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Curtis Peeteetuce: Superhero!

In addition to being a Literacy Superhero, Curtis Peeteetuce is an award-winning actor, a playwright, a stage manager, and the Artistic Director for the Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre – GTNT (Formerly Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company – SNTC).

Peeteetuce believes the creative arts give expression, entertainment, education, and empowerment. He offered all four of these gifts to our golfers and supporters as SIGA Poet Laureate at READ Saskatoon’s PGI Golf Tournament on September 14, 2015. The tournament theme was “Superheroes!”

 ‘Cuz I’m a playwright, I write words, I write plays.
Then I take all the words from the page to the stage,
perform all emotions from the joy to the rage,
face my fears, show to show, day to day.
But when it comes to being super I don’t know what to say.

[Excerpt from Curtis’ Poem. He recited it at the event’s banquet.]

Peeteetuce wore Gino Odjick’s name and number on a Vancouver Canucks hockey jersey during the day of golf. Odjick is Anishinabe, an avid reader, and lives with a life-threatening heart disease.

‘Cuz you see I’m just me. Nothing less, nothing more.
I came here as me, the same one as before.
What is a hero? 
I came dressed as my own, his name’s Gino.

GTNT is a community-based theatre company with a busy production schedule, honoured by the participation of many talented people. Peeteetuce recognizes the importance of literacy and how it affects the people taking part in SNTC programming. “When the young actors are performing, they are using the subtext of what they want to say, but they are saying what is on the page.  That’s the journey of COV [Circle of Voices program] and literacy, I think. Our young actors learn a whole new language with plays, and how plays work.”

Can I be a wonder? Someone who gives plenty?
After all, today’s folk at this place, wow there’s so many.
Today I’m inspired, thankful to be among the buzz.
Yes, I’m a hero, your laureate. I’m a poet…and I didn’t even think I was.

Curtis is Cree (nehiyaw) from Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation. He dedicates all his efforts and accomplishments to his beautiful son Mahihkan. We were honoured to have had him with us for this year’s event and richer for having seen him perform.

Thank you, Curtis.