Nutsa'maat Shqwalawun - One Heart One Mind Sharing our voices on Quw'utsun Land
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WEAVING, CONNECTING, LISTENING
RECONCILI-ACTION THRU MUSICAL IMPROVISATION
with support from SoundON, Creative BC, and the Province of British Columbia.
Recorded live at Duncan Showroom, Duncan BC,
on the 30th of September, 2021 in honour of the 1st National Truth & Reconciliation Day
We released and aired the videos of the live performances on Oct. 15th, 2021.
We will have another showing of the videos in person/on line in November - to be invited to attend and to find out more info please email cari@cariburdett.com
Musicians:
NATE HARRIS
DAN LAPP
ANNE SCHAEFER
CARI BURDETT
QWALSIMIYU ( CATHERINE SAMPSON )
GLENN PATTERSON
HWIEMTUN (FRED ROLAND)
We will be having a viewing party on ZOOM in November with the artists present on zoom and hopefully we can have it in personHope to see you then. Date to be announced.. stay tuned here..send me a message to be added to my newsletters to find out more info. - cari@cariburdett.com
Special Thanks for making it possible:
Audrey George - for leading the way with the Day of remembering the children who didn’t make it home
Nikky Ermineskin - for Video, editing and stage managing
Gregory Forsberg for photos
Trevor, Tim and Longjohn from the Duncan Showroom - for awesome space to perform and sound and video recording. Bless you for tirelessly keeping live music alive.
All those supporting - The March for the children who never made it home- 30th of September, 2021
Duncan Music for donation of sound equipment
Elder Tousilum for humour, commitment to learning, open heart, wisdom and community spirit.
Elder Qwiyahwultuhw for guidance, teachings, open heart, community spirit and positivity
Elder Estelle for nourishing love, for positive ways to see new perspectives, trusting in all that there is
Elder Elli - for gratitude and always being there, for commitment to community, family, beauty, creativity and love.
Pulxaneeks - for a supportive coaching session
Beth Supple for support, deep listening and guidance
Koksilah Music Festival for support, spirit and allieship
Kara at Identity Graphics
Stuart Padaguan for his gorgeous art.
Sheila from The Cowichan Valley Voice
Presented with support from SoundON], Creative BC], and the Province of British Columbia.
SoundON] Creative BC] @music_bc #soundonbc #amplifybc
The initial idea of this project was to weave our voices in the true spirit of reconcili-Action through musical improvisation. Before I wrote the grant application, I first went to speak with my respected Indigenous Cowichan elders, allies here on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish, Quw’utsun lands. They both gave blessings for me to ask for support for this musical initiative of making music together with settlers and Indigenous musicians. Once the grant was received, I again went to the elders with the best protocol that I knew, to honour and respectfully ask again for permission for this project and they gave their support and blessings.
There was the invitation to present this on the September 30th, the first National Truth and Reconciliation Day. This was perhaps a great idea initially, however after discussion, it became clear that it wasn't the place nor the event for this to happen. In the end, I sang a Gaelic Blessing of Peace from my ancestors to all the Indigenous peoples and Anne Schaefer played the harp with a traditional Irish song again honouring her lineage of healing and wellbeing as an offering and prayer. The day was emotional as elders shared their personal stories of being in residential schools, musicians also performed and offered their gifts of song. Nate Harris was one of the performers, who was part of this project. He shared his own songs with a full heart.
I invited Anne Schaefer and Dan Lapp to join me as the settlers in this musical improvisation reconcili-Action exploration, as dear friends and amazing musicians who value connection through improvisation. Not all musicians are comfortable to share their musicality in this way. The three of us, were witness to the entire Truth and Reconciliation Day, listening with an open heart and welcoming the stories to enter us. The walk began at 9 am and the sharing of stories and music ended at 2pm. With this day lived alongside each other in silent honour of all that the survivors went through, all that the families went through when they lost their children who never made it home and all that continues to happen with our Indigenous friends, we were present with each other in a deep and deliberate way.
Just after 2pm on the 30th of Sept, we went to the Duncan Showroom, and met with our honoured Indigenous allies, Qwalsimiyu (Catherine Sampson), Glenn Patterson and Hwiemtun (Fred Roland), who had also been at the walk all day in support for the Children Who Didn't Make it Home. Together we had all been witnesses and and carried in our bodies, hearts and minds all that was shared that day.
As we gathered on the stage, we each introduced ourselves and truly enjoy the experience of weaving, listening and played stunning music that we joined together in collaboration through Weaving, Connecting and Listening - which resulted in Reconcili-Action thru Musical Improvisation.
Namaka
Cari Burdett / Lila Music Centre