Chris McKhool with Indigenous Collaborators

Chris McKhool from Sultans of String collaborated with Marc, Shannon, Alyssa, and 30 other indigenous artists on Walking Through the Fire, culminating in a trail-blazing collection of songs with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists from across Turtle Island. This became a recording, a sold-out concert tour, and a film. Chris will speak to the power of collaborations with Indigenous artists and how to incorporate this programming at your Festival or Event.

Outcomes:

1) Ideas for Indigenous programming at your festival or event

2) Guidelines for hiring Indigenous performers

3) Importance and thrill of Indigenous collaborations

BIO:

Sultans of String create “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine, UK). Thrilling audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, Gypsy-jazz, Arabic, Cuban, and South Asian rhythms, fiery violin dances with kinetic guitar, while bass and percussion lay down unstoppable grooves. Since forming 8 years ago, Sultans of String have hit #1 across Canada on Top 10 national radio charts, and received multiple awards and accolades, including 2 JUNO (Canada’s Grammy) nominations, 1st place in the ISC (15,000 entries), 2 Canadian Folk Music Awards, plus invitations to perform/record with such luminaries as The Chieftains, David Bromberg, and Alex Cuba.

BIO:

Born in Treaty One of Ukrainian and Red River Métis roots tracing back to Louis Riel’s ancestors, Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk is a member of Métis Fiddler Quartet, winner of the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Traditional Album, and has led hundreds of workshops teaching about Métis culture.

BIO:

Shannon Thunderbird is a Coast Ts’msyen First Nations Elder, singer, speaker and workshop facilitator, and is the Keeper of two big drums. She provides insight through a powerful approach based on time-honoured Indigenous medicine wheel knowledge. The truth from an Indigenous perspective is serious, but also has its humorous moments, and she will share suggestions of how to incorporate Indigenous artists in your programming.

BIO:

A ‘Pretendian’ is someone who falsely claims Indigenous identity, but lack the actual ancestral or cultural connections to Indigenous communities. Pretending to be Indigenous has serious consequences, so how do you know how to hire the right people? Ojibwe musician and Indigenous label owner Marc Meriläinen will speak to the newly developed "Verified Indigenous Program”.