First Nations Voice

PAGE 12 • MAY 2014 Frank Whitehead MLAforThePas 204-623-3358 FrankWhitehead.ca Greg Selinger MLA for St. Boniface Premier of Manitoba 204-237-9247 GregSelinger.ca Dave Chomiak MLA for Kildonan 204-334-5060 DaveChomiak.ca Peter Bjornson MLA for Gimli 204-642-4977 1-866-253-0255 PeterBjornson.ca Nancy Allan MLA for St. Vital 204-237-8771 NancyAllan.ca Proudly Standing with First Nations Families WINNIPEG IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS A HOST CITY OF MORE ABORIGINAL EVENTS Winnipeg is in the spotlight as a host city of national and international cultural events in 2014. This summer delegates from around the world will descend upon Winnipeg for the World Indigenous Television Broadcasting Conference (WITBC) on June 19 - 23. This is also during Aboriginal Day Live & Cel- ebration, a world class event showcasing Ab- original music and arts on Saturday, June 21. Indigenous Peoples from around the globe will experience what makes the City of Winnipeg and surrounding areas an epicenter for cel- ebrating and showcasing Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. The theme of the conference is 'Break- ing Barriers.' Order of Canada Officer Ala- nis Obomsawin will speak to theme of the conference with her special presentation of Breaking the Barrier. She was presented the "Humanitarian Award" by the Academy of Ca- nadian Cinema & Television at the 2014 Ca- nadian Screen Awards. Alanis Obomsawin is an Abenaki-Canadian documentarian credited with chronicling First Nation's cultures and his- tory for more than 40 years. KANATA 14 | WITBC will also present work- shop seminars and speaker presentations facilitated by international Indigenous broad- casters and media professionals in the areas of journalism, programming, operations, and digital media. The fourth biennial Indigenous media event will mark the first time the inter- national conference is held in Canada. New Zealand's Maori Television hosted the first WITBC in March 2008 that led to the establishment of the World Indigenous Televi- sion Broadcasters Network (WITBN). APTN is one of the founding members of WITBN and is honoured be part of hosting the confer- ence. "As the world's first national Aboriginal broadcaster, we are thrilled and proud to host this honourable event," said Jean La Rose, APTN Chief Executive Officer. "Winnipeg is an energetic city and home to a significant Aboriginal population. Our country's rich and diverse Aboriginal culture is an integral part of our Canadian identity. What an incredible op- portunity we have to shine a spotlight on our Peoples, our country and Sheldon McRae, APTN Communications Coordinator As the cornerstone of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet's 75th anniversary season, in October of 2014, the RWB will present a new work inspired by the powerful revelations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. A Story of Truth and Reconciliation explores the world of Annie, a young urban First Nations woman adrift in a contemporary life of youthful excess. Upon meeting a mystical survivor of a residential school, they share the burden of his past and learn the beauty, lightness and freedom that reconciliation brings, and that without truth there is no reconciliation. The work will be a representation of the many stories both told and untold, by Indian residential school survivors and their families. Through the art form of dance, the spirit of reconciliation will be shared with a wide range of audience members. "Ballet cuts right to the heart of what's most beautiful, physically in humanity and what's most beautiful in story. We are taking a very European form and introducing it to a First Nations experience. We'll find a way to meld this meeting of these two very different places in a fascinating way on the stage," says author and TRC Honourary Witness Joseph Boyden. The work has its genesis in early 2000 when Mary Richard, an aboriginal leader and elder from Winnipeg approached RWB Artistic Director André Lewis with an idea for an aboriginal work. Her ultimate hope was for a work that would bring the aboriginal and non-aboriginal community closer together. She believed Ballet could achieve this powerfully and that the RWB was a perfect vehicle to reach this aim. Sadly, illness and her untimely death put her dream on hold. Several years ago, Tina Keeper an actor, producer, RWB Board member and aboriginal activist proposed the idea of creating a ballet inspired by the TRC mandate and goals. The idea of A Story of Truth and Reconciliation has been over ten years in the making and it is through collaboration between indigenous and non indigenous that the representation of these stories will be brought to life through Mark Godden's choreography and an original score by Christos Hatzis. "These are profound, compelling themes, not just for Aboriginal families and communities, but for all Canadians," says Chair, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair. The work also features a story by Canadian author Joseph Boyden, music of Tanya Tagaq and the Northern Cree Singers, scenic designs of KC Adams, and costuming by Paul Daigle. Tina Keeper, TRC Honourary Witness along with her sister, Joy Keeper serve as guides for the RWB. A Story of Truth and Reconciliation runs from October 1 to 5, 2014. Visit rwb.org for season subscriptions and more information. Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet brings A Story of Truth and Reconciliation to the stage by Sarah Corley

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