Free during Fringe

pêhonân means “meeting place” in Nêhiyawêwin. And the land on which the Edmonton Fringe Festival takes place today is certainly that, sitting on sacred land, where from time immemorial, Indigenous people have gathered to share in story, feast, and to celebrate each other’s company.  

Our pêhonân is a powerful gathering space that uplifts Indigenous Artists and stories local to Treaty 6 and the Métis homeland. Curated by Fringe Theatre’s Indigenous Director MJ Belcourt Moses, the pêhonân Series supports Indigenous Artists across disciplines with paid opportunities to share their work through theatre, music, dance, visual art, and storytelling.  

Now in its fifth year, pêhonân centres around a mikiwahp, where Festival-goers are invited to reflect, learn, and celebrate Indigenous ways of knowing. 

This year, step inside Whose Land Are You On? — a self-guided tipi installation featuring a large pre-contact map of Turtle Island. Through interactive stations, reflection prompts, and learning materials, explore the Nations, languages, and land-based histories that shape where we gather today. 

You’ll also find Indigenous programming throughout the Festival: on our outdoor stages, in our theatre venues, at KidsFringe, and in our Artisan Alley. 

“We are all walking pieces of art. Through our creativity, we carry the spirit of our ancestors, and through our teachings, we ensure nothing is lost to history,” says MJ. “My hope is that pêhonân continues to grow as a living space of resistance, joy, and belonging.”  

Meet us at the mikiwahp — and join the circle.