sakihiwe news
sākihiwē festival 2019
Aboriginal Music Manitoba (AMM) is excited to announce details for the 2019 edition of the sākihiwē festival. Everything is set for June 14 - 16 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and 21 Indigenous acts will perform at one or more of the festival’s five locations.
sākihiwē festival
- Dates: June 14 - 16, 2019
- Location: Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Website: sakihiwe.ca
“This festival is different," explains Festival Director Alan Greyeyes. "We take the music to the families because we want Indigenous kids to see more than the caricatures of Indigenous people in professional sport logos, the hunter/gatherer references in history books, and the one-dimensional characters in Hollywood films."
Festival Highlights
- 2019 marks the 10th year of festival programming for AMM.
- Arctic Song’s Inuit music revitalization movement, the electro-pop throat singing of Riit, and Kelly Fraser’s Inuktitut pop songs will showcase incredible talent from north of the tree line.
- Eekwol and T-Rhyme will perform a powerhouse hip-hop set in front of the Ka Ni Kanichihk building on June 15.
- Hoop dancers Shanley Spence, Sandra Lamouche, and Rylee Sandberg will entertain audiences at various festival concerts.
Featured Artists: Arctic Song, Kelly Fraser, Riit, Boogey the Beat with Shanley Spence, Rylee Sandberg, Eekwol and T-Rhyme, Don Amero, Leonard Sumner, Art Beat Studio participants, and more.
New to the Festival: Members of the Butterfly Club, crooner Aspects, hoop dancer Sandra Lamouche, pop singer Carsen Gray, Innu reggae singer Shauit, country/rock artist Dawn Chartrand, rapper Zedone, the Ma Mawi Pow Wow Club, and northern Manitoba’s Low Budget Rock Star.
Check the sākihiwē festival 2019 playlist on Spotify for a taste of the music we're presenting this year (note: Antoine Edwards Jr.'s song includes explicit lyrics).
Festival Locations & Schedule:
- Grand Entry – The Good Will Social Club | June 14 | 9:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. | 18+ | RSVP/Tickets
- Central Park Block Party – Central Park | June 15 | 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Family Friendly | Free Concert & BBQ
- Ka Ni Kanichihk Block Party – Harriet Street | June 15 | 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Family Friendly | Free Concert & BBQ
- Spence Neighbourhood Block Party – Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre | June 16 | 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Family Friendly | Free Concert & BBQ
- Turtle Island Block Party – Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre | June 16 | 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Family Friendly | Free Concert & BBQ
The festival will begin with a sweat lodge ceremony on June 13 to welcome visiting artists. Public programming kicks off on June 14 with a ticketed concert at The Good Will Social Club. Block parties and performances continue throughout the weekend.
Each location will have licensed security, professional sound technicians, restrooms with washing stations, and public street parking. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, refillable water bottles, and sunscreen.
About the sākihiwē festival
Launched in 2009 as Aboriginal Music Week, the festival aims to develop Indigenous youth as an audience for live music. It presents between 20 and 30 First Nation, Métis, Inuit, and Native American music acts each year.
The festival name "sākihiwē" was given by Sundance Chief David Blacksmith in 2018 and means "to love" in Cree. The name follows Standard Roman Orthography (SRO), which does not use capital letters.
AMM would like to acknowledge the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Province of Manitoba, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the Winnipeg Arts Council for their financial support of the 2019 edition of the sākihiwē festival.
AMM is grateful for the support of SECTION 35, MB Live, Ogichidaa Arts, North End Revitalization Incorporated, and the City of Winnipeg.
The sākihiwē festival is made possible through partnerships with Ka Ni Kanichihk, Central Neighbourhoods, the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, and the Spence Neighbourhood Association.
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About Aboriginal Music Manitoba
AMM is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting, promoting, and nurturing Indigenous music and culture. It produces an annual music festival, capacity development projects, and year-round programming that highlights Indigenous artists.
AMM is governed by a nine-person volunteer board, including Chairperson Brett Huson, Vice-Chairperson Sandra Seidle, Secretary Kimberly Cleave, and Directors Rhonda Head, Kyra Wilson, Jennifer Duka, Brendan Dong, and Rheanna Merasty.
