{"id":47036,"date":"2017-09-03T14:21:26","date_gmt":"2017-09-03T18:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=47036"},"modified":"2017-09-08T17:37:01","modified_gmt":"2017-09-08T21:37:01","slug":"banff-reconciling-arts-with-cultures-in-2017-a-field-report-from-banff-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2017\/09\/03\/banff-reconciling-arts-with-cultures-in-2017-a-field-report-from-banff-centre\/","title":{"rendered":"BANFF | Reconciling Arts With Cultures In 2017: A Field Report From Banff Centre"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Indigenous
Indigenous Leadership and Management Development Program at Banff Centre. (Photo courtesy Banff Centre)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In part one<\/span><\/a> of our\u00a0report\u00a0on Banff Centre’s artistic\u00a0turnaround, we shared our impressions\u00a0of their contemporised\u00a0Summer Classical Music\u00a0Program from ground zero. This is the final instalment\u00a0to our\u00a0BANFF<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>summer series.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Openness to new ways of self-expression. Cross-disciplinary collaboration. Self-integration into\u00a0a sustainable model of\u00a0humanity.<\/p>\n

Art is a medium for self-expression, which by extension should be an open platform for\u00a0all.\u00a0These appeals are being increasingly voiced by an\u00a0emerging generation of artists, cultural groups, and arts thinkers, and have guided Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity as their\u00a0realignment of their leadership\u00a0mandate with a\u00a0collective\u00a0call to action.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeadership should be focused on extending the ladder of opportunity for everyone,”\u00a0in the words of<\/span>\u00a0our current Prime Minister<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0“People can respond to a positive, inclusive vision of society. The result is creativity that enriches Canada and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trudeau might as well have emitted those words at Banff Centre. As the institute works to\u00a0grow their legacy as a leading hub for creativity, the Centre is concurrently expanding their profile in Indigenous leadership. To this end, Banff Centre has appointed Reneltta Arluk as\u00a0their inaugural Director of Indigenous Arts. Beginning in November and running year-round, this\u00a0heralds a brand of Indigenous arts leadership “focusing on decolonization and using art as a tool for reconciliation.” Arluk\u2019s extensive background in Indigenous theatre will certainly inform her decisions, and her Inuvialuit, Dene, and Cree heritage makes her an ideal voice for Canada\u2019s Indigenous population.<\/p>\n

\"Reneltta
Reneltta Arluk, Director of Indigenous Arts Banff Centre (RedWorks Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coming from an impoverished community in the Northwest Territories, it wasn\u2019t until Arluk turned 19 that she discovered the arts for herself. \u201cThat\u2019s really what\u2019s driven me to offer opportunities to youth that I wasn\u2019t given. I think we should make it a little easier to access the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

If arts had already been known as a\u00a0volatile field in which to put down roots, it is even more difficult for Indigenous artists to avoid languishing under non-Indigenous artistic standards. But Canada\u2019s 150th holds\u00a0unique promise: \u201cThe discussions are happening in non-Indigenous spaces, because they\u2019re curious about those conversations as well. [\u2026] I think what\u2019s exciting about some of the 150 engagements is that organisations are recognising it as \u2018what can we continue to do?\u2019 instead of \u2018what can we do once?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Arluk\u00a0is encouraged by the increasing awareness of the Indigenous presence across professional spheres: as an example, she indicates that Ottawa\u2019s National Arts Centre has appointed Kevin Loring to be their first artistic director of the Indigenous theatre department. Elsewhere in Ontario, \u201c[there are] land acknowledgements starting at Stratford [Festival],\u201d referring to the pre-performance statement in recognition of the traditional Indigenous land on which the performance will be held. It is a practice that British Columbia has also incorporated into their legislature, and an element that featured prominently before each Banff Centre presentation this summer.<\/p>\n

Between Indigenous and Western art forms, it will be a delicate balance for Arluk to strike in programming decisions at Banff. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if it\u2019ll always be harmonious, but I see new structures and models to engage in these arts. [\u2026] Indigenous arts have always been a part of our history\u2014we live our art through our culture, we live our culture through our art.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do\u00a0Indigenous Peoples wish merely to integrate as seamlessly as possible into the pan-Canadian scene, or do they wish for elements of their culture to be prominently featured? Arluk\u2019s answer dispels any competitive edge: \u201cBoth are equally valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Indigenous artists to reach this threshold, the question then becomes, \u201cHow to disseminate and elevate? We do need to start outreach into communities, then in arts galleries. [\u2026] We do need to be next to art that is not Indigenous, and we need Indigenous acknowledgement.\u201d<\/p>\n

As awareness of Indigeneity is growing across the country, it\u2019s now up to the Peoples themselves to place a higher value on the arts. \u201cOften I go into the communities, and art isn\u2019t a priority up north. [\u2026] It\u2019s difficult, because if you\u2019ve never been exposed to the arts and if you ask them to engage, it\u2019s so foreign to them and they don\u2019t know how.\u201d<\/p>\n

