The Official Launch of Moshkamo Indigenous Arts Festival
National Art Centre – Opening of the Indigenous Theatre
Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation
Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation will be in attendance
Everyone welcome
The official launch of Moshkamo Indigenous Arts Festival takes place on Saturday, September 14th. Journeying from Patterson Creek an Algonquin-led flotilla that includes members of the local Indigenous Arts community and representative from NAC’s new Indigenous Theatre department will take up paddles to usher in a new era at the NAC.
As part of this year’s 50th anniversary, the NAC is set to celebrate another new beginning:
Indigenous Theatre’s first season. The first event of the season, Moshkamo, centres the host Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation with a multi-National canoe voyage to 1 Elgin.
Indigenous folks from across unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin territory will depart en masse down the historical waterway, claiming space for the NAC’s first all-Indigenous festival.
Canoe Grand Entry – Schedule
Saturday, September 14th, 2019
| 10:45 AM* | Arrival of canoes at NAC/Sapper’s Bridge & disembarking |
| Drummers to begin drumming (Welcome Song) while canoes arrive, continue drumming until last paddler has arrived at the fire | |
| 11:00 AM* | Paddlers greeted by Elders at ceremonial fire, have prayer, and one by one provide offering of medicine to the fire |
| 11:30 PM* | Paddlers & Elders ascend cement stairs and process into the NAC Canal Lobby |
| Paddlers will line up on the Grand Staircase for the duration of the ceremony | |
| 11:45 AM* | Welcome Ceremony begins in the Canal Lobby |
| 12:45 PM* | Welcome Ceremony ends/Community Feast begins |
| 2:00 PM | End of Grand Entry Event |