The War Being Waged is a play produced by Winnipeg's Prairie Theatre Exchange and written by Darla Contois, a Cree-Saulteaux performer and playwright. Contois tells the story of an Indigenous woman and the hardships she must undergo to find peace with her family, the history of colonization, the portrayal of Indigenous People in the media, and mostly with her own heart. This work of art contains a very personal foreword from Contois that sets the intention for the entire story. At the end of the work, there is a glossary of terms for crucial themes in the story, such as the Sixties Scoop and residential schools. In addition, this work includes a study guide that will guide readers to ask important questions that are vital for critical reflection of ourselves and the world we live in with Indigenous history and activism.

Cautions / Content Warnings: Character death, guns.
Other End Matter: Study guide, Glossary, References
Images: b&w photographs
Contributor Affiliation: Author Darla Contois (Cree-Saulteaux), Photographers Patrick Shannon (Haida), Joey Senft
Bibliography: Yes
Index: No

Source: Books BC - Indigenous Books for Schools

Darla Contois is a Cree-Salteaux performer and playwright from Misipawistik Cree Nation in Manitoba. She graduated from the Centre for Indigenous Theatre's professional training program in 2014, attended David Smukler's National Voice Intensive and premiered her solo show White Man's Indian at Summerworks 2017 in Toronto where she was awarded the Emerging Artist Award. Her most recent work, The War Being Waged was produced by Winnipeg's Prairie Theatre Exchange as part of their 2021-22 season, and has been acknowledged by Toronto critic Lynn Slotkin with a Tootsie award. Darla lives in Winnipeg.

Darla Contois' profile page

"The War Being Waged is a stunning piece of theatre. Darla Contois has created a story that is familiar, harrowing, compelling, nuanced, full of love, grace and art." --The Slotkin Letter

"The War Being Waged is not a typical theatre piece--it sets up certain expectations and then upends them completely--and this fresh take on the art form, along with the highly interpretive content, is sure to stir up some intense conversation." --The Manitoban