of Design and studies at CalArts in 2000, Heather created a multi-platform production company entitled IBEX Puppetry to honor the creativity in herself and others.

Heather is best known for her Environmental Spectacles: original performances designed to provide a transformative experience for the audience through the use of non-traditional storytelling. Heather blends the disciplines of puppetry, dance, and kiting with evocative sound and light effects to create immersive, interactive presentations that engage all of the senses and awaken the soul.

For the past several years, Heather’s storytelling has been heavily impacted by her sense of kinship with the endangered species of the world, particularly Whooping Cranes. She says, “I saw my first crane at the Rhode Island Zoo when I was a student intern. It was an orphaned Grey Crowned Crane and my job was to use the zoo’s crane puppet to encourage the baby to walk around its enclosure, strengthening its legs, while preventing it from imprinting on humans. I was fascinated by this bird and spent all of my lunch breaks reading all about these Cranes & the work of International Crane Foundation. As I read, I learned about the 15 species of cranes around the world, how each of them were reflected in the cultures of the communities that lived in proximity to these birds. In particular, I fell in love with the Whooping Crane.

“Whooping Cranes have lived on what we call North America for millions of years. They sing and dance to communicate, raise their chicks for an entire year and are the most endangered of all cranes because of Western settler development. The more I learned about these birds, the more I learned about and met members of the Indigenous communities along their migra- tion path. The knowledge carried by these birds continues to be carried by these vibrant communities. Telling the story of this resilient bird—who’s migration path stitches together the far ends of our continent—allows us to bring together stories and teachings from the many First Nations peoples along Ajijaak’s path. I am grateful beyond words to be able to bring together my passion for visualizing environmental issues with Ty’s incredible storytelling, our magnificent team of composers and the exceptional team of Native and Native-allied artists who have developed this show with us over many years. Over my years of producing environmental spectacles, I have seen how puppets can be these powerful connectors to nature. I’m grateful to be part of their flock. Thank you for joining us on this journey!”

IBEX Puppetry

IBEX Puppetry (a division of Green Feather) is an entertainment nonprofit devoted to health and healing of the planet through artistic spectacle, outreach, and the fine art of puppetry.

Founded in 2000 by Heather Henson IBEX produces Henson’s original works, including Ajijaak on Turtle Island, Environmental Spectacles, Sing-Alongs, and Education Initiatives, and supports contemporary puppetry works by independent artists through the Handmade Puppet Dreams film series and Puppet Slam Network.

IBEX’s original performances and outreach have been recognized with UNIMA Citations of Excellence as well as awards from festivals and organizations around the world. Supporting health and healing for the planet through artistic spectacle, outreach, and the fine art of puppetry.

For Tickets

Ajijaak on Turtle Island will be presented at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12485 on Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 adults; $20 seniors; $7 students. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply. For tickets, visit catskillmtn.org, call 518 263 2063 or email boxoffice@catskillmtn.org.