The inaugural Ka’tarohkwi Festival of Indigenous Arts, curated by Queen’s Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Arts Dylan Robinson, is being hosted at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts from Feb. 12 to March 24.

Supported by the Isabel and Alfred Bader Fund, A Bader Philanthropy, the Ka’tarohkwi Festival is an exciting multi-disciplinary blaze of Indigenous creativity at the Isabel celebrating the music, film, dance, multimedia, theatre, visual art, and virtual reality stories from the top Indigenous creators in Canada.

“ts’áts’eltsel xwoyíwel tel sqwálewel kw’els me xwe’í sq’ó talhlúwep! We gather together to experience this exceptional work by Indigenous artists from near and far,” says Dr. Robinson.  “This festival draws its name from the Huron and Mohawk word for the lands we gather on – Ka’tarohkwi. And as a xwelmexw (Stó:lō) guest here, I am grateful to the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe people for their leadership, and for these lands that sustain us and the creative work that is part of the festival.”

The festival includes top artists from across Canada such as such as Jeremy Dutcher, Tanya Tagaq, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Monique Mojica, Bracken Hanuse Corlett, Dean Hunt, Digging Roots, Lisa Cooke Ravensbergen, and Tanya Lukin Linklater.  The Festival celebrates the creation of new works, and includes world premieres in the Wani’/Lost and Niiganni-Gichigami. Ontiatarío. Lake Ontario programs.

The festival film series is presented in collaboration with imagineNATIVE film festival and the Department of Film and Media. Filmmakers include Stephen Campanelli with a film inspired by Anishinaabe writer Richard Wagamese, Terril Calder, Jay Cardinal Villenneuve, Asinnajaq, Sean Stiller, Asia Youngman, Caroline Monnet, Zoe Hopkins, and Lisa Jackson.

“These prominent artists demonstrate the vibrancy of Indigenous arts today, and to these artists I say, ‘You have power, you have a voice. Raise your voice to be sure the people hear you,’” says Associate Vice- Principal, Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation Kanonhsyonne (Janice Hill).

The Isabel presents the virtual reality installation BIIDAABAN: FIRST LIGHT VR, March 17-25, created by Lisa Jackson, Mathew Borrett, Jam3, and the National Film Board of Canada, and hosts RESURGENT VOICES: Indigenous Oration and Aurality on Sunday, March 24, 4-6 pm where Geraldine King and Beth Piatote explore the sonic impact of Indigenous oration.

The Festival is affiliated with SOUNDINGS: An Exhibition in Five Parts at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, curated by Candice Hopkins and Dylan Robinson, that includes newly-commissioned ‘scores’ by artists including Tania Willard, Tanya Lukin Linklater, Raven Chacon, Cristobal Martinez, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Olivia Whetung, Peter Morin, and Ogimaa Mikana,  and a speakers’ series, entitled “Against Hungry Listening.” The exhibition is accompanied by a specially commissioned book of scores designed by Sebastien Aubin.

“The arts are a powerful voice in our society, and the profound messages from these outstanding Indigenous artists transformative. The Isabel is honoured to collaborate with curator Dylan Robinson and all the artists involved for their originality and creativity in bringing this festival to fruition, as we are to work with the Agnes Etherington Arts Centre, imagineNATIVE, and Queen’s Department of Film and Media as affiliated collaborators,” says Tricia Baldwin, Director of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. “We are grateful to our benefactors, the Isabel and Alfred Bader Fund, A Bader Philanthropy. This is especially poignant right now, as the late Alfred Bader, a man dedicated to artistic excellence and justice in this world, continues to inspire us forward."

View the Ka’tarohkwi Festival of Indigenous Arts schedule or visit The Isabel website.

Festival passes and individual tickets are available through the Isabel Box Office, 613-533-2424 (Monday-Friday, 12:30-4:30 pm), and online at queensu.ca/theisabel.