What’s not “to love” about sakihiwe festival?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/07/2022 (1549 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The sākihiwē festival, which began as Aboriginal Music Week in 2009, made a smashing return this year after being cancelled for two years, owing to the pandemic. Its name, sākihiwē, which means “to love” in Cree, came from Spruce Woods sundance chief David Blacksmith during a ceremony on Feb. 21, 2018. What a beautiful sentiment.

The festival this year took place from June 23 to 26 and included four free block parties and two ticketed shows, including a kickoff party at the Pyramid Cabaret and the Grand Entry show at the Beer Can the following night. The block parties were held on June 25 and 26 at Central Park, outside at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, on Ellice Avenue and on Selkirk Avenue. Overall, 26 performers from across Canada took part in this years festival.

One of the nice aspects of the festival is that it doesn’t accept funding from energy or resource development entities, predatory lenders, alcohol or marijuana brands, gambling entities, or financial institutions that invest in pipelines. I remember the public outcry over the Jazz Festival in Vancouver when its main corporate sponsor was a tobacco company in the 1990s.

I had the good fortune to attend the two North End block parties as well as the Ellice Avenue block party. Hundreds of people showed up for musical performances, a pow wow and a hoop dance. A big hit at all of the block parties included a free barbecue. There was also face painting for the kids. I encountered many children whose faces were painted like cats and butterflies.

I usually bring my blue front Amazon parrot to outdoor festivals (which is always a treat for young and old and puts many smiles on faces) and this year on Selkirk Avenue, a woman brought out her double yellow-headed Amazon parrot named Zappa. My parrot, Billie the Amazon, was quite thrilled to meet Zappa.

The main sponsor of this year’s Selkirk Avenue block party was Indigenous Vision for the North End. The City of Winnipeg, which normally charges a fee to close down a street to car traffic for street festivals, actually waived the fee for the Selkirk Avenue festivities. The main sponsor for the Turtle Island Block Party was Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre. There was also a free draw at each of the block parties at the end of the day.

All in all, the festival was a big hit for the organizers and all in attendance as people of all ages and backgrounds danced or just chilled at the picnic tables to the performances. I can’t wait to see what next years festival brings.