On June 29, the Consulate General was proud to support the Strawberry Moon Festival, a celebration of the Indigenous cultures of the Niagara region, at ArtPark in Lewiston, NY.
The day’s program included smoke dance competitions, musical performances, an Indigenous vendor market, Elders Teaching Circles, and interactive workshops.
Not just a music festival, Strawberry Moon celebrates the fact the sky does not acknowledge borders, as different cultural factions from Western New York and Canada gathered to honor the beginning of a new season and tip their collective cap to the land that sustains us all.
Jeff Miers, The Buffalo News (2019)
There was also a performance of “Gifted by Creator: A Theatrical Journey of Interconnectedness and Responsibility” featuring Geneviève Gros-Louis, a collaboration of Haudenosaunee Singers & Dancers, Tonemah, Leah Shenandoah, Jordan Smith, Arianna Smith, Violet Printup Richard, and artwork by Kyle Joedicke .
The festival was curated by Michele-Elise Burnett, ArtPark’s Indigenous Arts Producer and Métis of Ontario citizen with Algonquin roots, Bear Clan. Burnett is President of Kakekalanicks, an Indigenous arts and consultancy company which helps promote and educate Indigenous art and artists to a broad audience. Burnett is also the President of Landscape of Nations 360°, a unique national Indigenous education and tourism initiative.
