Talking Stick Festival announces 2021 programming, celebrates 20th anniversary
Western Canada’s premier Indigenous performing-arts festival goes online
“Full Circle calls to the Four Directions and All Our Relations to gather around Four Fires, in each season: winter, spring, summer, and fall.”
Talking Stick Festival’s Winter Lodge: Sitting with our Ancestors, runs online from February 18 to 27.
THE YEAR 2021 marks Talking Stick Festival’s 20th anniversary. The Indigenous performing-arts festival is inviting people to connect and celebrate fireside throughout the seasons—digitally.
“Full Circle calls to the Four Directions and All Our Relations to gather around Four Fires, in each season: winter, spring, summer, and fall,” the festival’s statement says. “The Fire calls us into Right Relations with each other. Celebrating acts of artistic transformation, creative defiance, community-building and making space for all voices.”
Founded by Margo Kane (Cree/Saulteaux), an interdisciplinary artist and Indigenous arts leader, Full Circle: First Nations Performance is a non-profit society and registered charity that creates opportunities for Indigenous artists.
The first phase of the festivities, the Winter Lodge: Sitting with our Ancestors, runs from February 18 to 27. Featuring music, dance, movement, poetry, spoken word, readings, discussions, workshops, and more, all performances and events are free.
A Gathering of Hearts & Spirit — 20th Anniversary Gala of Talking Stick Festival happens February 18 at 6 pm PST. Hosted by Chief Ian Campbell and Amanda Nahanee, the Facebook event features performances by M’Girl, Ostwelve, Tzokam with Russell Wallace, and Wayne Lavallee. (This performance will be replayed on February 23.)
In the Beginning—A Cultural Sharing (which was originally produced by the Firehall Arts Centre and Vancouver Moving Theatre) is a pre-recorded work featuring Origin stories re-told from the three Host Nations and Relations from Upriver. It unfolds via four recordings on February 20, 21, 24, and 25 from 10:30 am to 12 pm PST.
Also on February 20, from 5 to 6:30 pm PST, is the Rez Bluez workshop, which will explore the uncovered history and musical relationship of Indigenous peoples and the evolution of the blues. Murray Porter, Pura Fe, Crystal Shawanda, Art Napoleon will Artist will discuss their ‘individual blues journey’ and perform a song that honours the Indigenous experience as told through their bluez. Elaine Bomberry hosts.
Margo Kane founded Full Circle: First Nations Performance in 1992.
Still. Reflect. Respond., on February 24 from 3 to 5 pm PST, features respected choreographers and dance artists discussing where the dance community is in collective practice—and how it can navigate current cultural, social, and political realities.
Indigenous Resistance and Artistic Liberation is a Circle Gathering (panel discussion) co-hosted with wîcêhtowin Theatre Program, University of Saskatchewan, that will explore how artistic liberation transforms traditional teachings into the justice-centred decolonial story needed by future generations.
Wolf Cull by Cheyenne Scott, presented by Urban Ink, is a chance to hear a new play in development. This workshop reading of Wolf Cull, a story of a pack of young Indigenous womxn who hunt down the mysterious creature that threatens their community, will include a question and answer period with the playwright and artists. It’s on February 24 at 4 pm PST.
On February 26 at 7 pm, it’s From Talking Stick to Microphone. Nyla Carpentier (Tahltan/Kaska) brings together a virtual poetic evening in honour of East Van ghetto poet Zaccheus Jackson Nyce (Blackfoot), the original From Talking Stick to Microphone curator.
Finally, InterSocial Nations—A Virtual Dance Party wraps things up on February 27 from 8 to 10 pm PST. The closing of the Winter Lodge will have a livestream performance by DJ O Show and DJ Kookum; there will also be some surprise guests.
These are just some of the highlights of Talking Stick Festival. There’s also the fest’s Industry Series, which invites settler and ally artists, presenters, and audiences to foster deeper listening practices. These conversations centre and privilege Indigenous artists’ voices and curiosities. This work is supported by following Witnessing protocol from the TSF’s host territory for many of the sessions.
For the full schedule and more information, visit Talking Stick Festival.
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