▁is ▁the ▁nin th ▁of ▁four teen ▁sib lings ▁born ▁to ▁Vi ola ▁and ▁Pierre ▁Mer ast y , ▁and ▁a ▁grand son ▁of ▁Joe ▁Highway , ▁a ▁famous ▁car ib ou ▁h unter ▁and ▁champion ▁dogs led ▁rac er ; ▁and ▁related ▁to ▁play w right ▁Tom son ▁Highway ▁and ▁dan cer / ch ore ograph er / actor / direct or ▁René ▁Highway . ▁ ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Toronto ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 8 ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁René ▁Highway , ▁who ▁was ▁then ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Dance ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 3 , ▁he ▁launched ▁his ▁acting ▁career ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁the ▁Native ▁Theatre ▁School ▁for ▁asp iring ▁First ▁Nations ▁artists . ▁He ▁then ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁Native ▁Earth ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁for ▁a ▁long ▁period . ▁ ▁Mer ast y ▁has ▁worked ▁extens ively ▁on ▁the ▁stage ▁and ▁films ▁as ▁an ▁actor ▁and ▁has ▁written ▁one ▁play , ▁Fire we ed , ▁produced ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁His ▁second ▁play , ▁God ly ' s ▁Div in ia , ▁is ▁in ▁development . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Mer ast y ▁received ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Man it oba ▁( Order ▁of ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁H unt ) ▁in ▁recognition ▁for ▁his ▁many ▁years ▁as ▁an ▁Ab original ▁role ▁model ▁from ▁Man it oba . ▁ ▁Stage ▁work ▁His ▁stage ▁cred its ▁include ▁appearances ▁in ▁Tom son ▁Highway ' s ▁The ▁S age , ▁The ▁Dan