NOGOJIWANONG
INDIGENOUS
FRINGE
FESTIVAL
INDIGENOUS
FRINGE
FESTIVAL
Artist Bios 2021
“Tiger” Will Mason
“Tiger” Will Mason, formerly known as Andy W Mason, has been an underground folk, rock, native rock
and country rock musician, who has played opening for and with many older Indigenous artists; Willie
Dunn, Floyd Westerman, Joanne Shenandoah, Keith Secola, the great Redbone, as well as many non-
indigenous artists. He played with cover bands opening for the likes of Al Stewart, Barney Bentall, The 5
Man Electrical Band, and many others. The late great Jeff Healey jumped up on stage to play with Will's
cover band 4 Way Street on July 1 1992 at the old Penguin Blues Bar on Elgin Street in Ottawa. 4 Way
Street was Canada's only full-on CSNY tribute band from 1987-1995, then from 2005-2016. They only
played in Ontario and Quebec, and as a trio busked in Vancouver BC but they became legendary in
hippie circles in the area. CSN had heard of them, and indeed met several members over the
years. 'Tiger' Will has played in other cover bands in Ontario and BC. He has also been an actor on stage
and film in television series and movies.
“Tiger” Will Mason, formerly known as Andy W Mason, has been an underground folk, rock, native rock
and country rock musician, who has played opening for and with many older Indigenous artists; Willie
Dunn, Floyd Westerman, Joanne Shenandoah, Keith Secola, the great Redbone, as well as many non-
indigenous artists. He played with cover bands opening for the likes of Al Stewart, Barney Bentall, The 5
Man Electrical Band, and many others. The late great Jeff Healey jumped up on stage to play with Will's
cover band 4 Way Street on July 1 1992 at the old Penguin Blues Bar on Elgin Street in Ottawa. 4 Way
Street was Canada's only full-on CSNY tribute band from 1987-1995, then from 2005-2016. They only
played in Ontario and Quebec, and as a trio busked in Vancouver BC but they became legendary in
hippie circles in the area. CSN had heard of them, and indeed met several members over the
years. 'Tiger' Will has played in other cover bands in Ontario and BC. He has also been an actor on stage
and film in television series and movies.
Stephanie Pangowish
Stephanie Pangowish is a sassy and assy Anishnaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island and
is the co-founder of Canada’s 1st collective of Indigenous women stand up comedians, Manifest
Destiny’s Child. She originally started performing to make her angry mom laugh and avoid the wooden
spoon but now uses it to educate Canadians on Indigenous culture. Stephanie has danced at pow wows
for the last 10 winters, has watched every movie starring Adam Beach and pretends to have read all
books about Indigenous people.
Stephanie Pangowish is a sassy and assy Anishnaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island and
is the co-founder of Canada’s 1st collective of Indigenous women stand up comedians, Manifest
Destiny’s Child. She originally started performing to make her angry mom laugh and avoid the wooden
spoon but now uses it to educate Canadians on Indigenous culture. Stephanie has danced at pow wows
for the last 10 winters, has watched every movie starring Adam Beach and pretends to have read all
books about Indigenous people.
D.B. Mcleod
D.B. Mcleod is a proud Urban Anishnaabe Kwe, whose home territory is Sagamok Anishnaabek F.N on
the north shore of Lake Huron. D.B. along with her comedy sisters created Manifest Destiny’s Child
Comedy Collective. While being with MDC she has taken the stage for events like The Toronto
International Film Festival, Royal Ontario Museum’s Friday Night Live, and Art Gallery of Ontario’s First
Thursday. D.B. also been invited to be in comedy shows like Yas Kween 4th Birthday celebration that
was a part of Comedy is Art Festival. D.B’s comedy is rooted in her Indigeneity, focuses on making fun of
colonization, misogyny and racism, just enough to make white men uncomfortable.
D.B. Mcleod is a proud Urban Anishnaabe Kwe, whose home territory is Sagamok Anishnaabek F.N on
the north shore of Lake Huron. D.B. along with her comedy sisters created Manifest Destiny’s Child
Comedy Collective. While being with MDC she has taken the stage for events like The Toronto
International Film Festival, Royal Ontario Museum’s Friday Night Live, and Art Gallery of Ontario’s First
Thursday. D.B. also been invited to be in comedy shows like Yas Kween 4th Birthday celebration that
was a part of Comedy is Art Festival. D.B’s comedy is rooted in her Indigeneity, focuses on making fun of
colonization, misogyny and racism, just enough to make white men uncomfortable.
