After years of disconnection from her traditional territory, Quelemia returns home to the Musqueam reserve. She had left at the age of fifteen to pursue a decade long career as an international model. After many years of travel, meeting Prince, and nearly marrying into fashion royalty, it was learning about her Great-Grandmother Matilda Cole that sent her off on her most important journey.

O’wet/Lost Lagoon is a dreamlike canoe odyssey, guided by the spirit of her Great Grandmother. The play dives deep into the intergenerational effects of colonialism, memory and the reclamation of land and self. It encompasses a family’s determination to reclaim lost parts of themselves.

O’wet is a word used by canoe pullers during a canoe journey. It gives the pullers strength and helps everyone pull in unison, together.

O'wet/Lost Lagoon is produced by Alley Theatre in association with Full Circle: First Nations Performance. It has been developed in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre and in community partnership with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society.

O'wet/Lost Lagoon was originally commissioned by Full Circle: First Nations Performance as part of a larger work, and benefited from the work of the Full Circle Aboriginal Ensemble, including director Margo Kane, dramaturg Michael Springate, and Associate Dramaturg and Researcher Kwasuun Sarah Vedan.