May 16 and 17 2026

Experience the first Indigenous Tipi Storytelling event at the Fairbairn House Heritage Centre, co-presented by Theatre Wakefield and the Fairbairn House Heritage Centre. Over two days, four Indigenous artists will share powerful and engaging stories within intimate tipi settings, creating a unique and immersive cultural experience. Each day features two storytellers, with audiences rotating between tipis to hear both voices, and enjoying a short break with tea served outdoors.

Stories will be shared in English on the first day, and in French, English, and Inuktitut on the second. Rooted in Oral Traditions, these narratives carry history, humour, poetry, teachings, and lived experience, often layered, non-linear, and open to personal interpretation.

With seating limited to just 25 people per tipi, this event offers a rare opportunity for close connection with the storytellers and their teachings. Audiences are invited to sit in a circle on the ground and are encouraged to bring pillows for comfort. Join us for a meaningful and memorable celebration of Indigenous storytelling.

Tickets can be found by clicking on this link

Learn more about the storytellers:

Albert Dumont, Algonquin, Kitigan Zibi, Quebec
Storyteller

Albert Dumont was Ottawa’s English Poet Laureate from 2021-2023. Over his artistic career as poet and storyteller, he has published seven books of poetry and short stories, and two children’s books.

He has served his community as a member of the Grandparents’ Counsel for St. Michael’s Hospital’s Well Living House in Toronto, acting as role model, strategist, teacher, and knowledge keeper. He worked as an Elder for the Parole Board of Canada at Elder-Assisted Hearings, and was employed by Correctional Services Canada as a spiritual advisor for the Indigenous men incarcerated at Millhaven Institution, Kingston.

In 2010, he received the Public Service Alliance of Canada – National Capital Region Human Rights Recognition Award. In 2024, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Ottawa. He has just been awarded the prestigious Indspire Award for Culture, Heritage and Spirituality. Albert has dedicated his life to promoting Indigenous spirituality and healing, and to protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples particularly the rights of the young.

Louise Profeit-Leblanc, Nacho N’yak Dun First Nation of Mayo, Northeastern Yukon
Artistic Director and Storyteller

Louise Profeit-Leblanc (Tse Itzoh – “Beaver Woman”) is a mother, grandmother and a Story-Keeper who currently lives in Wakefield, Quebec with her husband Bob.

Louise comes from a long line of traditional storytellers and her repertoire consists of ancient stories relative to her homeland and her own bundle of personal stories of growing up in the North that depict how the land was made, how her people lived there and how they survived for thousands of years. Many of these stories make reference to how everything in nature exists in balance, but more importantly the stories depict morals and teachings of how we all can learn to live harmoniously with each other, while caring for the land, the water and all living things.

She is grateful for the privilege of having these stories passed down to her by her Elders and it is her honour to be able to share them with all generations and backgrounds of people.

Taqralik Partridge – Inuk, Kuujjuaq, Quebec
Storyteller and Performance Artist

Taqralik Partridge is a poet, performer, throat singer, and storyteller. Born in Montreal to an Inuk father and a Scottish mother, she has fond childhood memories of several Arctic villages including Kuujjuaq, which she chose as her place of residence.

Taqralik studied in Montreal, then stayed to work at the Avataq Cultural Institute until she embarked on a full-time career as an artist. Her performance art focuses on poetry describing the life experiences of Inuit in northern and southern Quebec and often incorporates throat singing. In 2008, she co-founded Tusarniq in Montreal, a festival of words, music, and images featuring Indigenous artists. She was one of the featured artists on stage at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and the narrator of the 2015 audio edition of Minnie Aodla Freeman’s book Life Among the Qallunaat.

Taqralik has lived in Aylmer since 2020, when she became director of SAW’s Nordic Lab whose mission is to promote collaboration and exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists.

Marie-Louise Perron, descendant of Red River Métis & early French newcomers, Saskatchewan
Storyteller

Marie-Louise Perron holds degrees in Education and Fine Arts from the University of Saskatchewan, and a Masterʼs degree in Ethnology from Laval University, in Québec. Throughout her diverse careers, from high school teacher to visual artist, author, archivist and public servant, she has maintained the storytelling tradition of her people. She has presented and published, in both English and French, for national and international audiences, on subjects including the French/Métis songs, instruction on tracing one’s family history, and the value of archives to society.

Now retired, Marie-Louise pursues historical and genealogical research, offers workshops on tracing Indigenous ancestry, studies traditional violin, and participates in many styles of storytelling, including video and digital. An artist in watercolours, mixed media on canvas and photography, she has participated in multiple exhibitions. Marie-Louise has long been an active member of the Métis community, including membership on the organizing committee for the award-winning Walking With Our Sisters Memorial Installation in Ottawa.

 

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