This weekend, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia and Musqueam present the third annual Indigenous festival, 
(Come Toward the Fire). Saturday September 14th from 12pm – 7pm, the free family-friendly festival fills The Chan Centre and its surrounding area with activities culminating in finale performances inside the Chan Shun Concert Hall at 5pm. Even parking at the nearby Rose Garden Parkade is free from 11am.
“For the third year in a row, Musqueam is thrilled to partner with the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on ,” says Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow. “In our culture, fire is the centre of our longhouses, where our ceremonial work takes place. Being called ‘toward the fire’ is a call to join us in this celebration of Indigenous talent and creative expression. This festival is a unique opportunity for Musqueam not only to meet, but to welcome a diverse group of Indigenous artists that we don’t often see in one lineup or in our territory. Thank you to everyone at the Chan Centre for their collaboration and for their work to make this festival happen.”
Musqueam community members Manuel Strain, an award winning Two-Spirit artist and Christie Lee Charles, rapper, storyteller, filmmaker and speaker, return as hosts for the 2024 festival.
Highlights of the festival include:
River Grass Stage
The outdoor River Grass Stage will feature musical performances and invited speakers with including artists Tsatsu Stalqayu / Coastal Wolf Pack, Digawolf, Fawn Wood, Sister Ray, Hayley Wallis, DJ Kookum and Sierra Baker (K?esugwilakw), and MJScottS.
Cedar Grove Stage
Amongst the cedar trees outside of the Chan Centre lobby, the Cedar Grove Stage features poets, authors, and storytellers curated by Massy Books, a nêhiyaw-Métis woman-owned and operated bookstore. Under the theme of “Our Bodies A Megaphone.” the stage features three youth poets Shawnelle Blackbird Riley, a queer Anishinaabekwe from Munsee-Delaware nation; Valeen Jules, a queer birth worker and wood carver from the Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw nations; and Jaz Whitford, a Secwe?pemc and mixed settler interdisciplinary artist. In sharing their poetry, they free their personal stories as well as their ancestors’ into the atmosphere.
Cedar Grove also features Children’s storytelling with two gifted storytellers; Quelemia Sparrow (Musqueam), a playwright and Leo Award-winning actor and playwright-in-residence for Full Circle: First Nation’s Performance, and Kung Jaadee(Haida), a professional storyteller, educator, and author who has been performing traditional Haida stories for the past 29 years.
Nêhiyaw/Cree, Nahkawiniw/Saulteaux artist and storyteller Renae Morriseau from Treaty 1 territory will also share stories at the Cedar Grove stage. She has worked across Canada and internationally with her singing group, M’Girl. She currently instructs Indigenous film studies at Capilano University and continues to create her own work in music and film with a community-first approach.
Flag Pole Plaza
Rally around the Flag Pole for free skateboarding demonstrations and youth workshops by Indigenous-led collective Nations Skate Youth. Founded by Rose Archie, Joe Buffalo, and brothers Dustin and Tristan Henry, Nations Skate Youth’s mission is to empower Indigenous youth through skateboarding, as a way to create community, celebrate Indigenous culture, and inspire confidence in Indigenous youth.
RBC Cinema
Inside the RBC Cinema, 17 short and feature-length films will be screened throughout the day. The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content, brings Indigenous-made film works to communities across Turtle Island through their Tour Program.
Finale Concert inside the Chan Centre
The finale concert from 5pm inside the Chan Shun Concert Hall with headliners Celeigh Cardinal and Sebastian Gaskin (pictured below) performing to wrap up the festival with an energetic mix of folk, blues, pop and R&B-infused musical stylings.
(Come Toward the Fire) takes place at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts at UBC – 6265 Crescent Rd, University of British Columbia – on Saturday September 14th from 12pm – 7pm. Festival is free but to find the full schedule of artists performing visit cometowardthefire.com