What stands out to Arluk is how sports culture occupies a much greater place than do the arts, which is unsustainable as a cultural legacy. \u201cIt hurts me, because each community has a huge sports arena, none of them have spaces for art.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is this an indicator of a community\u2019s well-being? \u201cYou\u2019d think so\u2014you\u2019d think that would be it, but the truth is, art is free. You could draw with anything, you could sing, dance with anything, if you\u2019re just given the opportunity. With certain instruments, sure, but you could create art out of nothing\u2014you can do it individually, you can do as a collective. It\u2019s about finding your own voice. It\u2019s why I do the youth outreach that I do, is that I\u2019m asking you to have and share your voice, and engage\u2014whether it\u2019s visually, theatrically, musically, or physically.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Opening
Opening song by Eya Hey Nakoda at the Truth and Reconciliation Summit. (Photo courtesy Banff Centre)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arluk sees no better environment than at Banff Centre to engage in crucial dialogue across cultures and disciplines. She is eager to explore the dual potential that the Centre holds between their leadership mandates in the arts and Indigeneity. \u201cWhat I love about Banff, and what had me apply, was that they are using the TRC as part of their strat plan. That to me says, \u2018We want to engage in a better conversation with Indigenous People.\u2019\u201d Aside from their willingness to engage, it doesn\u2019t hurt that Banff has other assets\u2014notably dedicated funding, as well as an international reach. Arluk is ready to get the ball rolling year-round on Indigenous affairs, and \u201cBanff is that centre that can absolutely help do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arluk also has faith in a continued climb\u00a0currently enjoyed by Indigenous musicians. At this year\u2019s Juno Awards, Tanya Tagaq,<\/span> <\/a>Buffy Sainte-Marie, and A Tribe Called Red numbered among the Indigenous winners.\u00a0\u201cYou look at Tanya Tagaq, Quantum Tango, Nelson Tagoona, you just look at how our artists are using our traditional knowledge in a way that is beyond contemporary.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Calgary International Film Festival recently\u00a0announced that their\u00a0Festival Opening<\/span><\/span> Gala will centre on the Indigenous music documentary When They Awake<\/em><\/span><\/a>, chronicling the First Nations communities’\u00a0ascension from the ashes of their colonisation in Canada. The Indigenous-themed\u00a0gala\u00a0will also showcase live performances by First Nations\u00a0musicians. Many of the names mentioned by Arluk figure in the film’s cast and credits.\u00a0Louis Riel<\/span><\/a> would have been proud to witness the realisation of his prophecy: “My people will sleep for 100 years, but when they awake, it will be the artists that give them their spirit back.”<\/p>\n

Arluk explains that each Indigenous performance broadcast and each music award\u00a0is a collective win\u00a0for all Indigenous Peoples. \u201cWe have to be unified. I think we\u2019re all understanding that now\u2013we\u2019re not going to succeed otherwise. I think we need to be advocates and friends of each other, so that our voices can be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

To our nation\u2019s collective understanding, Canada\u2019s 150-year history has been one of comparative peace and tolerance next to the that of most countries. That insulated view was put into serious question in December 2015: report findings from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) unearthed the abuse sustained by Indigenous peoples, the aftermath of which continues to be felt today<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is now 2017, and in step with the times, Canadians now are attuned to the flagrant blemish the report casts on our country\u2019s narrative. The past year has not been without its share of contemporary strife in Indigenous communities: events that stand out include the Cultural Appropriation Prize media firestorm last May, the Canada Day weekend protest by teepee-erecting protestors on Parliament Hill, the year-old Attawapiskat suicide crisis, and the ongoing drinking water advisories in many First Nations communities. This year\u2019s re-mounting of the opera Louis Riel<\/em><\/span><\/a> at the Canadian Opera Company, the National Arts Centre and the Grand th\u00e9\u00e2tre de Qu\u00e9bec further spotlights the voice of the M\u00e9tis people, scrutinised under a new light against Sir John A. Macdonald\u2019s campaign to wipe out First Nations communities.<\/p>\n

\"Louis
Louis Riel, the opera (Photo: Michael Cooper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As raw as this new Canadian reality is, this has empowered more Canadians to advocate for equal rights for Indigenous peoples. The concept of neglect <\/em>will be a thing of the past: beyond gender fluidity, race, religion, political beliefs, mental health, and accessibility for all citizens, the landmark next step\u00a0is to actively include Indigenous peoples\u2019 participation\u00a0in these discussions earmarked for all Canadians. If we must now make a slight detour to mend relations and physical tolls, there is much optimism in the Banff air for\u00a0how all peoples\u2014First Nations and those who came after\u2014will band together to make responsible decisions on this land.<\/p>\n

