The Rez Sisters a play in two acts by ‘Tomson Highway HOUSECopyright © 1986 by Tomson Highway Allright reserve. No part of this publication maybe repro- diced in any form orby any meant without the prior writen permission of the pubitherexceptin the ease ofa reviewer So may quote ble! pasagesin review to print ins age Zine or newspaper, of brosscst on radio or television. nthe Case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, sere tnust obtina licence rom the Canaan Copyright Licensing “Agency, Permission to perform the playin whole orn part must be requested in writing from The Cove Group Talent [Agency $ Church Stet, Sure 30, Toronto, ON, HSE IM, by phoning 416/603-0619 faxing 416/603-0582 "© 1961 Tree Publishing Co. Inc, ¢/o Dunbar mn, All rights reserved. “Texas 1© 1977 and 1978 Tree Publishing Co, Inc, ¢/0 Dunbar Music. Reprinted by permission. Al ight reserved. “Tm Thinking of You,” Tomson Highway, CAPAC 1964 Cover illustration: Toyan Mani (Maxine Noel) Gover design by Robert Grey ‘The publisher gratefully acknowledges the support received from The Canada Council and Heritage Canada, Printed and bound in Canada by Best Book Manufacturers, Peterborough, ON 959697 9898 / 161514 1912 ‘alain tate cestemtisot tates agit neg Manon fT sage om “am Pay 1saNo-20079-4-x Te, SMOG Siar Ieee os, cana gate nolan sut9R4 108 when Tuyo Mase FIFTH HOUSE LTD. 620 Duchess Street £9-6125-11th Sueet SE Saskatoon, SK, Canada Calgary, AB, Canada STKORT TeHaLs For my mother, Pelagie Philomene Highway, a Rez Sister from way back. Keetha kichi ooma masinay-igan, Mama,e % ‘Tomson Highway was bom on his father's trap-line on a remote island on Maria Lake away up in northem Manitoba, where it meets the borders of Saskatchewan and the Northwest ‘Terttories. Maria Lake is about 100 miles north ofthe reserve ‘Tomson belongs to - Brochet, Manitoba - which is located 76 miles, as the crow flies, northwest of the mining town of Lynn Lake, Man,, nonthem end of the CN rail line, He was ‘bom in a tent, like all his brothers and sisters, in the middle fof a snowbank on December 6, 1951, not 10 feet from the dog-sted in which they travelled in those days. ‘Tomson’s father, Joe Highway, was originally from the Pelican, Narrows Indian Reserve in northeastem Saskatchewan and his ancestors come from this “re2" and from Cumberland House, Saskatchewan. Joe Highway was a trapper/fisherman and a legendary dog-sled racer. He won the championship at the World Dog Derby at The Pas Trappers’ Festival in February 1951, nine months before Tomson was bom. One of Tomson's ‘older brothers, Swanson Highway, won this same event twice, February 1962 and February 1964. Several relatives have won this race many times over the years wi ‘Tomson is the 11th of 12 children, five boys and seven girls, fof which only three of the former and three of the later are alive today. For the first six years of his life he lived an ex- quisitely beautiful nomadic lifestyle among the lakes and forests of remote northwestem Manitoba, trapping in winter, fishing in summer. Cree was the only language spoken and to this day, the older brothers and sisters don't speak English, though they do speak Chipewyan as well as Cree. Tomson Jeamed to speak English at six years and became comfortab- ly fluent in the language only in his late teens. ‘Tomson was sent to a Roman Catholic boarding school at the Guy Hill Indian Residential School in The Pas, Manitoba, at the age of six. He stayed there until age 15, when he finished ¢grade nine. During these years at school Tomson was able 10 visit home for only two months every summer. Then he was sent to Churchill High School in Winnipeg where he lived in 2 series of white foster homes. He graduated in June 1970. ‘After high school, Tomson spent two years at the University (of Manitobe Faculty of Music studying piano, which he had picked up at the boarding school at the age of 13. Tomson then spent a year in London, England, studying to be a con- cert pianist under William Aide, later’a renowned teacher at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music. He then retumed to the University of Manitoba for one year, followed by a move with his piano teacher and mentor to the University of Wester Ontario in London, where he graduated with @ Bachelor of Music Honors in May 1975. Tomson stayed an extra year to complete the English courses required for a Bachelor of Ans degree. This is where he met - and worked with - James Reaney, perhaps one of English Canada’s most respected playwrightspoets. Tomson also saw his fist Michel ‘Tremblay play at this time.