Photo courtesy of Muskoday First Nation
Music and dance will highlight a daylong music festival on Muskoday First Nation on Saturday.
The celebration of local talent is part of the community’s Violence Elimination Day, which looks to combat violence between band members and the community itself.
Councilor Herman Crain says it’s an opportunity for people to come together and put aside differences and celebrate local talent.
“It’s a way to bring people together and visit and enjoy our local musicians,” said Crain. “Our council and administration see this an important day for our community.”
Crain says Violence Elimination Day was started seven years ago by a group of staff members to look at positive ways of dealing with some of the social issues in the community and the violence that stems from it. He says having a day to feature the musical talents of band members has been looked at for a number of years and says in the initial stages, the organizers looked at a two-day festival.
“Since this is our first celebration, we know we have a lot to learn,” says Crain. He says if all goes well, the event could become a two-day festival.
The lineup for the day features many Muskoday artists, with musical styles encompassing country, folk, rock and hip hop, but also includes some performers that have become well known provincially and nationally.
Yvonne St. Germaine is a 14-time Aboriginal Gospel award-winner, who brings together a mixture of bluegrass and country gospel.
The family group Constant Reminder, from James Smith Cree Nation, will open and close the festival, while former Juno Award winners Chester Knight and the Wind from Muskoday will perform.
Along with music, there will be events for kids, with bouncy castles and face painting, as well as craft tables and concession booths. Everything will take place at the MFN Veterans Memorial Park.
“We have some good young talent in our community that needs to be celebrated and the messages they have are inspirational,” said Crain.
The event is free, open to the public and will conclude with a fireworks display after dusk.