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since May 6, 2004

 

 

 

The Gathering of the Good Minds

and Native Harvest Festival

September 23-25, 2005

 

Everyone is welcome

All events are FREE OF CHARGE except for the Real Rez Blues on Friday night

 

 

FRIDAY Sept. 23, 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Museum London

 

Opening Ceremonies and Reception in the Community Gallery

Grand Entry by Veterans, Chiefs, Elders and Artists

N’Amerind Centre Eagle Staff Carrier - Brian Hill

M.C. - Dan Smoke

Prayer of Welcome - Isaac Day

Ogitchitaw Kwe Og Singers/Drummers

Followed by :

Traditional Finger Food,  and Fires side Singers and Drummers

 

Note:

Everyone is invited to the REAL REZ BLUES Concert at the Downtown Kathy Brown Blues Club which is located 3 blocks down Dundas St. at Clarence St. (next to the Honest Lawyers Restaurant/NightClub on 228 Dundas St.) The Blues Show will feature the award- winning Aboriginal Blues group, The Pappy Johns Band, from Southern Ontario. Their first show will begin at 10:00 p.m. and last until 1 am. Admission will be charged.

For more information on the Real Rez Blues show contact Elaine Bomberry at 519-445-4497 or mbomberry@sympatico.ca

 

 

SATURDAY, Sept 24th, from 6:30 am to 8:00 pm, at Museum London

 

 6:30 am. Sunrise Ceremony - on Museum London’s front lawn

Conductor - Dan Smoke

Fire Keeper - Glen McDougall

Singers/Drummers - Ogitchitaw Kwe Og

 

The Sacred Fire will burn throughout the week-end at Museum London Friday and Saturday and at the Museum of Archaeology on Sunday.

 

8:00 - 9:00 am  -- Bagel/muffin breakfast on the Museum grounds.

 

Programs at the Museum MUSEUM begins at 9:00 am.

Programs at COVENT GARDEN MARKET begin around 11:30 am

 

 

 

SATURDAY AT MUSEUM LONDON

 

9:00 - 10:30 am.              Kim Anderson and Bonita Lawrence    (Community Gallery)

Kim, a Cree/Metis writer and educator, and Bonita, a Mi'kmaq writer and educator, have both written and given voice to Aboriginal women and the issues and challenges they face. In this important session they will discuss "Aboriginal Women and Leadership : historical and contemporary considerations".

 

10:30 - 12:00             Lee Maracle  (Community Gallery)

Lee, from the Sto;loh Nation in British Columbia, is now a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto. As well as being a distinguished Elder, she is also the author and editor of many books and anthologies. Lee will this continue this discussion by sharing her perspectives on Aboriginal women’s issues.

 

 

12:00 - 1:00 pm            Kanata Native Dance Theatre   (On the front Lawn or Community Gallery, if raining)

The Kanata Dancers, from Six Nations, known both nationally and internationally, will entertain and educate with their colorful and vibrant performance.

 

1:00 - 2:00 pm            LUNCH BREAK

 

2:00 - 3:00 pm Faye HeavyShield    (Auditorium - downstairs)

Faye, from the Blood Nation in Alberta, is a highly regarded sculptor and artist across Canada and internationally. With the help of slides, she will talk about her work.

 

3:00 - 5:00 pm                        “The Origin of the Blues”” Panel, led by Elaine Bomberry, accompanied by Murray Porter, Janisse Browning, and Brian Wright-McLeod   (Community Gathering)

During this fascinating session, the panel will discuss and demonstrate the impact of Native people on “The Origins of the Blues”  in the southern States.

Elaine Bomberry  Anishnabe/Cayuga musician from Six Nations; Murray Porter, a Mohawk musician form Six Nations; Janisse Brown, a writer with both Native and African roots; Brian Wright-McLeod, a veteran radio producer, author and expert on Native Music.

 

5:30 - 8:00 pm                        Gift-Giving Ceremony

                                                Feast and Fireside Singers and Drummers

 

SATURDAY AT COVENT GARDEN MARKET

 

Vendors and craftspeople will set up tables later in the morning.

 

If you are interested in setting up a table please contact Shelagh Franklin at 519 438 0665 or shefraya@hotmail.com

 

**            KanataNative Dance Theatre will perform 1:30 to 2:30 pm.

 

Other guest artists (times not yet decided) will include:

 

**            Brenda McIntyre and her Spirit Wind Women’s Drum group

**        Rene Meshake - Ojibway performer from Guelph

**        The Niimitaa Dancers - Chippewa First Nation Youth Dancers

 

 

London Museum of Archaeology

1600 Attawandaron Road, London

 

Gallery tours, archaeology demonstrations, pottery workshops and native games will occur throughout Sunday, September 25th.  Visit our partially reconstructed Neutral Iroquoian village to sample bannock and visit with our native storyteller.  Kids, try your hand at archaeology in our kid dig area.  Various native artisans will also be selling their artwork.  Enjoy the fall weather on our walking trails through Miggsie

Lawson Park. For all to enjoy!

