In Canada’s Northwest Territories, a powerful new theatrical production is changing how the world sees the northern lights—not as a tourist spectacle, but as a living, ancestral presence. Titled Kiuryaq (meaning “northern lights” in Inuvialuktun), the play is the first of its kind: a collaborative, Indigenous-led storytelling experience that centers Arctic voices long overshadowed by global aurora tourism.
Northern Lights Through Indigenous Eyes
The northern lights draw over 100,000 visitors annually to the Canadian Arctic, fueling a $1.5 billion global aurora tourism industry. Yet for Indigenous communities like the Inuit, Dene, and Sámi, the lights have never been a bucket-list item—they’re part of daily life, spiritual tradition, and intergenerational memory.
“Kiuryaq” flips the script. Created over four years by Indigenous artists from Canada, Greenland, and Norway’s Sápmi region, the play premiered in intimate venues like a school gym in Fort Simpson—a community of just 1,100—and has since sparked standing ovations across the North.
A Story Woven in Light and Loss
At its heart, “Kiuryaq” follows Marie, a young girl raised by her grandparents in the Canadian Arctic, and her long-lost brother Rowan, adopted out and raised in southern Ontario. Their reunion under the aurora becomes a metaphor for cultural reconnection, healing, and resistance.
One haunting refrain echoes through the performance:
“There was a girl who reached for the moon
And whistled at Kiuryaq…”
This references a shared Indigenous warning: never whistle at the northern lights, or they might carry you away. The legend, found across Arctic Indigenous cultures from Inuvik to Sápmi, anchors the play’s blend of myth and modern trauma—including the legacy of Canada’s “Sixties Scoop,” when thousands of Indigenous children were removed from their families.
More Than Theater—A Cultural Reclamation
Directed and co-written by Reneltta Arluk, an Inuvialuit artist, “Kiuryaq” doesn’t just entertain—it educates and affirms. “What people from the North see in this play is that they are not watching an interpretation of themselves,” Arluk told The New York Times. “They see themselves.”
The production uses minimal sets—a white canvas tent, a screen made of borrowed bedsheets—but maximizes emotional impact through original music by Canadian composer Carmen Braden and projections of real aurora footage. Its portability allows it to reach remote communities often excluded from mainstream arts circuits.
Tackling Tourism and Identity with Humor
“Kiuryaq” also skewers the commodification of Indigenous culture. One scene features “Frank,” a cringe-worthy aurora tour guide who markets his Indigeneity like a brand. The Fort Simpson audience roared with laughter—because they’ve seen him in real life.
“This is comedic territory non-Indigenous writers wouldn’t touch,” notes the play’s coverage. “The inside jokes are best told by insiders.”
Global Stage, Local Roots
After touring Canada’s North, “Kiuryaq” heads to Nuuk, Greenland, this month, then to Vancouver’s Push Festival in early 2026, and Norway in 2027. But its mission remains clear: to center Arctic voices in a region increasingly contested by global powers.
As climate change and geopolitical interest heat up the Arctic, plays like “Kiuryaq” assert a vital truth: this land has always belonged to its original stewards.
| Production Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Title | Kiuryaq (“Northern Lights”) |
| Creators | Reneltta Arluk (Canada), Rawdna Carita Eira (Sápmi), Salik Lennert (Greenland) |
| Music | Carmen Braden |
| Themes | Indigenous identity, adoption trauma, aurora lore, cultural resilience |
Sources
The New York Times: In Canada, a New Play Celebrates Indigenous Storytelling of the Northern Lights
