Sounding Thunder, the Song of Francis Pegahmagabow

Sounding Thunder, the song of Francis Pegahmagabow is a musical journey into the life of the renowned Ojibwe WWI sniper, decorated officer of the Canadian military and Indigenous political activist, Francis Pegahmagabow. The 65-minute performance is divided into three acts, exploring Pegahmagabow’s early years immersed in the world of the Anishinaabe spirits, his extraordinary accomplishments in the trenches of WWI, and finally his political life as Chief of the Wausauksing Ojibwe and founder of the early Indigenous political moment in Canada.

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Sounding Thunder was co-created by multi-award-winning Ojibwe author Armand Garnet Ruffo and JUNO-nominated composer Timothy Corlis, with consultation from Brian McInnes, great grandson of Francis Pegahmagabow, with additional musical material from Anishinaabe singer Jodi Contin Baker. The production draws on the memoirs of Pegahmagabow himself, family memories, and historical sources to introduce audiences to a little-known side of Canadian history while offering a fascinating story and dynamic musical experience. The production has a track record of strong reviews, often naming its main strength in the respectful way First Nations and Settler communities collaborated to share the story of Francis. After its initial performance in Wausauksing First Nation, Murray Sinclair wrote: “I am overwhelmed by this amazing performance and the story that it tells.”