 

The Ontario Arts Council graciously sponsored Sunday’s events.

** This program is dedicated to the memory of Peter Smith for his inspiration and insight into the last two Gathering of Good Minds.  

 

 

 

THE NATIVE HARVEST FESTIVAL

of

The Gathering of the Good Minds Celebration

continues at

London Museum of Archaeology

1600 Attawandaron Road

 

<<>>

 

The N’Amerind van will transport Gathering visitors to London Museum of Archaeology and return to Museum London.

Leaves every hour on the half-hour from Museum London and

returns on the hour from the London Museum of Archeology

 

<<>>

 

7:00 a.m. - Sunrise Ceremony - The Sacred Fire will have been

transported  to the London Museum of Archaeology Grounds

 

8:00 a.m. - Breakfast - Bagels/Muffins - served on the LMA Grounds

 

9:00 - 9:45 a.m. – Exhibition Launch                 Temporary Gallery

Personal Adornment:  How Has It Changed

 

10:00 - 10:45 a.m. – Fire Side Drummers and Singers                   Outside

 

11:00 - 12:00 a.m. – Drumming Workshop by John Somosi                Outside

 

12:00 – 1:30 p.m.- Eagle Flight Singers and Drummers                Outside

 

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. – Flint Knapping Workshop – Ron Watts     Theatre

 

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. -  White Pine Dancers Outside

Accompanied by Fire Side Singers and Drummers

   

3:00 - 4:00 p.m. – Dance Workshop by Aaron Bell, Garrett Jones and Nahnda Jones                Outside

 

Artists:

Aaron Bell is an Ojibwe traditional storyteller, sharing the stories and teachings of the First Nations people for the past 12 years.

  Aaron brings to light the teachings of morals, respect, and discipline in a way that a child can understand. 

 

Eagle Flight Singers and Drummers consist of various First Nations men residing at the Oneida reserve in Muncey.  They perform various traditional songs, including inter-tribal, fancy dance, crow hop, and women’s jingle.

 

Fire-side Singers & Dancers are a group of First Nations people from different areas who gather weekly at New Credit First Nation to share in a 12-step healing program, into which they have incorporated their Traditional singing and drumming.  The group comprises both men and women and is led by Sherri Two Hearts and Roger White Feather La Forme.

 

Garret Jones is a Metis Cree from Hay River, Northwest Territories.  He is both mens traditional dancer and expert hoop dancer.  Garret has performed in many dance troupes, including Kanata Native Dance Theatre, White Pine Dancers and Lost Dancers.  He currently resides on Six Nations Reserve, Brantford.

 

Nahnda Jones is Onondaga of the Bear Clan.  She is an active dancer, performing tradition, fancy shawl and women’s jingle songs.  She currently resides at Six Nation’s reserve.

 

John Somosi, a Métis from Saskatchewan, drummer and spiritual leader, will conduct drumming workshops, teaching young and old the rhythm of the drum.

 

Ron Watts is a non-Native retired schoolteacher specializing in Native studies and a flint knapper (stone tool maker) from Dorchester, Ontario .  He began flint knapping when he was a 12 year old boy growing up on a farm in the Chatham area.  Ron enjoys educating people in the art of flint knapping through hands on demonstrations of the processes involved in transforming a chunk of chert into a stone tool. 

 

Gonrah Desgowah, White Pine Dance Troupe, pronounced (Gon-rah-des-go-wah) meaning “Tree With Five Needles” has performed for over 35,000 audience participants in the last four years at Kanata Village and abroad.  Since then the group has been very active in local and provincial tourism promotion, as well as educating groups from all over the world.  The White Pine Dance Troupe offers a unique presentation representing a variety of Aboriginal Nations from the songs of the Eastern Woodlands, to the stories of the Plains, and the world-renowned Hoop Dance!  Their home base is in Brantford, Ontario, at the Kanata Village.

 

 

 

Corporate Sponsors:

Gathering of Good Minds                                                           Native Harvest Festival

Canada Council for the Arts                                                           Ontario Arts Council

 

 

Others who have contributed in a variety of ways:

CHRW - Radio Western, UWO

Covent Garden Market

London Free Press

London Museum of Archaeology

N’Amerind Friendship Centre

New PL Television

Nokee Kwe Occupational Skills & Development Inc.

Scene Magazine

Sterling Marking Products Inc.

The Londoner