The 2024 Adäka Cultural Festival will take place from June 28 to July 1, 2024, at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre
Adäka means many different things to many different people, the manager of arts development Yukon First Nations Culture & Tourism Association (YFNCT) Erin Symington told What’s Up Yukon.
The 2024 Adäka Cultural Festival will take place from June 28 to July 1, 2024, at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and will include a gallery featuring 80 Indigenous artists from around Canada and Alaska; artists demonstrating their craft outside in the Artist Studio Tent; over 25 artist workshops; traditional knowledge sharing such as hide tanning, fish skin tanning, traditional medicines; and storytelling and performances featuring traditional dance groups, singing, drumming, live music, comedy and film screenings.
“We had a lot of applications this year from visual and performing artists, which is incredible and fun to program when we have lots of amazing artists interested in participating,” said Symington. For some artists, the festival marks their first time attending and showing and selling work in a gallery, or their first time facilitating a workshop, according to Symington.
“It’s an opportunity to grow as an artist,” she said. “Some artists have been part of it since the beginning and they look forward to it every year.”
Symington went on to say that Adäka Cultural Festival is a wonderful opportunity to come together to learn, teach, visit and be immersed in culture. This can mean both familiar and unfamiliar culture, demonstrated through visual arts, performances, cultural presentations, workshops and more.
“Some highlights, each year, tend to be performances from the dance groups from across the Yukon, the community dancing and jigging night, workshops, the fantastic gallery full of impressive artwork and taking in new experiences from visiting artists,” Symington said. “The big highlight each year is celebrating coming together. Everyone is welcome!”
As far as what she expects this year, Symington just wants to show people what the festival is and always has been about: an inclusive environment for creativity, cultural knowledge sharing, bonding and a chance to share the appreciation and importance of Indigenous cultures.
“The 2024 festival will honour Indigenous cultures through art, music, stories, language, history and more,” Symington said.
The festival’s performances will be held on the Mainstage in the Long House while traditional practices and teachings will be woven into the week’s invigorating schedule. Adäka’s gallery will be full of diverse artwork where guests can peruse while also learning from demonstrating visual artists onsite.
“Adäka embraces this moment in time as an opportunity to share stories and culture, with pride and purpose, to harness the spirit within and around all who are involved,” said Symington. “The Adäka Cultural Festival is a celebration of Indigenous arts and culture that brings us together, shining light on a stunning range of traditional and contemporary visual and performing artists.” To learn more about the Adäka Cultural Festival and to see the schedule, workshops and information for prospective volunteers, visit adakafestival.ca
