CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
Friday, June 21st, Saturday, June 22nd & Sunday, June 23rd
The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival features creative workshops that include live artist demonstrations, where visitors can watch Indigenous artists at work, and crafting workshops, offering hands-on opportunities to create traditional crafts. These activities celebrate Indigenous culture and provide a platform for cultural exchange and learning.
Artist Demonstrations
QUILLWORK DEMONSTRATION WITH CHRISTINE TOULOUSE
Friday, June 21st: 12 PM to 7 PM | Saturday, June 22nd: 10 AM to 7 PM
Discover the artistic world of Christine Toulouse, an emerging Anishinaabe artist from Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation. Specializing in quillwork, an intricate form of embroidery utilizing dyed or natural-colored porcupine quills woven into birch bark. Discover her works symbolizing the harmonious connection between the land, seasons, and memory and all of the natural materials that Christine meticulously harvests.
WIGWAM BUILDING WITH CHUCK COMMANDA
Friday, June 21st: 12 PM to 7 PM | Saturday, June 22nd: 10 AM to 7 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 10 AM to 5 PM
One of 12 grandchildren of Algonquin master canoe builders, William and Mary Commanda, Chuck remembers doing this with his Grandparents, harvesting the bark and building in their yard in Kitigan Zibi. Fast forward 40 plus years and Chuck has built more than 50 canoes along with birch bark baskets and wigwams. All with a little encouragement from his Grandfather William who was the carrier of the sacred wampum belts for Anishnaabe people and often talked about how building with birch bark was part of fulfilling this sacred prophecy, keeping this ancient art alive for future generations.
INUKSHUK BUILDING WITH ALLA (STRANGER)
Friday, June 21st: 12 PM to 7 PM | Saturday, June 22nd: 10 AM to 7 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 10 AM to 5 PM
Stop by as Alla (Stranger) builds traditional and authentic Inuit Inukshuks to learn more about the different meaning and use of these rock formations across the North.
"RADICAL STITCH" BEADED BRACELET BY NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA
Friday, June 21st: 12 PM to 7 PM | Saturday, June 22nd: 10 AM to 7 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 10 AM to 5 PM
DROP-IN
Celebrate the National Gallery of Canada’s newest exhibit “Radical Stitch” which looks at the contemporary and transformative context of beading. Drop in at this booth hosted by National Gallery of Canada to create a simple beaded bracelet and learn more about the exhibit.
JANET McCUE AND THE CONUNDRUM - INTERACTIVE MUSIC STATION
Saturday, June 22nd: 10 AM to 7 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 10 AM to 5 PM
Janet McCue from Curve Lake First Nation is a long time leader and advocate who dedicates her time to raising awareness for social justice, empowering her Aboriginal community and providing education to local schools and museums. Recently Janet has been named knowledge keeper at the Peterborough Courts and for the Elizabeth Fry Society. Janet will be joined by family from Curve Lake, performing on the unique creation of ally David Hynes -the “Conundrum”. David is a visual artist living outside of Peterborough and created this Conundrum for an exhibit in 2010 and now travels to major arts and culture events across Northern America.
Workshops
CULINARY WORKSHOPS BY INDIGENOUS TOURISM ONTARIO
Join Indigenous chefs with your own culinary station to prepare fresh, family friendly Indigenous Foods.
Saturday, June 22nd: 2 PM & 4:30 PM
CHEF: Trudy Metcalfe-Coe
COST: $100 per station (max. 4 people per station)
AGE: 8+ (or with Adult Participation)
DURATION: 1 hour
Chef Trudy Metcalfe Coe, is an award winning Inuk Chef, originally from Newfoundland and Labrador. In this interactive cooking workshop, Trudy will lead the group to prepare a popular meal from the North in new ways with blackened arctic char, pan fried potatoes and corn with a sage butter.
Sunday, June 23rd: 2 PM & 4:30 PM
CHEF: Tawnya Brant
COST: $100 per station (max. 4 people per station)
AGE: 8+ (or with Adult Participation)
DURATION: 1 hour
Chef Tawnya Brant is renowned for her innovative approach to Indigenous cuisine, blending traditional ingredients with modern culinary techniques. Her work not only showcases the rich flavors of her heritage but also promotes sustainability and food sovereignty within Indigenous communities.
