Inuit focus at Summer Solstice
Art and culture at 20th anniversary of Aboriginal Day in nation's capital
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, June 27, 2016
OTTAWA
Inuit art and culture were in the limelight at this year's Summer Solstice Aboriginal Festival during Aboriginal Day celebrations in Ottawa.
Inuit throatsingers Samantha Metcalfe, left, and Cailyn Degrandpre perform at the Summer Solstice Aboriginal Festival in Ottawa, held June 17 to 19. The festival put a special focus on Inuit culture this year. - A.R. Gagne Photographics photo |
The community has been celebrating Aboriginal Day for the past 20 years, but in the past seven, a multi-day Summer Solstice festival has shown off First Nations, Metis and Inuit culture.
This year, with the help of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the festival put a focus on Inuit culture.
"We've tried to really highlight Inuit culture through all of our programming," said festival executive director Trina Mather-Simard.
That came with the festival's first Inuit Art Pavilion, soapstone carvers, Inuit traditional tattoo face painting, throatsingers and more.
"We've also invited some drum dancers to be part of our pow-wow grand entry for the first time as well," said Mather-Simard.
The celebration has grown a lot in the seven years to become the multi-day event it was last week, running June 17, 18 and 19 at Vincent Massey Park.
It started as a community celebration with a feast and some entertainment for maybe a couple thousand people. Nowadays, organizers are seeing upward of 40,000 visitors.
"The audience has certainly grown," said Mather-Simard. "It's a diverse audience. I'd say half of it is our community - First Nation, Metis and Inuit coming from around Ottawa and area to enjoy the celebration - and the other half is local families and residents coming out to share in that celebration and learn a little bit more about the culture."
It's equally important, she said, for the aboriginal community to have a chance to celebrate as well as give a "soft opportunity" for people to feel comfortable asking questions about the various cultures within it.
First Air lent some of its muscle to help Nunavummiut enjoy the festival by flying 70 youth and chaperons down to the national capital, in co-ordination with its own 70-year anniversary as an aviation company.
Twelve indigenous youth leaders from across the country were invited to Ottawa for the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day.
Shelby Angalik of Arviat was one of them, as well as Alethea Arnaquq-Baril from Iqaluit.
Angalik is a Grade 12 student at John Arnalukjuak High School and was recently awarded the Governor General's Award for Academic Achievement (Bronze) by Gov. Gen. David Johnston. She is also one of the 20 recipients of the 2016 TD Scholarship for Community Leadership.
Arnaquq-Baril is a well-known Inuit filmmaker who runs Unikkaat Studios Inc. She directed and produced the award-winning film Angry Inuk, a documentary about how Inuit are coming up with new and provocative ways to deal with international seal hunting controversies.
In a statement, Premier Peter Taptuna said he is humbled by the strength and resiliency of Inuit across Nunavut and Canada.
"We are a passionate people who take pride in our culture, language and traditions," he stated in a news release on Aboriginal Day, June 21.
"Today, we stand with our indigenous friends and families across the country and observe our unique spiritualities, beliefs and rich histories - all of which helped to shape Canada.
"I encourage all Nunavummiut to celebrate our identity today and every day. Strength of character and commitment to our identity leads to a prosperous, healthy Nunavut."
