KAGAWONG – This year’s Elemental Festival by 4elements Living Arts was one for the ages, offering heart-pounding musical performances and a variety of hands-on workshops for people to embrace the best of the arts on Manitoulin.
“I’m really happy with how it turned out,” said 4elements Living Arts executive director Kirsten Nelson after the event’s closing ceremony Sunday afternoon. “I knew the visual arts were going to be good but I haven’t gone to see live music for a while. I forgot what an electric feeling that is.”
Advisor elder Josh Eshkawkogan opened the festival on Thursday evening by acknowledging the Seven Directions. The M’Chigeeng Ladies’ Drum Group offered their assistance as well.
Anishinaabe singer-songwriter Ansley Simpson delivered a stellar folk performance to close the evening.
Friday afternoon saw an interactive writers’ circle workshop led by Ella Jane Myers of the Northern Initiative for Social Action, held at the Park Centre in Kagawong and along the Billings Connection Sculpture trail.
That evening, Sean Ashby took to the stage at the Park Centre. He began by wishing he had a ‘hype man’ but his music easily spoke for itself. The backup guitarist for Sarah McLachlan played a set that bridged several genres.
Saturday featured a kids’ turtle art workshop with Mishiikenh Kwe (Autumn Smith), an Anishinaabe artist with family in Wiikwemkoong. This was followed by Pierre Harrison’s ‘Play, Learn, Think!’ workshop that fused science with arts.
The events moved to Kagawong’s Old Church on the Hill for an afternoon of free music.
The set featured Duncan Ross Cameron and Brittany Goldsborough, Robbie Shawana and finally Jenna Maisonneuve, who was joined by Mr. Cameron on fiddle for several tunes.
Later that evening, Marcel Bénéteau opened the headliner show at the Park Centre with his blend of French-Canadian folk music, sharing the stories of the tunes as well as their meaning in English.
Mr. Cameron and Ms. Goldsborough’s Celtic band Fagroongala came up next, with the addition of Cristina Masotti on fiddle and vocals. The audience enthusiastically clapped, stomped and sang along with their repertoire. Some spontaneous dancing erupted to some of the more upbeat music and Mr. Cameron occasionally switched instruments during songs.
Sunday saw an art workshop and drum performance with Veronica Johnny in the morning followed by a vocal workshop with opera singer Everett Levi Morrison for vocalists of all skill levels, whether seasoned performers or just car karaoke masters.
The afternoon drew the action back to the Old Church on the Hill for another musical showcase, featuring Ethan Theijsmeijer, Everett Levi Morrison and then Voices North Singers. The latter group welcomed Evansville’s masterful young crooner Ellie Maxwell, fresh from her Toronto trip to become a finalist in the Canadian National Exhibition’s Rising Star Talent Competition.
Following the showcase, Ms. Nelson and Mr. Eshkawkogan brought the festival to a close with the help of board member Susan Snelling.
Ms. Nelson said she had already been making plans for the next edition of the Elemental Festival.
“I’d like to see even more of a variety of the arts. We didn’t have any dance this time,” she said. “I do like the workshop format because I like how people see themselves as creators. I would like to make as many opportunities for that as possible.”
The Elemental Festival received 50 percent funding through the local festivals component of the Canadian Heritage Program. A representative from the government was present to see how the grant was being put to use.
“She said she was impressed with what she saw, and that she’s never seen a festival ‘this local,’ which is funny because we had people from all over the Island here, not just in Kagawong,” said Ms. Nelson.
She thanked the many people who had supported the event, from the weekend’s volunteers and production team to the organizers.
“We couldn’t do this without the community’s support,” she said.
