By Loon Feather Productions

This interpretive production is based on true events surrounding the Giant Mine, built on Yellowknives Dene First Nation land in the Northwest Territories. After a prospector saw gold in a Dene elderly woman’s home, the mine was established in the 1940s. It became infamous for a 1992 explosion during a strike that killed nine miners—Roger Warren was convicted for the bombing. The mine helped create the town of Yellowknife, called Somba K’e (“money town”) by the Dene, who traditionally used the land’s minerals for tools, not profit.

Two Dene children died after ingesting arsenic-contaminated snow. The mine paid just $700 per child in compensation. A 1970s study revealed 90% of nearby Indigenous residents had high arsenic levels, but mining continued. Miners mockingly named an arsenic-emitting shaft after Chief Akaticho. Though the mine profited nearly $3 billion, cleanup has cost over $4 billion. Today, 237,000 tons of arsenic are stored underground in frozen chambers, with no long-term solution. If released, it could poison the Arctic Ocean and beyond.

Giant Mine is Canada’s worst environmental disaster and a stark example of environmental racism.
Music: Ehtsee by Digawolf (“grandmother” in Dene).

Featuring:
Katlia Lafferty – mother earth/Ehtsee (grandmother)
Ksenia Sinelnikova – miner/RCMP , rich man’s wife
Nolan Fidyk – prospector/miner/ fisherman/rich man

Creative Team:
Katlia Lafferty – Playwright
Director: Diana Budiachenko
Lights: Jason King, Luke Stewart-Weston, Andrea Gregg
Sound: Diana Budiachenko, Kevin Stinson, John Varszegi
Projections: Jason King
Choreography: David Roland
Tech support: Jason King, Kevin Stinson

Genre: Interpretive Dance
Runtime: 25 minutes

Gratitude: A heartfelt thank you to Clayton Jevne for his invaluable support, and to John Varszegi for composing the powerful ‘Shaman’ track — your contributions are deeply appreciated.