#9108 - Dec 1991

Digital Archiving Completed by the Ethnography Lab, A University of Toronto Anthropology Initiative
and Produced in Collaboration with David Perlman/Wholenote Media Inc between July-December 2015.
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Page sixteen, Kensington Market Drum
Compassionate wolf.?
In Bocca a/ Lupo reviewed
by Melissa Wilson
The multimedia operatic performance
"In bocca allupo'' IN
THE MOUTH OF THE WOLF
written and directed by R~ta
McKeough is a vital, compassionate
and sensitive response to
the abuse of women and their
healing process, The performance
explores the inner emotions
of anger and reconciliation from
within an honest und~rstanding
amidst a surrealistic setting of
dance, voice and sound.
Rita McKeough's sharp awareness
of language, intonation
and movement is only parallel
by her clarity and revealing
metaphor of the body. It is
because this piece is working
with such a diverse arrangement
within music, dance and visual
media, that the powerful sense
of unity must be acknowledged.
It is this sense of unity that
enables the audience to feel the
inner healing of self. This understanding
is fundamental to the
performance and it is Rita's
clear focus and intensity of the
performances that make it accessible
as well as deeply thought
prcvoking.
Having the opportunity to dis:-.,
cuss this piece with two of th~
artists in this production, Louise
Lilliefelda and Christina Zeidler,
one aspect that cannot be overlooked
is their ardent respect for
Rita and her work. This flows
naturally through their stirring,
acute and responsive dance. This
high level of sensitivity is shared
by all the performers from the
choir, the dancers, the musicians
straight through to a single
voice. From any perspective 'In
_ bocca al lupo' · is strikingly
innovative but never at the
expense of its integrity and
truth.
[ed note on review: The operatic
production "In bocca allupo" IN
. THE MOUTH OF THE WOLF,
was produced by Rita Mc­
Keough, with financial assistance
from: The Canada Council,
The Toronto Arts Council, &
The Ontario Arts Council. It
was -performed at 17 River
Street on November 21, 22 &
23, 1991 only. We don't know
at this time when it will be
back.]
r--------------------------------------------------.-::--------,
• ARE YOU UNDER EIGHTEEN
and in conflict with the law?
• Have you been kicked out of the house?
• Have you been refused welfare?
• Hassles with school--wrong program?
truancy? su~ptmsion?
• Have you been abused?
• Are you in· conflict with the
Children's Aid Society?
We provide select legal representation
to low income children and youth in
Metro and vicinity.
We specialize in protecting the rights
of those in conflict with the law,
their school, the social service
and mental health systems.
We give legal advice, information and
assistance on a province-wide basis*.
We try to help.
Seriously. Confidentially.
Free.
Call 920-1633.
*Hearing impaired?
American sign language spoken by staff lawyer.
What is sacred?
from page 13
The woodworker creates a
bowl. She is dazzled by its
beauty. She sets it on her alter
with a ritual. It is now sacred.
However, the tree set out in the
midst of the alter which is Creation
is also sacred. She has
only changed the material structure
of the wood. If she has
done no disrespect to the spirit
of the wood and its environment
then all is as it should be.
Some people won't buy crystals
or stones because they come
from the body of the Earth.
Somewhat like buying sacred
energy. Food is sacred. We buy
food. Should we eat only food
which grows wild? What about
killing animals for food? Traditional
peoples spoke of eating
vegetables and fruit during the
spring and the summer but when
all plants had died the Caribou
was said to come and sacrifice
itself so that the people could
survive. The people thanked all
the food they used to survive.
How would we survive in
Northern climates through the
year if we didn't depend on
industrialized farming?
These are very difficult questions.
Sacred specificness creates
divisions. Spiritual leaders are
needed to decide what is sacred
and to protect sacred things.
This all seems to come to the
debunkery of the duality. Good
and evil.
Unquestionably Mark Lepine
was a
product of having to
chose between good and evil.
He was the product of a society
which divides the creation into
sacred and non sacred. If he as
a child had felt sacred, if he had
been shown the sacredness in all
life, nothing could have made
him kill wimmin or hate himself.
-
Some people may be concerned
that we would see monsters
as sacred, but in fact they
simply would not t?Xist.
• • • • • • • •
altars
medicines
& rituals
Alters; a space which a person
or persons have chosen to set
out . things which are sacred to
them. A place to go for meditation
or prayer or which just
makes-one feel good when ones
eyes rest there in passing. I have
one rule about alters. " A child
is always more important than
an alter. If they wreck it just
make another one and getthem
to help you. Build one with
them in their own space, perhaps
this will help them to understand
the value they will get
Flower
December 12 1991
from an alter. Never be angry
_with a child for anything they
might do to an alter. Just think
about it as a sign that it was
time for a change. "
Medicines; These are anything
which heals. There are so many
from such diverse backgrounds
some of which I don't even have
the knowledge or right to share,
that you must go out and discover
the ones that fit you the
best. My one caution is that no
matter who you are, please try
to find the ones which come
from your own people first, so
as not to be disrespectful _ to
other cultures. _ Once you have
found your own ancient roots
the other ones will make sense
to you. You will respect them. It
has been unfortunate that so
many of us who are trying to
find our roots have · instead
stolen parts of · other peoples
traditions which we never fully
understand. We miss out on the
true self worth that comes from
knowing who we really are. If
you come from several cultures
research them all, not just the
ones you are called or the ones
you identify with.
Rituals; Everything we do is a
ritual; Brushing our teeth, etc. It
is only up to you then to find the
ones which ar~ sacred to you or
to do sacred things at sacred
times for sacred reasons. There
are many places out there for
you to find out how other people
do these. Study, study, study.
•'
My mother has a
Flower in her belly. It .
Grows bigger daily. Presses a-
Gainst the inside of her uterus. Str-
Etches her skin taut. She is round like
The earth. She cries rivers and her breasts
Are mountains where the pressure builds until
It spills and flows like lava. Her skin is translu­
Cent and shines with prismatic gentleness. -She
Is a Klimt. A pastel Degas. A light-flecked Renoir.
I can feel the flower move and turn inside its
Liquid . sphere. My hands c9nnect like Atlas hold-
Ing up the earth. Like a healer, a -potter, a lover,
I feel the curve beneath my palms. She is round
There are ruffling deep pink petals swimming in
Her amniotic fluid. Her placenta is a rainbow
Shimmering, floating around the flower. Animals
And sometimes people, gently tear between
Their teeth, pieces of this living spectrum
In an afterbirth ritual. We plant them un­
Der trees. They ~less the earth, these emp­
Ty flower sacs. Like the flower blesses
Our family. My mother has a flower in
Her belly. It is blooming. She is round.
CANADIAN ) ~
FOUNDATION'FOR
CHILDREN. YOUTH AND THE LAW
L------------------------------------------------~---------~
By Baie