Waawaate Fobister

Waawaate Fobister is a Two-Spirit Anishinaabe storyteller, actor, dancer, playwright, choreographer, producer, and theatre instructor from Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows). Their movement vocabulary is rooted in contemporary pow wow, with a focus on grass dance.

They trained in Theatre Arts – Performance at Humber College, studied Indigenous dance at Banff Centre for the Arts, and completed summer intensives with the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Centre for Indigenous Theatre, and Kaha:wi Dance Theatre.

Waawaate’s debut play Agokwe earned six Dora Mavor Moore Awards, including Outstanding New Play. Other original works include Medicine Boy and Omaagomaan. They choreographed the Dora-nominated Bent Boy for Young People’s Theatre, and their works have been presented by major theatre companies across Canada and internationally in Japan, the UK, Australia, and the U.S. Highlights include presentations with Clutch, One Yellow Rabbit, Native Earth, and Canada’s National Arts Centre.

As a performer, Waawaate starred in Julius Caesar (NAC/Native Earth) and danced in Carlos Rivera’s I’m Not the Indian You Have in Mind. They also commissioned Dark Song, a duet with Arik Pipestem choreographed by Malgorzata Nowacka-May, and toured with The Chimera Project.

Beyond the stage, Waawaate founded the first-ever LGBTQ2S+ Advisory Council for Grand Council Treaty #3. Their leadership and advocacy have been recognized with the Mark S. Bonham Centre Award and nominations for the Ontario Premier’s Award, the K.M. Hunter Award, and Edmonton’s Sterling Award.