Created by Leonard Linklater based on a play written with Patti Flather which was first produced in 1993, Sixty Below examines issues faced by First Nations and other Indigenous people in Canada today. The colonization process has left many without the foundations which societies are built upon: language, spirituality, education, justice systems, etc. Those have been replaced by another society, the colonizer’s ways and beliefs. Yet we survive. We are still here.
This audio play asks you to confront the losses and embrace hope with its characters.

In this audio play, it’s nearly winter solstice when Henry, an Indigenous man in northern Canada, gets out of jail, ready to straighten out his life. Of course it’s not that easy: his old buddies just want to party, his girlfriend Rosie is moving ahead of him, and then there’s the ghost of Johnnie, everyone’s hero, who just won’t leave the northern lights.

While Henry and Rosie want to move forward in a good way, they do not have the tools to do it successfully. Their family, friends and community are sometimes more hindrance than help. And the unexplained death of their hero figure a year earlier makes it even harder.

Hope is introduced through their First Nation Gwich’in stories, pan-Indian teachings, and through the truth of how Johnnie died on the longest night of the year.

Sixty Below was directed by Reneltta Arluk with sound design, composition and audio production by Jordy Walker featuring seven talented Indigenous performers. Short film clips were also produced to add to the audio experience. To read more about the artists involved visit the About page.

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