Heather White
Heather has been involved with Mohawk Girls since 2007 when it started as the short film Escape Hatch. She hopes that Mohawk Girls and the casting of a plus-size actress as the character Caitlin will help inspire other young women to adopt a positive body image, as well as encourage them to work hard, to always follow their dreams, and continue to break society’s expectations of beauty. After graduating from Concordia University’s Theatre Program and attending Toronto’s Center for Indigenous Theatre Heather worked on the Muriel Miguel collaborative creation A Series of Savage Events: A Love Story, Alanis King’s play Gegwah, spoken entirely in the Ojibway language, and worked under the tutelage of acclaimed playwright Tara Beagan on her semi-autobiographical play. At 12 Heather’s Mohawk grandmother signed her up for Kahnawake’s Turtle Island Theatre’s Summer Drama Camp where she honed skills as an actor, singer, playwright - favourite roles include Mama Rose - Gypsy, Mame - Mame, Winnifred - Once Upon A Mattress and Chris Gorman - Rumors. Heather is a self-proclaimed ‘hybrid’. Born to a Mohawk mother and Stoney father she grew up within two contrasting native communities. This experience introduced the best of two worlds, creating a sense of duality that shaped both her personal perception and that of the larger world - the one beyond the rez. Exploration of self, identity, culture, and belonging sits at the core of Heather’s work.