There is work to be done elsewhere in\u00a0the country. As it stands, cultural realities\u00a0contrast sharply between regions: in Quebec, any talk of cultural factions tends to centre around the francophone-anglophone debate; in the Atlantic provinces, societal hierarchies are built on levels of urbanisation; in urban centres themselves like Toronto and Vancouver, the dominant cultural interactions are between immigrants from outside of the country and immigrants who arrived slightly before the newest wave (in the context of its occupation by First Nations Peoples).<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Western Canada seems fundamentally more entrenched in Indigeneity than out east. Along British Columbia’s coast, totem poles have long been a cherished sight for Canadians\u2014as well as guardians of their Indigenous creators’ stories. In Banff’s home province, there is a mandatory Indigenous component to the Alberta school curriculum from kindergarten to grade 12, thus equipping students with a thorough grounding in various First Nation groups\u2019 cultures and customs (the tradeoff being that French classes are not mandatory in the curriculum). The 2006 national census pegs the Albertan Indigenous population at 7.5%, and the Alberta School Boards Association actively monitors its Indigenous student body through a report<\/span><\/a> measuring the performance of the population.<\/p>\n

Within this context, Banff Centre responded quickly to the TRC report, organising a Truth and Reconciliation Summit on campus in October 2016, with a majority of participants hailing from\u00a0the Bow Valley. In providing a forum for dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, the knowledge and experiences drawn from the Summit will be implemented into Banff Centre\u2019s programming decisions on a continual basis, and finds special relevance within\u00a0its 46-year-old Indigenous Leadership Program.<\/p>\n

\"Participants
Participants gather at the Truth and Reconciliation Summit hosted by Banff Centre. (Photo: Don Lee)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beyond hosting the Truth and Reconciliation Summit, Banff Centre is hoping to lead by example in other ways. In their Comprehensive Institutional Plan for 2017-2020, the Centre has announced\u00a0extensive development for their Indigenous Leadership programs, notably:<\/p>\n

-expanding their Indigenous Arts program to run year-round;<\/p>\n

-launching a minimum of two open-enrolment Indigenous Leadership programs per year;<\/p>\n

-advising agencies at the private, non-profit, and public levels in realising recommendations put forward by the TRC;<\/p>\n

-launching the Reconciliation and Rights Relations program in October 2017 for the non-Indigenous population, expanding to serve Indigenous and mixed groups by 2019;<\/p>\n

-undertaking a study across the country to collect success stories from various Indigenous communities;<\/p>\n

-continued publication of their\u00a0Buffalo Mountain Drum<\/em>\u00a0magazine, documenting stories of Indigenous community members as well as developments in Banff Centre\u2019s Indigenous-oriented initiatives.<\/p>\n

Banff Centre has demonstrated their obligation to inform Canadians of their responsibilities as stewards of shared Treaty land. As such, the way forward towards forgiveness and integration is to raise the profile of First Nations, Inuit, and M\u00e9tis Peoples in the minds of Canadians. For those from both sides who\u00a0are willing to overcome past conflict, these trailblazers will lead Canada forward in cultural collaboration, an example\u00a0for other acts to follow in cultural and artistic domains.<\/p>\n

At the heart of the First Nations culture are the seven sacred teachings: love, respect, humility, courage, wisdom, honesty, truth. Come to think of it, don\u2019t these values also hold true in meaningful musical collaborations at Banff Centre and beyond?<\/p>\n

\"\"
Reflections from the Truth and Reconciliation Summit. (Photo courtesy Banff Centre)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When charting a future course, there may be opposing sides to take based on ideologies. But when fundamental human rights enter the picture, as in the case of reconciliation with Canada\u2019s Indigenous Peoples, the imperative to collaborate is clear.<\/p>\n

For other, more subjective creative initiatives, the way forward is more ambiguous and tinged with sentiment for the past. Regardless of one\u2019s personal opinion on the staying power of traditional art forms, we are living in a society that is increasingly driven by innovation and impactful presentation. If we chalk it down to the basic human anatomy, when a person is in stride, momentum carries their weight forward. From a place of security, we move towards new horizons. And so goes the creative cycle, perpetually forward, hopefully in good company.<\/p>\n

As Banff Centre sits high up in the Canadian landscape, many arts communities will be looking up to Banff for reports on the cultural climate. They say the arts\u00a0world is a small one, anyway.<\/p>\n

For more CLASSICAL MUSIC NEWS, visit\u00a0HERE<\/a><\/span>.<\/h3>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our field report of Banff Centre’s cultural renaissance on the world stage. Part two: what should Indigeneity mean for the Canadian identity? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":47037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6439,9665,4967,29,31,59],"tags":[451,5996,9811,9810,5777,9812,9813,9830],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/Indigenous-Leadership-and-Management-Development-Program-at-Banff-Centre.-Photo-courtesy-Banff-Centre.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-ceE","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47036"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47036"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47095,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47036\/revisions\/47095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47037"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47036"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=47036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}