Don Burnstick's distinctive brand of First Nation comedy is coming back to the Battlefords Sept. 25.
The difference this time is that Burnstick is playing at the new Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts for the first time. That is something Burnstick, in speaking to the News-Optimist, says he is looking forward to.
"You have a wonderful facility that just opened up, the Dekker Centre," said Burnstick. "I said you know, let's feed my fan base, let's do a show there."
Previously he had played at Gold Eagle Casino for various SIGA events. "Whenever I've done shows there, we've always sold out," he said.
But he wanted to make this latest show one that was more for the general public, and the Dekker Centre came to mind.
He said his last tour through Saskatchewan took in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, where the shows sold out. Burnstick said there was plenty of interest expressed from the Northwest region in having him come to the area as well.
"I got a lot of messages from people in North Battleford and from Meadow Lake and people in that area wondering 'hey, when are you going to stop by here?'"
The show on Sept. 25 will run from 7 to 9 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Audiences can expect an "adult" show, but also a clean show. "I don't swear, I don't drop f-bombs on stage. Many comedians do, I don't," said Burnstick.
His style of comedy is one that brings people together, he notes. "Saskatchewan is such a diverse community with a high proportion of aboriginal people, so I do a lot of bridge-building … with the differences, with the different cultures, the ethnicity, the differences between white people and natives and making fun of those things," Burnstick said.
Audiences can expect a show with a First Nations flavour, given Burnstick's own Cree background, but also one that will reflect the local community. "When people come to the show, people feel it's specifically for them," said Burnstick. He will talk about "a lot of local things, local communities, things like that."
He plans a few Roughriders jokes, but adds people "bleed Green" here, so "you have to be gentle with the Roughriders jokes."
"Years ago when the 13-man incident, every comedian went off on that," said Burnstick.
In general, people should not expect to see Burnstick putting down or taking a derogatory approach to others.
"The essence of what Native humor is, is teasing and jesting. And that's basically what I do. That's what Native humour is. There's tons of comedians who cuss and swear and cuss, but I don't do those things. I take the spirit of what Native humour is and I get up there and basically tease and poke fun of the situations."
The show will reflect Burnstick's own background that is heavily rooted on his holistic approach to healing.
The Winnipeg-based comedian grew up as one of 15 kids at Alexander First Nation near Edmonton, Alta.
He had his share of issues in his younger days with alcoholism and drug addiction. But he managed to escape those problems and he rededicated his education and working life to focus on healing and personal wellness for others.
Burnstick ended up counselling others about sobriety, and he brings that approach to his comedy career.
That focus will be evident for patrons at the Dekker Centre, as it will be a "dry" event. There will be no alcohol served at the performance, and the show will be wellness based, Burnstick said.
Burnstick said he got into comedy when he was at a wellness conference where a comedian was on hand, and "he was not doing very well, so the organizers asked me to get up there."
"So I got up to the microphone and started talking about how natives burn their grass in the spring and how white people cut it, you know, just stuff like that, the differences."
He just spoke off the cuff, and he said ladies in the audience were "standing up and they were cheering and clapping," and that was where it started.
That was 18 years ago, he said. Since then he has performed his comedy all across North America.
But he says he particularly gets enjoyment out of performing for audiences here in Saskatchewan. "Saskatchewan has the best laughers," said Burnstick.
He fully intends to have the audience at the Dekker Centre in stitches when he performs here. "My elder told me how when you get up there and do a show, 'make them laugh until they cry.' When a person laughs until they cry, that's when the healing takes over."
For more information about the show see the Dekker Centre website at www.dekkercentre.com. For more information about Burnstick visit his website at www.donburnstick.com.
