On September 30th, the Latitude 45 Arts staff will take a day of reflection to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This Federal Statutory Holiday was established by the Canadian Government as a commitment to reconciliation and ensuring that the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools is never forgotten.
Learn more about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation here.
We will honour the importance of this day and recognize the outsized and undercompensated contribution of Indigenous people to the land now known as Canada, by dedicating our day to learning more about Indigenous cultural work, historical context, and political thought, whether through the University of Alberta's "Indigenous Canada" program, literary works such as those of Michel Jean and Naomie Fontaine, or the works of our own artists.
We invite you to join us in this reflection by spending some time with these resources or with with the works below:
Nice and Clean by Cris Derksen
“With this I wanted to create a piece of music that showcases white folks talking about Indigenous folks. The audio comes from a 1967 Documentary called Elliot Lake talking about relocation of “indians” from reserves to the town of Elliot Lake in Northern Ontario.” -Cris Derksen
The work was performed by Mayumi Seiler (violin), Angela Park (piano), and Cris Derksen (cello) and presented at the Collingwood Summer Music Festival 2021.
Learn more here.
Ningodwaaswi and Niizh by Melody McKiver
Ningodwaaswi and Niizh by the Anishinaabe musician and composer Melody McKiver, is dedicated to the memory of McKiver's grandmother Waa'oo Kathleen Bunting-iban, a survivor of the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora, Ontario. This work was performed by violist Marina Thibeault and presented online for the Chan Centre of Performing Arts and the American Viola Society.
Missing by Brian Current and Marie Clement
The opera Missing, by Brian Current with a libretto by Marie Clement, tells a story everybody knows about a woman no one remembers. Set in Vancouver and along the Highway of Tears, this music drama was created to give voice to the story of Canada’s missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls, and to show that each and every one of these missing people is honored.
Learn more here.
Light of Hope by Cris Derksen
For the city of Toronto
Light of Hope was created by cutting-edge Canadian artists AVA Animation and Visual Arts, a woman-led Toronto based animation studio, and JUNO-nominated, internationally celebrated composer and cellist Cris Derksen. It will be a visual and sonic journey that frames the CN Tower – one of Canada's most iconic symbols – as a beacon of hope, emphasizing people's capacity to shine through adversity and achieve great changes together.
Learn more here.