6 | NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY
music
Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21!
Métis melodies
Experience the difference at Assiniboine INDIGENOUS STUDENT SUCCESS
“The music touches the base of our people. The fiddle connects us. If you’re a Métis person, you can’t help tapping your feet when the fiddle takes off. It’s inside you.” One of the musicians featured on The Beat Goes On is Dave Lavallee, along with his brothers Ray and Darren. They hail from a family of 17 kids who were all musical, taking after their parents. With few toys among them, the siblings relied on their voices for entertainment in their younger years and maintained the tradition throughout their lives. To share his love of music, Lavallee founded the family band called Lavallee Tradition featuring his brothers Ray and Darren, sons Clint and Jason, and nephew JJ. Adding to the online offerings, Lavallee has also launched his own live music show on Friday evenings at 8 p.m. with technical support from his son Jason, who plays bass and sings harmonies alongside his dad. Sometimes Lavallee’s daughter Rebecca and her children join in the performances, which are live-streamed to Facebook on the “Dave Lavallee – Lavallee Tradition” page. “I’m doing it to help people through the pandemic. It gives people something to do while they’re at home. There’s been a lot of depression with people not able to see their families,” said Lavallee, an Interlake resident. “A lot of the people know each other personally, so it gives them something to do by watching together on Friday nights. They all get together and interact on the page.” To provide another resource, the MMF collaborated with the Louis Riel Institute to create an educational program called Red River Cart Adventures to bolster kids’ at-home learning with cultural components through 30-minute online lessons. In addition, the MMF is preparing eight hours of recorded programming to
BY JENNIFER MCFEE A RICH MUSICAL
TRADITION IS ONE OF THE TIES THAT BIND THE MÉTIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN HARMONY. With that in mind, the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) came up with a creative way to support local musicians while also providing some much-needed entertainment for folks complying with stay-at-home recommendations. The Beat Goes On is a series of online concerts that showcase the talent of Métis musicians twice per week through a live stream on the MMF website (www. mmf.mb.ca). Filmed by local company Kizuk Productions, recordings of the shows are also available for those who prefer to watch later. “Métis people are very artistic, especially when it comes to music. We were worried that musicians weren’t getting gigs, and that’s how they make a living. We couldn’t just sit by and watch it happen,” said MMF president David Chartrand. “We thought that we could give some money in the pockets of musicians to help them out during this tough time. It feels valuable because they’re not only providing some feet tapping in the house but they’re also bringing some stress relief and helping in that way. It’s a two-pronged approach.” The live shows currently runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. on the MMF website. The captivating concerts also encourage online interactions among friends, family and community members who look forward to creating virtual connections. “We’re close people. The listeners know each other by name. They know the families. It connects the culture and the family while they’re listening to the music. We’ve got such great reviews that we might just keep the show going because people really enjoy it,” Chartrand said.
Each year, nearly 20% of Assiniboine graduates self-identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit, and we are honoured to welcome students from many nations across the province and around the country. Want to know what else sets Assiniboine apart? Find out more at an upcoming online Indigenous Student information session on July 7, 2020 at 11 a.m. Visit assiniboine.net/infosession to register.
assiniboine.net
Celebrating 2 9 Years • Serving the First Nation Communities of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and North Western Ontario Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day
• Director on call 24 hrs a day • Traditional Burials • Cremation • Memorial Services
• Large selection of silk flowers, caskets, urns and stationary packages • Monuments • Catering Independently Owned & Operated
724 Selkirk Avenue Winnipeg | 204-586-7700 E-mail: aboriginalfc@mymts.net
Used Oil & Antifreeze Recycling:
NORTHERN OPPORTUNITIES!
The Manitoba Association for Resource Recovery Corp. (MARRC) manages the Used Oil & Antifreeze Recycling Programs. We are very much interested in assisting communities in the north with recycling their used oil, filters, containers as well as antifreeze and its containers.
Please contact us at 1-888-410-1440 for more information or visit our website at www.usedoilrecycling.com
Powered by FlippingBook