Aanmitaagzi

Aanmitaagzi
Type	Organization

Aanmitaagzi is an organization co-directed by Sid Bobb and Penny Couchie.

In Anishinabek News

• June 2015: The group performed a fusion of theatre, improvisation, and dance called Beneath Us! at the Dream Big Conference. The organization was co-founded by Sid Bobb to carry forward the traditional and life stories of Nipissing. The name of the collective translates to He speaks, She speaks.
• July 2015: The group operates out of the Big Medicine Studio on Nipissing First Nation. As of July 2015, the organization has focused on building community through the arts and providing a space for voices that are not often heard. The group runs the Aanmitaagzi Summer Arts Program, which offers instruction in theatre, dance, and cultural teachings.
• May 2016: The organization operates Big Medicine Studio on Nipissing First Nation. Its representative Clayton Wyndat discussed the creation of a new music festival in 2016.
• January 2017: The group contributed an installation piece titled What is Art? to the White Water Gallery exhibition. The organization's project involved a three-day community harvest that was filmed and projected onto a stretched deer hide.
• January 2017: The company collaborated with Distinct Features to provide cultural consultation and script support for Hard Rock Medical. Several company members performed at the season three launch party and acted in the television series. The organization operates out of Big Medicine Studio on Nipissing First Nation.
• May 2017: As of May 2017, the company is busy with the Material Witness Project, which combines theatre and community textile installations. It operates as an artist-owned entity separate from the not-for-profit sector to maintain long-term sustainability.
• March 2019: The organization held the Wording Transformation workshop focused on sound, language, and story. It is led by co-directors Sid Bobb and Penny Couchie at Big Medicine Studio.
• December 2019: The company is collaborating with Spiderwoman Theatre on an international theatre project titled Misdemeanor Dreams. Artists from the group participated in a public lecture at Nipissing University to discuss Indigenous storyweaving and transformation. The organization is preparing for a future international collaboration with Moogahlin Performing Arts from Australia.
• March 2020: The troupe produced the performance Mkomiiwi showcased at Ice Follies 2020 on Lake Nipissing. The group's creative process for the production involved a core team of artists and collaborators over several weeks of design and rehearsal. The organization utilizes the Chigokmis puppet in performances to represent ancestral spirits and historical themes.
• April 2021: This company hosted Rihkee Strapp during their first visit to the area.
• August 2024: The collective presented a work-in-progress titled ALL MY R(el)ATIONS at a festival in North Bay on August 13, 2024. The organization operates the Aanmitaagzi Summer Arts Program, an eight-week intensive focused on visual arts, regalia making, and performance. The group hosts a weekly Elders Luncheon where youth and seniors share stories and meals to foster community connections.
• September 2025: The organization's Summer Arts Program students visited powwows in Temagami, Six Nations, and Garden River First Nation. Students from the program helped clean feathers for the new Nipissing First Nation Eagle Staff. The group is co-directed by Sid Bobb and Penny Couchie.