Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish - The Film
Written by Joseph A. Dandurand
Directed & Dramaturgy by Chris McGregor
When you take something from the earth, you must give something back.
This award-winning Indigenous children’s theatre production has been reimagined for the screen!
Immerse yourself in the legend of the basket ogress, Th’owxiya, an old hungry spirit that inhabits a feast dish full of bountiful delicious foods. This Kwantlen First Nations tale follows a sly mouse (Kw’at’el) who is caught stealing cheese from this feast dish. To appease an angry Th’owxiya, Kw’at’el embarks on a journey to find two children for the ogress to eat, or else! Come enjoy the traditional Coast Salish and Sto:lo music, masks, and imagery while learning how Raven (Sqeweqs), Bear (Spa:th), and Sasquatch (Sasq’ets) trick a hungry spirit and save Kw’at’el and their family from becoming the feast!
Film stills taken from “Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish - The Film”, by Director of Photography Angelica Perez-Anzures. Featuring Chelsea Rose, Cassandra Bourchier, Deneh’Cho Thompson, Merewyn Comeau, and Nick Benz.
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Recommended Audience: Grade 1 - Grade 7
Run Time: 45 minutesAvailable to stream online.
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Includes 'Pre-Performance Activities' to help prepare your students for the film. Use the synopsis and vocabulary sections to review concepts and words the film mentions!
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Find a press release, bios, marketing materials, and more in our Presenter Kit dropbox folder.
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This document outlines what you will need to make the virtual performance the best it can be for your classroom/theatre!
Streaming Request
From the blog
Launch Stream
“… steeped in tradition.”
“What makes Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish truly unforgettable is its engaging story steeped in tradition."
– Mark Robbins, Vancouver Presents
"This is beautifully done…"
"The playwright has woven together meaningful, lively stories from his Kwantlen heritage, centring around the hungry feast dish."
— Patti Flather
"… a simple voice…"
"Joseph A. Dandurand opens his soul to give a simple voice to complex thoughts and emotions."
— Steven Buechler
Reviews
“Thanks to you and to your team for letting my class of Grade 5 students watch the "Hungry Feast Dish" play. The students really enjoyed it and the discussion afterwards was very interesting for us all. We look forward to future events like this to help educate our students about Indigenous ways of life and culture. Thanks for a very rich learning experience for us all.”
— Joanne Dillon-McKay, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Ontario Catholic School Board
“I loved the combination of narration and acting. The costumes were amazing and my students were really able to relate to the characters. I think Sasquatch was the favourite (afraid to have his butt burned!). Overall, I think the storyline was effective and the lessons to be learned, as the First Nations content is a great way for me to open the lines of communication about the subject with my students. Educating them is very important to me and the ongoing efforts for reconciliation.”
— Marni Chadwick, Assiniboia Elementary School, Assiniboia, Saskatchewan
