Daniel David Moses
Encyclopedia
Daniel David Moses is a First Nations
poet
and playwright
from Canada
.
Moses, of Delaware
descent, was born in Ohsweken, Ontario
, and raised on a farm on the Six Nations of the Grand River
. He has an Honours BA from York University
and an MFA from the University of British Columbia
. Moses was the president of Native Earth Performing Arts
in Toronto
for seven years. In 2003, Moses joined the department of drama at Queen's University as an assistant professor.
He has worked as an independent artist since 1979 as a poet, playwright, dramaturge
, editor, essayist, teacher, and writer-in-residence with institutions as varied as Theatre Passe Muraille
, the Banff Centre for the Arts, Theatre Kingston
, the University of British Columbia
, the University of Western Ontario
, the University of Windsor
, the University of Toronto
, the Sage Hill Writing Experience, McMaster University
and Concordia University.
He is openly
gay
.
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Moses, of Delaware
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
descent, was born in Ohsweken, Ontario
Ohsweken, Ontario
Ohsweken, , is a village on the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation Indian reserve near Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Approximately 300 of the 2,700 homes on the reserve are in Ohsweken, and it is the site of the reserve governmental and administrative offices...
, and raised on a farm on the Six Nations of the Grand River
Six Nations 40, Ontario
Six Nations is the largest First Nation in Canada with a total of 23,902 band members. 11,865 are reported living in the territory. It is the only territory in North America that has the six Iroquois nations living together. These nations are the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and...
. He has an Honours BA from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
and an MFA from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. Moses was the president of Native Earth Performing Arts
Native Earth Performing Arts
Native Earth Performing Arts is a Canadian theatre company located in Toronto. Founded in 1982, it is the oldest professional Aboriginal performing arts company in Canada...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
for seven years. In 2003, Moses joined the department of drama at Queen's University as an assistant professor.
He has worked as an independent artist since 1979 as a poet, playwright, dramaturge
Dramaturge
A dramaturge or dramaturg is a professional position within a theatre or opera company that deals mainly with research and development of plays or operas...
, editor, essayist, teacher, and writer-in-residence with institutions as varied as Theatre Passe Muraille
Theatre Passe Muraille
Theatre Passe Muraille is a theatre company in Toronto, Canada.-Brief history:One of Canada's most influential alternative theatres, Theatre Passe Muraille was founded in 1968 by director and playwright Jim Garrard, who started the company out of Rochdale College.Its radical intention was create a...
, the Banff Centre for the Arts, Theatre Kingston
Theatre Kingston
Theatre Kingston is a theatre company located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.Founded in 1990 as Theatre Beyond by Paul Gelineau, the company became The People's Theatre Kingston in 1992 and had two more Artistic Directors under that name—Kathryn MacKay and Kathleen LeRoux...
, the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
, the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
, the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, the Sage Hill Writing Experience, McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
and Concordia University.
He is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
.
Works
- Delicate Bodies (blew ointment press)- 1980
- The White Line - 1988
- Coyote City: A Play in Two Acts - 1990 (nominated for a Governor General's Award1991 Governor General's AwardsEach winner of the 1991 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit received $10,000 and a medal from the Governor General of Canada. The winners were selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.-Fiction:Winner:...
) - The Dreaming Beauty - 1990 - (won 1990 Theatre Canada's National Playwrighting Competition)
- Almighty Voice and His Wife - 1992
- The Moon and Dead Indians - 1994 - (won 1994 Du Maurier One Act Playwrighting Competition)
- The Indian Medicine Shows - 1996 - (won 1996 James Buller Award for Aboriginal Theatre Excellence - Playwight of the Year)
- Big Buck City - 1998
- Brébeuf's Ghost - 2000
- Sixteen Jesuses - 2000
- City of Shadows: Necropolite! - 2000
- Songs of Love and Medicine - 2005
- Pursued by a Bear: Talks, Monologues and Tales - 2005