Celebrate Canada

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Canadian Multiculturalism Day Sunday June 24, 2007 from 2 pm-4 pm at the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina.

 

There will be free admission and fun for the whole family!

 

The Celebrate Canada! Multicultural Mela features multicultural arts activities, multicultural dance lessons, free guided gallery tours and more. Keep checking this website for updates.

 

In 2006, the Celebrate Canada! Multicultural Mela at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina featured bhangra lessons, a pow wow regalia workshop, film screenings, a prairie shields collage activity, guided indoor and outdoor gallery tours and world beat fusion instrumental music.

 

My daughter loved it, said the mother of a four year old Regina girl. There was a good variety of activities for family members of all ages.

 

Held Sunday June 25, 2006 the event celebrated Canadian Multiculturalism Day, National Aboriginal Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day and Canada Day.

With free admission from 2 to 4 pm and fun for the whole family, the event drew a diverse crowd.

 

First Nations artist Valerie Kinistino brought feathers, beads and magazines to help participants created their own summer shield to keep them safe for the season.

 

It was a thoughtful and creative activity, said participant Rhonda Rosenberg, who appreciated Kinistino’s teachings about the significance of the shields.

 

Award Winning Film Screenings in the Shumiatcher Theatre were curated by the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival. The lineup featured WAPOS BAY THERE IS NO I IN HOCKEY (24 minutes. Winner: Best Childrens Production), ECOLE SANS FRONTIERES, UNE (A SCHOOL WITHOUT BORDERS) (51 minutes. French with subtitles),

FIRST STORIES: MANITOBA, PATRICK ROSS (5 minutes. Winner: Best Aboriginal) and BETWEEN: LIVING IN THE HYPHEN (42 minutes. Winner: Best Multicultural).

 

World Beat Fusion instrumental music in the upstairs Orientation Gallery featured Nadeem Naz on the tabla and Hank QuYang on the Ehro. Nadeem Naz is from Karachi, Pakistan, where he graduated from Music school in Delhi, Garhana. His lightening fingers on Tabla brought life and song to the traditional drums at his fingertips. Nadeem hosts the Mehfil program on Community Radio CJTR 91.3 fm in Regina and produces multicultural events bringing musicians from diverse cultures together in contemporary musical presentation. Nadeem has also been teaching tabla since 1992. Hank Quyang has been playing/studying flute and strings (music) since he was 8 years old. He belongs to a traditional/musical family in China. He has played flute and strings with different musicians and in many concerts in China.

 

Guided In-Gallery tours of the work of Montreal artist Dominique Blain provided insight into the often controversial subject matter of 20th century social relations: injustice, racial and social inequality, fanaticism and oppression. Her work is poetic in its beauty and poignancy.

 

Guided outdoor tours of the MacKenzie Art Gallery Sculpture Garden were a new feature to the multicultural celebration, now in its third year.

 

Dance teacher Neelu Sachdev and the Arcola East Bhangra Dancers demonstrated and taught the traditional East Indian folk dance with modern, upbeat music. Rumal (square hankerchiefs) were available for participants to enhance and emphasize the hand movements while learning some basic Bhangra steps.

 

Elder Lily Daniels spoke about regalia and styles of pow wow dancing. A jingle dress dancer demonstrated how she moves to the beat of the drum. Following this presentation, guests were invited to join in a round dance for friendship.

 

The event was presented by the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan, the Mackenzie Art Gallery and the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival with funding through the Celebrate Canada! program of Canadian Heritage. Support from Saskatchewan Lotteries and SaskCulture helped build community through this event.

 

Canadian Multiculturalism Day (June 27) is part of a Celebrate Canada! program along with National Aboriginal Day (June 21), Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24) and Canada Day (July 1).

Canadian Multiculturalism Day brings Canadians together to strengthen mutual understanding and respect. It encourages us to celebrate the achievements and history of all Canadians and to participate fully in the life of our country. It also gives all Canadians an opportunity to learn more about the contributions that various communities make to Canadian society and to celebrate our country's richness and diversity.

For more information on the Celebrate Canada! program, visit the Web site

 

http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/canada