ROB MURRAY: I’m speaking with Banff Centre Director of Indigenous Arts Reneltta Arluk. This Monday is a special occasion that we celebrate every year – National indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st. I understand you’ve programmed a full day of activities at Banff Centre?

RENELTTA ARLUK: I think we have over 12 hours of content.

RM: We’re starting things off with an opening prayer and a bit of yoga?

RA: I know, it seems a little unconventional. It’s going to be a live welcome with Stoney Nakoda Elder Henry Holloway, coordinated by Bill Snow. I love this – usually welcomes tend to be a bit prerecorded or a little less back and forth, because there will be space for questions and answers afterwards. From there, we’re going to head into a morning yoga session. We all greet the day in different ways, and I thought this year it might be fun to greet the day with some yoga.

RM: What can you tell us about this Indigenous virtual market that you’re putting on?

RA: It’s a gathering place for Indigenous artistans to share their work, either through their own websites or to sell their art on Instagram and other social media sites. I personally buy a lot of my earrings on Instagram. You’ll get a one of a kind piece because it’ll be handmade, often made out of natural Indigenous materials, and you’ll be supporting Indigenous artistans.

RM: Starting at noon on Monday – The Technique of Caribou Hair Tufting. I have to admit, I know absolutely nothing about this. What is wool tufting?

RA: There’s this incredible technique called caribou tufting or moose hair tufting. It’s the fine hairs of the caribou and the moose. Usually it’s sewn onto a type of velvet or material that bends it, and then you trim it so that you can make flower designs and all kinds of animals designs. MJ Belcourt is a Metis artisan from Treaty 6 territory. She’s going to teach that technique, but using wool because we don’t all have access to caribou hair and moose hair in our homes. It’s a great alternative way to learn the technique.

RM: You’ve also teamed up with artsPlace to put on a number of activities in the afternoon?

RA: This is pretty exciting because we are all virtual this year as well, and there was a great opportunity to connect with them to do some live workshops. Travis Rider is a Stoney Nakoda Knowledge Keeper and he’ll be there to share stories about the area. We created these stencils for the young people to play with, and adults too, that represent animals of the Stoney Nakoda and Bow Valley region, and chalk. You can pick up some kits and you could chalk up your sidewalk or your deck, and it gives a little knowledge about the area and the value of why those animals are important. I think it’ll be really fun.

RM: At 5:00, it looks like you have a series of films and a panel discussion?

RA: Each year we usually showcase filmmakers from the area. The Stoney Nakoda AV Club is going to have some of their films there. There’s one called The Hunter which is directed by Daryl Kootenay and the Wapikoni. We like to balance the films out with Banff Centre alumni and Treaty 7 filmmakers, so we’re going to be screening Red Snow by Marie Clements, an award winning feature film that has done the film festival circuits. It’s been on Apple TV and was on CBC, but you’ll be able to stream it for free for a week on our site. We also put together a panel of the filmmakers and some of the actors so if people are curious about processes and impetus of why they have the opportunity to learn more.

RM: You’re wrapping the day up with a bit of music and some storytelling?

RA: This year we’re partnering with the International Indigenous Music Summit, which has created these beautiful 6 to 11 minutes short films to go into their communities and film themselves creating the music and sharing what’s important to them. They’re pretty tear-jerking because it is so personal and really well produced with Sarain Fox. You’ll be able to catch four of the films including in-between conversations with the producers. The closing is done with Daryl Kootenay. There is a song being shared to end this for the day. Daryl did it last year and it was very well received, and we’re just appreciative that he takes the time to do that for us.

RM: This is all totally free and online?

RA: That’s correct. All free, all accessible. Some of it you have to catch on the day, some of it you’ll be able to catch throughout the week.

Filed under: artsPlace, Banff Centre