Annual Indigenous events return to Montreal
Two Indigenous events highlighted the end of September in Montreal – McGill University’s Powwow (September 23) and Montreal’s march for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (September 30).
Arts & Culture
ᐊᔨᐦᑐᐧᐃᓐ
Kent Monkman’s “Being Legendary” exhibit at the ROM
Cree artist Kent Monkman’s exhibition Being Legendary, to be presented at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) from October 8 to March 23, 2023, plays with concepts of foundational myths, narrative biases and repatriation.
The Issue with Tissue connects Indigenous history with industrial exploitation
On September 18, The Issue with Tissue: A Boreal Love Story made its world premiere at the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival. The documentary by award-winning actor and filmmaker Michael Zelnicker draws a connection between colonial violence and unfettered extractive industrial exploitation.
Montreal First Peoples’ Festival closes with an evening of film awards
The Montreal First Peoples’ Festival ended with an awards ceremony that celebrated the top Indigenous films shown at this year’s event – “among the best we have ever seen,” according to festival founder André Dudemaine.
Cree youth experience unique summer literacy camps
Summer literacy camps were held in eight Cree communities this summer, enrolling around 240 youth for most of July in a program organized by the Cree School Board and Frontier College.
First Peoples Festival blooms again in downtown Montreal
Streams of culture from across the Americas united at Montreal’s First Peoples Festival August 9-18 to embrace defiance, joy and hope in a celebration of Indigenous art and sovereignty.
Montreal’s First Peoples Festival unveils its programming
A pillar of the city’s summer festival season, the Montreal First Peoples Festival, emerges from the “pandemic torpor” with a vibrant program August 9-18. This year’s lineup was announced on the first day of the Pope’s visit to Canada, a coincidence acknowledged in its defiant press release.
Provincial funding arrives after severe criticism of French-language bill
The Quebec government announced new five-year funding for Indigenous language and culture initiatives just weeks after passing Bill 96, widely criticized for making it harder to protect Indigenous languages.
New books for preschoolers promote Cree language learning
To combat language loss, the Cree Nation Government’s Child and Family Services department is expanding Cree language resources by providing seven new books for preschoolers. Books in both coastal and inland dialects arrived at community childcare centres June 3.
Cree artists showcase their talent at Canadian Music Week
“Now that things are opening up, let’s bring the artists who may never get a chance like this,” explained David Hodges, the music programming director of inPath, which supports young Indigenous creators.