EAL EXPERIENCES WITH RHONDA SNOW & THE OJIBWE SPIRIT HORSES
Friday, June 21st: 2 PM & 5 PM | Saturday, June 22nd: 10:30 AM & 4 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 10:30 AM & 4 PM
COST: $20 each
AGE: 6+
DURATION: 1 hour
Join Rhonda Snow for an interactive EAL experience with the Ojibwe spirit ponies. Rhonda is not only a certified EAL facilitator, but a knowledge keeper and renowned artist bringing the stories of this rare and endangered breed of pony to life. During this experience, you will learn about the powerful stallion “Tony the Rainy Lake Pony” who lived on the island and in the bush for 40 plus years. Come and learn what it was like for these ponies long ago and share a story of resilience as you travel the “trail” together with your pony and imagine what it felt like to fight off wolves and listen to the loons and learn when all things wild are connected.
DREAMCATCHER WORKSHOP WITH BOUGIE BIRCH
Friday, June 21st: 2 PM | Saturday, June 22nd: 3 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 4 PM
COST: $20 each
AGE: 5+
DURATION: 45 minutes to 1 hour
The Dreamcatcher Kit includes 18 glass crow beads, suede, a 4″ metal ring, 18 real feathers, artificial sinew, and instructions for a unique, hands-on experience. It features a handmade center bead with the four sacred medicines and an information card to educate users about the cultural significance of dreamcatchers.
POW WOW LIVE DRAWING WITH THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE
Friday, June 21st: 3 PM
COST: Free (Pre-Registration Required)
DURATION: 2 hours
Come join us for this two-hour life-drawing session where you can capture the dynamic beauty of powwow dances and their regalia on your own paper. Participants will bring their own material and work with art facilitators to create drawings that capture both the movement of the dancers and their regalia.
Suitable for intermediate to advanced artists. Bring your favourite materials along to participate or supplies will be offered to those that do not have any on hand.
Art facilitator: Sarah Marie Lacy
"RADICAL STITCH" QUILLWORK WORKSHOP BY NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA
Friday, June 21st: 4 PM
COST: $40 includes material including birch bark & porcupine quills
DURATION: 1 hour
Join Christine Toulouse, a First Nations artist, for a one-hour quillwork workshop. You’ll learn how to craft a one-of-a-kind keychain keepsake using seasonally hand-harvested birch bark and porcupine quills. Christine meticulously hand-harvests and processes natural materials, emphasizing the significance of quillwork as a transformative journey for learning, healing, growth, and sharing. Her work has garnered attention both locally and internationally.
Facilitator: Christine Toulouse
"RADICAL STITCH" HAIR PIPE BEADED BRACELET WORKSHOP BY NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA
Saturday, June 22nd: 1 PM | Sunday, June 23rd: 1 PM
COST: $20 includes materials
DURATION: 2 hours
Hair-pipe beads are long cylinder-shaped beads typically made from bones. They have a long history with Indigenous people, as far back as the late 1800’s. These bone beads were first used as trading beads but as manufacturing them became easier and the beads were more readily available in bulk, Indigenous people began using them in their regalia’s, and examples of such are seen even today in both contemporary and traditional styles of beadwork.
In this workshop, Ashley-Rose walks participants through a simplified version of this beadwork using smaller hair-pipe bones and a smaller yet traditional design. Each class is packed with information about the history of the beadwork, what and where the materials come from and at the end of each workshop, the participants walk away with their very own hair-pipe bone bracelets.
Facilitator: Ashley-Rose Machendagoos
Activities
ALGONQUIN LANGUAGE BINGO WITH SAMANTHA TENASCO
Friday, June 21st: 6 PM
DROP-IN
A fun game for all ages where participants follow along with the host, learning Algonquin language for all the letters and numbers to call out BINGO! One hour of fun Bingo games with many winners with choice of prizes.
BLANKET EXERCISE WITH ELAINE KICKNOSWAY
Saturday, June 22nd: 10:30 AM | Sunday, June 23rd: 10:30 AM
COST: Free (Pre-registration required)
AGE: 15+
DURATION: 1 hour
The Blanket Exercise is based on Indigenous methodologies and the goal is to build understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. Everyone is actively involved as they step onto blankets that represent the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and later Métis peoples. By engaging on an emotional and intellectual level, the Blanket Exercise effectively educates and increases empathy.
INDIGENOUS TRIVIA NIGHT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE
Saturday, June 22nd: 7 PM
COST: Free
DURATION: 2 hours
Test your knowledge of Indigenous in a fun and interactive way with Trivia Night! Fun for all ages and great prizes.
Host: Janelle Niles
