Daniel Moses

Daniel Moses - PHOTO.jpg

Daniel David Moses

Our communities across Turtle Island bid farewell to a gifted First Nations' artist.  It is with heavy hearts the family announce the sudden passing of Daniel David Moses on July 13, 2020 in his 69th year.  He is survived by his sister: Debora Blanche, and predeceased by his parents: David Nelson and Blanche Ruth (Jamieson).  Daniel will be deeply missed by several aunts, uncles, numerous cousins and extended family members. He will be fondly remembered by lifelong friends Eric Ladelpha and Carol Rowntree.
 
Daniel acknowledged his Delaware Nation paternal lineage while also embracing his maternal lineage in the Tuscarora Nation, Bear Clan. His pride in his Indigenous roots was evident in his works as a poet, playwright, dramaturge, editor, essayist, teacher and artist. He held an Honours B.A. from York University (Toronto, Ontario) and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, B.C.).
 
From 1979, Daniel worked as an independent, Toronto-based artist: first as a poet, and later as a playwright, dramaturge, editor, essayist and teacher. He filled artist, playwright, and writer-in-residence posts with institutions as varied as: Theatre Passe Muraille (Toronto, Ontario); the Banff Centre for the Arts (Banff, Alberta); the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, B.C.); the University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario); the University of Windsor (Windsor, Ontario), the University of Toronto (Scarborough), the Sage Hill Writing Experience (Regina, Saskatchewan); McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario); and Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec). He recently served as a member of the Advisory Board of Oskana Poetry and Poetics book series for the University of Regina Press.
 
He served on the Boards of: The Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts (ANDPVA), Native Earth Performing Arts, and The Playwrights Union of Canada (now The Playwrights Guild of Canada). He co-founded tyhe influentia  Committee to Re-Establish the Trickster with his collegues: Lenore Keeshig-Tobias and Tomson Highway.

In 2003, he was appointed as a Queen’s National Scholar to the Department of Drama at Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario), and in 2019, as Professor Emeritus.  

In 2016, he was inducted as a Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada (Arts).
 
His plays include: Coyote City, a 1991 Governor General’s Literary Award nominee; and The Indian Medicine Shows, the 1996 James Buller Memorial Award winner.  His classic work: Almighty Voice and His Wife was remounted by Soulpepper Theatre (Toronto, Ontario) in Fall 2019. This production received five Dora Mavor Moore Award 2020 nominations and won the award for Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design.  He was so proud!
 
His poetry collections include: The White Line; Delicate Bodies; Sixteen Jesuses and a CD of readings: River Range Poems (dedicated to his father).  His essays are collected in the book: Pursued by a Bear: Talks, Monologues and Tales. He edited with Terry Goldie: An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (1992); a Second Edition (1998),and a Third Edition (2005). He also edited the Fourth (2013) Edition.
 
His career in the arts was interspersed with readings and presentations from New Mexico to New York City; from Vancouver, B.C. to Sackville, N.B.; and from London, U.K., to Prague, CZ.  Daniel generously shared his talents and knowledge, inspiring and mentoring the next generations of artists.
 
At Daniel’s request cremation has taken place. In honour of Daniel, donations may be made to The Michael Garron Hospital Foundation, Toronto, Ont.; The Hamilton Program for Schizophrenia, Hamilton, Ont.; or the Charity of your choice.  Arrangements by Styres Funeral Home, Ohsweken.

Daniel David Moses: your legacy will never fade.

Condolences

Posted by Irene Lobsinger on
My deepest sympathy to his family and friends.I had the honour to see his play, Almighty Voice and his wife, What an awesome show it was. I will never forget it. Debora, sending you love and hugs. I will be here if anyone needs me
Irene.
Posted by Sylvia Anderson on
My sincerest condolences to all of Dan's family and friends.
I was so sorry to hear of Dan's passing, and will miss him and our dinners in Toronto with Carol and Eric and friends.
Sylvia Anderson
Posted by John Moses on
I was very sad to hear of Daniel David's passing on July 13. My mother Helen Monture Moses sends her condolences, too. Daniel's father Dave, and my late father Russ Moses, were first cousins. The last time I saw Daniel in person was at a New Sun conference at Carleton University in Ottawa several years ago.
Posted by David A. Moses on
My heart is heavy to hear of Daniel’s sudden passing. I wish I could have known him better. It was a pleasure to interview Daniel in Toronto not long ago for the remount of his play Almighty Voice and his Wife. It was also a pleasure to spend time with his parents David and Blanche before their passing. Daniel and I spoke of getting together now that he was spending more time at Six Nations. Daniel was and is great talent of which I am proud to say however distantly, I am related. Wanishi for all you have given us Daniel, Rest In Peace. My condolences to Debora and all extended family.
Posted by David A. Moses on
My heart is heavy to hear of Daniel’s sudden passing. I wish I could have known him better. It was a pleasure to interview Daniel in Toronto not long ago for the remount of his play Almighty Voice and his Wife. It was also a pleasure to spend time with his parents David and Blanche before their passing. Daniel and I spoke of getting together now that he was spending more time at Six Nations. Daniel was and is great talent of which I am proud to say however distantly, I am related. Wanishi for all you have given us Daniel, Rest In Peace. My condolences to Debora and all extended family.
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