Common Weal has developed a Spoken Word and Storytelling project engaging the community of Yorkton, and surrounding areas, including rural and Aboriginal communities.  Yorkton is located in the southeastern region of Saskatchewan, approximately two hours east of the city of Regina, and is surrounded by the Peepeeksis, Cote, Keesekoose, Ocean Man, Kahkewistahaw, Sakimay, Cowesses, and Ocapowace First Nations, as well as the Crescent Lake Metis Community.  Although it is a small community comprised of approximately 20 000 people, it is a vibrant community that acts as the economic and cultural hub for a rural population of 120 000 people within a 150 kilometre radius of the city.

This trans-cultural, inter-generational project will draw upon existing relationships and engage community individuals and organizations in dialogue around issues of community, cooperation, restorative practices and art.  The four components to the project include: archival research, collecting audio from participants (artists, elders, historians, residents), narrative investigation, and dissemination.  Project partners include the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery and local First Nations and Metis service organizations.  

Peepeeksis component description by project artist Robin Brass:

"The Peepeekisis Project took place at Pesakastew School, Peepeekisis First Nation, with the following Gr. 10 students:  Mitchell Cardinal, Leah Desnomie, Jonathan Desnomie-Little, Jean Luc Desnomie, Chance Peepeetch, Darla Ponace, Casey Stonechild, Keegan Poitras, Justin Ironquill and with the participation of Delma Poitras - Cree speaker & community member & Pesakastew School teachers, Mike Cook & Holly Rope, and with the support of Principal Ruth Bellegarde.  

In initiating this project at Peepekisis, I first wanted to speak with the students about their own knowledge of their respective heritage and which Indigenous nations they affiliated themselves with.  Although Peepeekisis is formally a Cree Nation and Cree is the Indigenous language taught at the school and thus the parameters I worked within for this project, I wanted to acknowledge some of the history of how this reserve came to be and the fact that many of the Band members are of mixed ancestry, or identify themselves as such.  The students spoke of these roots, their knowledge of their heritage, and personal identity.  Along with Cree, students identified themselves as Saulteaux, French, Blackfoot, & Assiniboine,  Segments from this conversation are included in this audio piece.  

We then moved into learning the Cree phrases, lead by community member, Delma Poitras.  The students already knew the Cree sound system quite well as they've had the opportunity to work with the school's superb Cree language teacher, Mike Cook.  It was an enjoyable process and the students were engaged and often supportive of each others' efforts, which can be heard in their applause for Darla as she attempts one of the Cree phrases near the end of the audio piece."