More than 15,000 people gathered in Mani-Utenam, July 30 to August 3, for the 41st edition of the Innu Nikamu Festival, a celebration of Indigenous culture and healing on the grounds of a former residential school.
This year’s event offered a dynamic mix of musical performances, community celebrations, family activities and the powwow of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam with traditional drumming and dancing.
According to director Normand Jr. Thirnish Pilot, the festival continues the tradition of bringing together the Innu communities of Quebec and Labrador as well as other Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to share their culture through music and dance.
“From the beginning to the end, it was amazing,” Pilot said. “We had a lot of artists who were not Indigenous, like Blue Rodeo and Damien Robitaille, and those artists lived an experience with us.”
For the first time, the festival powwow was held on the same weekend as the concerts, drawing larger crowds.
“Usually, the powwow is on the following weekend,” Pilot said. “But this year, we decided to hold them at the same time, to make something bigger and go deeper into the healing.”
Pilot emphasized the significance of the event’s location, the site of the former Notre-Dame de Malioténam residential school, as a symbol of resilience and rebirth.
“Each year it’s important for us to remember that a lot of tears were shed here,” he said. “It’s a contrast of today, seeing all those kids running everywhere, having fun, laughing – it’s a moving experience to witness.”
Over 40 artists, along with powwow drummers, performed at the festival, making it the most ambitious to date.
“We had two main stages for the first time, so we had a chance to present a lot more shows in one evening,” explained Pilot. “It’s about connection, celebration and showcasing the power of Indigenous voices, both new and established.”
Among this year’s standout performers Pilot mentioned Matt Iserhoff, lead singer of acclaimed band CerAmony, who appeared as a solo act.
“People were screaming with joy,” Pilot said. “For us, artists like Matthew are rock stars, we’re honoured to host them.”
A multi-talented musician and cultural ambassador from Whapmagoostui, Iserhoff performed a strong set of original songs, and was joined by daughter Rain on two of them, adding an intergenerational element to the set.
With over two decades of experience as a performer, producer and media professional, Iserhoff continues to champion the Cree language and culture through music and storytelling. At the festival, he did “10 loving songs, a couple of them from our CerAmony days as a band.”
“I was surprised that I was asked to perform with my original material,” he said. “I was happy to say ‘yes, absolutely’. It was a lot of fun.”
Iserhoff described the festival as “world-class,” highlighting the hospitality, organization and overall vibe.
“It was an awesome experience,” he said. “People were great. We were well taken care of from the start all the way to the last day.”
His songs in English and Cree are rooted in experience.
“I do my best to represent wherever I go,” Iserhoff said. “I promote the language, I promote the culture, and I tell our stories.”
One of the emotional highlights came at the end of the set when Iserhoff performed the song “The Last Great Men” with a former CerAmony bandmate.
“We didn’t tell many people we were going to perform that one, it was a surprise,” Iserhoff stated. “It meant a lot to close with that song, and the crowd reaction said it all.”
While the festival was founded as a showcase for Indigenous music and language, Iserhoff observed that it’s increasingly becoming a national and international platform.
“They have opened spots for national Indigenous artists like DeeDee Austin, an incredible performer who was featured on Canada’s Got Talent. Plus, they had Innu singer-songwriter Mike Paul.”
Iserhoff was honoured to be the only Cree performer at the event, and encouraged other Cree artists to step forward.
“We have a lot of talented musicians enough to be at these festivals,” he said. “I want to see more Cree names out there. Believe in yourself and go for it.”