Indigenous veterans to be honoured at Vancouver festival concert
In Spirit: A Concert for Heroes is part of Transform Festival, which brings together diverse range of artists
The organizers of a cabaret-style festival in Vancouver are hosting a special concert on Friday night to honor Indigenous veterans.
The concert, titled In Spirit: A Concert for Heroes, is part of the annual Transform Festival, which runs from November 6 to November 9. The festival highlights Indigenous and non-Indigenous artwork across various disciplines. The concert is scheduled to coincide with Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8, a day dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Indigenous individuals who served in Canada's military. However, festival co-artistic director Corey Payette believes that many people are unaware of the day’s significance.
"I do think there needs to be an acknowledgment and a pause and a special recognition of the sacrifices that Indigenous veterans have made," Payette said in an interview.
The federal government estimates that around 4,000 Indigenous people served in World War I and more than 3,000 in World War II. However, the government also acknowledges the difficult treatment Indigenous people faced, noting that Canada expropriated large areas of reserve lands while Indigenous peoples were away serving. Some of this land was later given to non-Indigenous people through a program intended to provide farmland to returning veterans.
The concert will feature Forgotten Warriors, a song by composer, producer, and singer Russell Wallace, which honors Indigenous veterans. Additionally, the Vancouver men's choir Chor Leoni will perform a piece from Payette's own musical, Children of God. Payette expressed excitement about using the event to pay tribute to Indigenous veterans.
The Transform Festival, which began in 2019, was created to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists together, breaking down the "silos" that had separated these groups. Payette explained, "There [were] a lot of silos being created of Indigenous artists getting to work together, but then non-Indigenous artists not getting those same intersections." Now, artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines are collaborating, offering audiences fresh, innovative work.
"It's really a chance for audiences to see something that's really new and fresh that has never been seen before," he said.
