We at PerSIStence Theatre recognize that this performance contains sensitive material which is likely to bring up a variety of emotions and memories, especially for people with lived experience of violence, including colonial violence.

The STOLEN SISTERS project is grounded in community collaboration, and as part of this, we strive to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of the audience. 

The following aims to provide viewers with an awareness of the content and environment of Stolen Sisters before entering the performance space. For any other questions about the show, please reach out to us at info@persistencetheatre.com or 709-743-4274.

Content Warnings:
  • Colonial violence, child abuse, religious abuse, mentions of sexual violence, and slurs against Indigenous peoples.
  • These sensitive topics are discussed through first-person storytelling from the perspective of a child, a young woman, then an elder.

Information about the Performance Experience:

  • The show will last slightly longer than an hour.
  • If you need to leave at any time for any reason, please feel empowered to do so.
  • During the performance, a sound system will be playing which includes gunshot noises, as well as sounds suggesting violent struggles.

Further Support Information:

We at PerSIStence are not trained to provide culturally-specific mental health support. We encourage folks who are impacted by the material of Stolen Sisters to reach out to the following services:

  • Hope for Wellness Helpline offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to offer counseling and crisis intervention. Call the toll-free Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 or connect to the online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

  • First Light is a non-profit organization that offers support for urban Indigenous people. For information on their programs and services, learn more at https://firstlightnl.ca/

  • The St. John’s Status of Women’s Council/Women’s Centre provides support for women who experience domestic abuse or intimate partner violence.  If you are experiencing domestic abuse or intimate partner violence, you are concerned about someone else experiencing it, or if you need support, text or call the NL province-wide helpline, available 24/7 at 1-888-709-7090.

  • The Newfoundland & Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre provides help and resources related to sexual violence. Their 24 Hour Support and Information Line is 1-800-726-2743.
Land Acknowledgement 

We respectfully acknowledge the land on which we gather as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk [bee-oth-uck], whose culture has been lost forever and can never be recovered. We also acknowledge the island of Ktaqmkuk [uk-dah-hum-gook] (Newfoundland) as the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi'kmaq [mee-gum-maq]. And we acknowledge Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu [in-new] of Nitassinan [ne-tass-eh-nen], the Inuit [in-new-eet] of Nunatsiavut [nu-nat-see-ah-vut], and the Inuit of NunatuKavut [nu-nah-tuhk-ah-vut]. We recognize all First Peoples who were here before us, those who live with us now, and the seven generations to come. As First Peoples have done since time immemorial, we strive to be responsible stewards of the land and to respect the cultures, ceremonies, and traditions of all who call it home. As we open our hearts and minds to the past, we commit ourselves to working in a spirit of truth and reconciliation to make a better future for all. 

Our humble thanks to First Light for sharing this land acknowledgement within our community and providing valued guidance to many organizations such as ours. You can learn more by visiting their website at firstlightnl.ca.