A fiery new Indigenous festival is happening in Vancouver this month
A huge Indigenous-led celebration of creativity, brilliance, culture and community is happening this month at UBC, and everyone is invited to join the festivities.
The inaugural ʔəm̓i ce:p xwiwəl (Come Toward the Fire), hosted by The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in collaboration with Musqueam, is happening on Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18.
Come Toward the Fire is held in advance of this year’s Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and features Indigenous artists, musicians, speakers, performers and dance groups from Musqueam as well as Indigenous nations across Turtle Island (North America).
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“This festival is a beautiful opportunity to showcase the joys of Indigeneity,” said Pat Carrabré, Director of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and member of the Manitoba Métis Federation, in a release. “So often, Indigenous depictions are mired in tragedy. While we recognize the history and continued oppression of Indigenous peoples, we wanted to expand the narrative. The story of Indigenous peoples is not monolithic, and neither are our cultures.
“With the various creatives we have invited for this festival, we are highlighting the incredible diversity of Indigenous talent, whether it’s through food, dance, song, or otherwise. Of course, we are especially pleased to present this festival in collaboration with Musqueam.”
Julian Taylor/Submitted
Come Toward the Fire begins with free activities for the public on Saturday afternoon. The accessible outdoor programming is hosted by Two-Spirit Cree musician and drag performer Quanah Style and includes music and dance performances, Indigenous vendors and food trucks, community presentations and film screenings, and cultural workshops.
There will also be a dedicated memory space to provide Indigenous community members with the opportunity to share a memory of loved ones.
Head to the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on Saturday and Sunday for Musqueam Teachings family workshops and hands-on activities from 11 am to 1:30 pm. Guests can learn Musqueam place names, explore history through Musqueam timelines, and interact with Musqueam items.
Make sure to stop by the Belkin Art Gallery’s Outdoor Screen throughout the weekend to see Stories from Musqueam, a short film and video series spotlighting Musqueam artists, cultural knowledge keepers and community members.
Quanah Style (Wettrax/Submitted)
Then stick around on Saturday evening for a festival-style concert inside the Chan Shun Concert Hall. The event is hosted by Musqueam creator, actor, and playwright Quelemia Sparrow and will showcase 10 artists and two dance groups from across the continent. Tickets are on sale now and self-identifying Indigenous peoples are invited to attend for free.
Performers include Juno-nominated and 2021 Canadian Folk Music Award Solo Artist of the Year winner Julian Taylor of Mohawk and West Indian heritage, Inuit experimental throat-singing sister duo PIQSIQ, and a multi-national dance troupe Indigenous Enterprise led by champion pow wow dancers.
The concert will also feature Musqueam rapper and City of Vancouver’s first local Indigenous Poet Laureate Miss Christie Lee performing with Squamish and Nisga’a musician, model, and actor Lady Sinncere, Juno-nominated Haida pop and R&B singer Carsen Gray, Afro-Indigenous Two-Spirit DJ Orene Askew of the Squamish Nation and more.
Indigenous Enterprise/Submitted
Come Toward the Fire will also premiere a new musical composition co-created by master Musqueam weaver Debra Sparrow in partnership with Vancouver musician Ruby Singh, and local string musicians. The work interweaves musical elements pulled from Sparrow’s Reconciliation blanket design and gives musical form to a cross-cultural expression of Musqueam and non-Indigenous collaboration.
The festival concludes on Sunday with a concert by international icon Buffy Sainte-Marie.
For more than half a century, Cree singer-songwriter Sainte-Marie has been winning awards for her innovative music and advocating for Indigenous people worldwide. She is the first Indigenous person ever to win an Academy Award and her album Power in the Blood garnered her the Polaris Music Prize.
Buffy Sainte Marie (Trevor Brady/buffysainte-marie.com)
ʔəm̓i ce:p xwiwəl (Come Toward the Fire)
When: September 17 to 18, 2022
Time: 1 to 6 pm (Saturday free activities), 7 pm (Saturday night concert), 8 pm (Sunday night concert)
Where: The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts – 6265 Crescent Road, Vancouver; Museum of Anthropology at UBC – 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver; Belkin Art Gallery – 1825 Main Mall, Vancouver
Cost: Free and ticketed events, purchase online
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