Francis Pegahmagabow was the highest ranked sniper of World War One. Out of the millions of men who went to that horrific war – he was the deadliest hunter.
He remains Canada’s greatest soldier of all time and yet when he returned home, he didn’t have the right to vote. Even as Chief of Perry Island Band, he was denied a loan for his farm. This Ojibwe warrior was a major figure in early First Nation political movements and never stopped fighting for the rights of his people and most Canadians don’t know his name. This is his story.
Keywords: World War One, Ojibwe, First Nations, Warriors, Political
Produced by Shadow Theatre, Edmonton AB, November 2024
Genre: Drama, Historical/Biographical
Acts: 2
Run time: 110 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content notes: Contains references to death and the violence of World War One. This play also covers early First Nations political movements in Canada.
Cast size: 4 - 16 actors
Male roles: 3
Female roles: 2
Casting notes: The casting is flexible in terms of numbers. The play could be done with as few as four actors and could easily handle being performed by 12-16 if the company wanted to cast more actors.
"...once you know Francis Pegahmagabow’s name and all he did for his people, you won’t forget."
-- Lucy Haines
"The Two Battles of Francis Pegahmagabow is... an eloquent reminder to us Canadians of a past, still present, that has made outsiders of some of us."
-- 12th Night