Celebrate the diverse, dynamic, and beautiful Indigenous cultures of Turtle Island at IHHG’s Arts and Cultures Night. Carvers, curators, producers, artists, and other creatives will be stationed throughout the space showcasing their work and passion. The evening is an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with artisans, meet other conference attendees, and win prizes. Join us for a night where culture thrives and community connections flourish.
Admission & Tickets
If you are not registered to attend the gathering, you are still welcome to attend Arts & Culture Night. Tickets are available for purchase using the link below.
Artisan Exhibitions
By the Fire: Campfire Stories
Join Mark Rutledge, the former National President of the Design Professionals of Canada as he shares Ojibway stories and legends that inspired him as a designer, illustrator, and photographer. Mark was the first Indigenous designer elected to the position in 2018 and the first to lead from Canada’s Arctic region. In addition to Mark’s private and public sector design experience, he is one of the few designers with deep roots and experience designing for Canada’s Indigenous communities and organizations.
Photo: Mark Rutledge in traditional men’s regalia.
Inuit Oral History of the Franklin Expedition
Stories of the disastrous Franklin Expedition have captivated Canadians for generations, but they are often missing key voices. The Inuit Oral History Project provides a platform for Inuit Elders to share their stories and knowledge of the land, sea, and ice where the HMS Erebus and Terror wrecks were found in 2014 and 2016. The pop-up exhibition at IHHG will share their stories and provide an overview of the project which will culminate this year with the release of a newly published book.
Photograph by Michelle Valberg
National Healing Quilt
The TRC funded or supported several arts-related projects. Early in its mandate, the TRC sponsored the “Living Healing Quilt Project,” which was organized by Anishinaabe quilter Alice Williams from Curve Lake First Nation in Ontario. Women Survivors and intergenerational Survivors from across the country created individual quilt blocks depicting their memories of residential schools. These were then stitched together into four quilts, \”School of Shame\”, \”Child Prisoners\”, and \”Crimes Against Humanity,\” and \”More Horrors.\” On display will be \”Child Prisoners.\” The quilts tell a complex story of trauma, loss, isolation, recovery, healing and hope through women’s eyes. The sewing skills taught to young aboriginal girls in the residential schools and passed along to their daughters and granddaughters are now used to stitch together a counter-narrative.
Photo of the National Healing Quilt, led by Alice William
Powwow! Ohcîwin The Origins
Experience Powwow! OchÎwin the Origins, created by Patrick and Marrisa Mitsuing of Powwow Times and the Red Dear Museum + Art Gallery. Patrick and Marrisa worked with a diverse team of Indigenous artists to assemble individual dance regalia for a remarkable display. During the 2019 and 2020 powwow season, they met with knowledge keepers across North America to record the origin stories of the dances they perform. Powwows are Indigenous cultural celebrations where many forms of dance styles are performed as part of a ceremony. These social gatherings, held across North America, bring people together to sing, dance, and share teachings all while celebrating Indigenous culture.
Photo: Powwow! Ohcîwin The Origins: Mens Fancy Dance Regalia front
Nicola Campbell, Author
Nicola Campbell is Nłe ʔ kepmx, Syílx and Métis from the Nicola Valley, British Columbia. She is the author of five children’s books including, Shi-shi-etko and Shin-chi’s Canoe (recipient of the 2009 TD Canadian Children’s literature award) and most recently, Stand Like a Cedar (2021). Her stories weave cultural and land-based teachings while also remembering sacred responsibilities and interconnectedness to the land. Her memoir titled Spíləx̣m: A Weaving of Recovery, Resilience and Resurgence, published by Highwater Press, is a deeply-moving story basket of memories that is rooted within the British Columbia landscape.
Pinock Smith, Algonquin Independent Arts and Crafts Professional
Pinock is an Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Nation near Maniwaki, Quebec. He builds canoes with a particular interest in Algonquin birchbark canoes. He is also a gifted craftsman of toboggans, cradleboards, paddles, drums, and other traditional crafts. Pinock has participated in many demonstrations and workshops that allow him to pass on the traditional knowledge handed down to him. His passion comes from his desire to preserve and teach traditional skills and canoe building.
Photo: Along the River, Pinock Smith.
The Red Amautiit Project
The Red Amautiit Project serves to honour the lives and legacies of the missing and murdered Inuit women, girls, and gender-diverse Inuit and to raise awareness of ongoing violence. Learn about the amauti, a traditional Inuk woman’s parka fitted with a hood used for carrying infants. Amautiit have been made and used for centuries, and for many, the knowledge and skill of sewing an amauti are passed down from generation to generation. The design of an amauti varies according to region, but regardless of style, the garment is an unmistakable symbol of Inuit women. This project pays tribute to loved ones, while encouraging everyone to recognize the cycle of violence against Inuit women, girls, and gender-diverse Inuit.
Photo: Design by Eunice Tunraluk, Arctic Bay, Nunavut
There is Truth Here
tr̓ar̓ iʔ saʔx̌ʷip – interwoven roots is an exhibition showcasing the artistic and cultural legacy of sukʷnaʔqinx (Okanagan) youth from the Inkameep Day School on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve during World War II. Members of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) joined anthropologist Andrea Walsh to reflect on 20+ years of community-engaged arts research about the Inkameep story. Their work brings together contemporary photographic and sculptural installations, Indigenous curatorial practice, nqilxʷcn/nsyilxcn language revitalization, and creative research methods.
Photo: Jane Stelkia, Three Horses, date unknown, gouache on paper. Collection of the Royal BC Museum, #15855
Waiting for Justice: Discovering the Legacy of Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School
This poignant short documindientary delves deep into the harrowing journey of Survivors from the Île-à-la-Crosse Métis Residential School. This compelling film follows their relentless struggle for official recognition and compensation from the federal government, provincial government, and the Catholic Church. Through raw interviews and powerful storytelling, it lays bare the intergenerational harm inflicted upon them, their families, and their community while illuminating their unwavering quest for justice.
Photo: Île-à-la-Crosse Métis Residential School
WILLIAM
WILLIAM is a virtual reality (VR) series that sheds light on a part of Canadian history that was long silenced and deliberately ignored. For one revealing moment, you will be this child; you will be transported back in time and witness the realities many Indigenous children faced in residential schools. According to the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015), the residential school system was the primary vehicle for a policy of assimilation that sought to destroy their cultures, identities, and histories. The six episodes of WILLIAM allow the user to experience this dark chapter of Canadian history. The series is produced by Nisha Media, a prize-winning Indigenous owned production house with over fifteen years of experience. Their goal is to promote Indigenous cultures both domestically and internationally.
Photo from WILLIAM
Visit the Halls
Artisan Hall
Visit the artisans hall to purchase unique art pieces directly from talented Indigenous artisans. Don’t miss this opportunity to support their work and take home a lasting memory.
Exhibitor Hall
Stop by the exhibitor’s hall to meet the wonderful organizations that are supporting IHHG this year and learn about their ongoing work!