Author: Francisca Seabra
Chantal Bildeau is a playwright and translator based in New York City, originally from Tiohtiá:ke, who focuses on storytelling and climate crisis. Her series “Artic Cycle” is composed of eight plays located in the eight Arctic states, originated from her trip in 2007 to Alaska where she decided to turn the trip into stories that could be shared with others. These plays are both an artistic and research project, exploring the complexity and interconnectedness of hope and grief, trying to capture the poetry of the present moment. It explores the intersection of the sacred and the spiritual with the scientific and the mundane. Asking who we are and who we want to be in a changed world, and what legacy we want to leave behind. And most importantly, bearing witness to changes that are almost too big to comprehend.
Nature as “Other”
A general view of nature as something to be feared, controlled, or overcome underpins much of the ecological and cultural crises of our times (ecophobia). It is a view which has its roots in the deep-seated nature/culture dualism of Western thought, where nature is held as passive, external, subordinate, while human civilization, through technological advancement and intellectual superiority, is placed on a pedestal.
This perspective has been used to justify both the exploitation of the natural world and the marginalization of Indigenous cultures, the traditional knowledge of which relies on reciprocity and co-dependence with the natural environment. The results of this: climate change, environmental degradation, loss of traditional knowledge. Sila directly confronts this dualism, negating the separation and instead offering an image of humanity and nature deeply intertwined in a complex web of life.
The play
The play, set on Baffin Island, features Veronica, an Inuit mother mourning the loss of her teenage son to suicide in a community struggling with alcoholism and unemployment. She finds an unexpected connection with Jean, a white scientist who, after a near-drowning experience, gains a deeper understanding of Inuit culture. Supported by her mother, Leanna, a climate change activist, and Tulugaq, an Inuit elder who unites Inuit and white Canadian cultures, both Veronica and Jean come to embrace the Inuit concept of sila, the life force that animates all beings, as a powerful, cross-cultural bond.
Integration of ecosophy
As a contrast to ecophobia, ecosophy integrates the three ecological registers: the environment, social relations, and human subjectivity, stepping away from the nature/culture dualism.
Socially, the play navigates the tensions and potential collaborations between Inuit traditions and Western perspectives, exemplified by Jean, a scientist who learns to value Indigenous ecological knowledge through his relationship with the elder Tulugaq. On a personal level, characters like Jean and Veronica undergo transformations that reveal the intertwined nature of human grief, cultural respect, and ecological awareness. Bilodeau employs ethico-aesthetic strategies, such as the use of multilingualism, Inuit mythology, and soundscapes, to create a visceral and relational theatrical experience, emphasizing coexistence and challenging anthropocentric paradigms
Sila
In the play, the concept of sila operates on multiple levels, the life-giving force that binds all beings, emphasizing ecological reciprocity and mutual reliance. First, it serves as a guiding metaphor for the characters’ relationships with each other and with the land. Leanna, the Inuit climate change activist, embodies this interconnectedness as she advocates for the survival of her community in the face of ecological destruction. Through her character, we are challenged to rethink humanity’s role in the world, no longer as an isolated force but as part of a larger, symbiotic relationship with the environment.
Secondly, the presence of sila in the play also underscores the vital importance of ecological reciprocity: the idea that our acts upon Earth should be considerate and respectful of the delicate balance of nature. Characters interact with the land and creatures of the Arctic not as controlling or exploiting agents, but by listening to it and learning from it. This is the mutual exchange at the heart of Inuit cosmology, and it is powerfully portrayed throughout the play as characters grow, are healed, and gain new insights from the land.
Representation of non-humans
In Sila, the portrayal of non-human characters, such as the polar bear mother and cub and Nuliajuk, the Inuit sea goddess, is crucial in illustrating the agency of the non-human world. These characters are not merely passive elements of the natural world; they are active participants in the story, representing the voices of nature and the consequences of human actions on the environment.
The polar bears, for instance, are a poignant symbol of the fragility of the Arctic ecosystem. They embody the direct impact of climate change: the melting ice and changing food sources that threaten their survival.
Nuliajuk, the sea goddess, adds another layer of depth to the play. She is the spiritual realm of the Arctic, a force that binds the world together like sila. A mythological figure, Nuliajuk is also representative of the ancestral wisdom that the Inuit have long held about the Arctic and its fragile ecosystems.
Art and activism
Sila exemplifies the power of art as activism.
She roots for an extension of art in activism, arguing that we cannot rely on traditional political or economic systems alone to address the climate crisis. Art, especially theatre, holds a transformative power capable of shifting cultural narratives, fostering collective action, and influencing policy. Sila encourages audiences to see theatre as a tool for social change, capable of challenging the status quo.
Sound and storytelling
In Sila, sound is a vital narrative tool that underscores the play’s themes of interconnectedness, cultural identity, and ecological justice. Drawing on the Inuit concept of sila, the play uses natural sounds like wind and cracking ice to evoke the living, breathing presence of the Arctic, while the breath and voices of characters reflect their emotional and spiritual connections to the land. Inuit throat singing, inspired by artists like Tanya Tagaq, serves as a powerful expression of cultural resilience and ecological reciprocity, contrasting sharply with Western musical forms that symbolize industrialized disconnection from nature. Sound bridges cultural divides, amplifies the grief and loss felt by characters and ecosystems alike, and reminds audiences of the Arctic’s fragility and vitality.
Main takeaways
The play teaches us that the separation between nature and culture is an illusion that has led to ecological destruction, social injustice, and cultural erasure. By embracing a mindset of mutual respect and reciprocity, Sila offers a vision of the world where humans live in harmony with the land and its creatures, understanding that we are not above nature but part of a larger, interconnected system.
At its core, Sila calls for a collective shift in consciousness, a recognition that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but one that touches every aspect of human life, from culture to economy, to spirituality. While Sila is a deeply personal exploration of loss, grief, and transformation, it is also a sharp critique of the larger social structures that contribute to environmental degradation, which disproportionately affects Indigenous communities, particularly those in the Arctic, challenging us to take collective responsibility for the damage we have caused.
The question is not whether we can change, but whether we will.