Jennifer Alicia
Jennifer Alicia (they/she) is a queer, mixed Mi’kmaw/Settler (German, Irish, Scottish) storyteller originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay Of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. She is a two-time national poetry slam champion and member of Seeds & Stardust Poetry Collective. Jennifer Alicia's debut chapbook titled Mixed Emotions is being published by Moon Jelly House. She also is working on a play titled 'Restor(y)ing Identity' and part of it was recently presented at the Weesageechak Begins to Dance Festival. Find out more about their work here: www.jenniferalicia.com
Jennifer Alicia (they/she) is a queer, mixed Mi’kmaw/Settler (German, Irish, Scottish) storyteller originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay Of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. She is a two-time national poetry slam champion and member of Seeds & Stardust Poetry Collective. Jennifer Alicia's debut chapbook titled Mixed Emotions is being published by Moon Jelly House. She also is working on a play titled 'Restor(y)ing Identity' and part of it was recently presented at the Weesageechak Begins to Dance Festival. Find out more about their work here: www.jenniferalicia.com
Sarah Gartshore (Zaagi’idwin Collective)
Sarah Gartshore (she/her) is a part-Anishinaabe, part-settler educator and theatre creator who works in solidarity with voices from the margins as a StoryTeller and champion of Radical Self Love. With ancestors from the Crane Clan of Batchewana First Nation and Clan Gartshore of Scotland, Gartshore is at home in leadership and in love with collaboration. Gartshore’s work highlights this Debwewin; the experts, on the homeless community, people in active addiction community and sex working communities needs, are those with lived experience. Gartshore believes in the magic of theatre as a sacred space that welcomes transformation and the honouring of our stories.
Sarah Gartshore (she/her) is a part-Anishinaabe, part-settler educator and theatre creator who works in solidarity with voices from the margins as a StoryTeller and champion of Radical Self Love. With ancestors from the Crane Clan of Batchewana First Nation and Clan Gartshore of Scotland, Gartshore is at home in leadership and in love with collaboration. Gartshore’s work highlights this Debwewin; the experts, on the homeless community, people in active addiction community and sex working communities needs, are those with lived experience. Gartshore believes in the magic of theatre as a sacred space that welcomes transformation and the honouring of our stories.
Shirley Ida Williams (Neganigwane Company)
Shirley Williams is a member of the Bird Clan of the Ojibway and Odawa First Nations of Canada. Her Anishinaabe name is Migizi ow Kwe meaning Eagle Woman. She was born and raised at Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island and attended St. Joseph’s Residential School in Spanish, Ontario. She credits her parents and Elders for teaching her the language and knowledge of her people, motivating her to teach the language and giving her the framework upon which to do so.
Identified by former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as a Role Model for Survivors, Elder Williams is Professor Emerita at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, where she has taught and researched the Anishinaabe language since 1986. She is the only Indigenous person in Canada to achieve the rank of full Professor as a Dual Traditional Scholar, recognizing her traditional Indigenous knowledge, as well as her outstanding research and publication record.
Shirley Williams is a member of the Bird Clan of the Ojibway and Odawa First Nations of Canada. Her Anishinaabe name is Migizi ow Kwe meaning Eagle Woman. She was born and raised at Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island and attended St. Joseph’s Residential School in Spanish, Ontario. She credits her parents and Elders for teaching her the language and knowledge of her people, motivating her to teach the language and giving her the framework upon which to do so.
Identified by former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as a Role Model for Survivors, Elder Williams is Professor Emerita at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, where she has taught and researched the Anishinaabe language since 1986. She is the only Indigenous person in Canada to achieve the rank of full Professor as a Dual Traditional Scholar, recognizing her traditional Indigenous knowledge, as well as her outstanding research and publication record.
Norma Araiza and Olga Barrios (Vanguardia Dance Projects)
Olga Barrios is a multi-award winning artist who has collaborated with theatre, musical and dance
companies as well as in multidisciplinary projects in Canada, USA and Colombia. She holds an MFA in
dance from York University. Barrios is originally from Bogotá, Colombia and works with exchange
projects between Colombia and Canada. “As a choreographer and dancer that lives in a contemporary
world I explore my personal reality as a woman whose life is affected by cultural heritage but also by
global information, technology and all the movement in time, space and energy.”
Norma Araiza is a Mexican performer, choreographer and instructor from an Indigenous background
from the Yoeme Nation in Sonora , Mexico. She has studied different disciplines within the arts in order
to find her own unique style that blends dance, theatre, vocals, percussion, expressive arts, with cultural
and traditional themes especially from her Indigenous background. Araiza has studied with international
theatre directors Jerzy Grotowski and Eugenio Barba, Butoh Master Natsu Nakajima, theatre groups
Tascabile di Bergamo, Pipo Delbono Company - both from Italy, and Kei Takei from New York, among
others. She has performed extensively as a professional physical theatre actor and dancer throughout
Mexico, California, USA, throughout Ontario, in Montreal, Hungary and Colombia.
Olga Barrios is a multi-award winning artist who has collaborated with theatre, musical and dance
companies as well as in multidisciplinary projects in Canada, USA and Colombia. She holds an MFA in
dance from York University. Barrios is originally from Bogotá, Colombia and works with exchange
projects between Colombia and Canada. “As a choreographer and dancer that lives in a contemporary
world I explore my personal reality as a woman whose life is affected by cultural heritage but also by
global information, technology and all the movement in time, space and energy.”
Norma Araiza is a Mexican performer, choreographer and instructor from an Indigenous background
from the Yoeme Nation in Sonora , Mexico. She has studied different disciplines within the arts in order
to find her own unique style that blends dance, theatre, vocals, percussion, expressive arts, with cultural
and traditional themes especially from her Indigenous background. Araiza has studied with international
theatre directors Jerzy Grotowski and Eugenio Barba, Butoh Master Natsu Nakajima, theatre groups
Tascabile di Bergamo, Pipo Delbono Company - both from Italy, and Kei Takei from New York, among
others. She has performed extensively as a professional physical theatre actor and dancer throughout
Mexico, California, USA, throughout Ontario, in Montreal, Hungary and Colombia.