Niska Napoleon's new video Again speaks on heartbreak, rebirth and the strength of family.
Front woman for Rocky Mountain Rebel Music, Niska has been working on some solo projects too and we are all waiting for her first release. Well known singer-songwriter Kinnie Starr raves:
Since I began mentoring over the last five years, I occasionally encounter very developed songwriters with an intensity that stands out. Niska Napoleon has a rare gift for composing and delivering “classic” original material. I firmly believe she is one of Canada’s undiscovered gems.
New video Again from singer/songwriter Niska Napoleon is an anthem to fresh starts. Her soulful rhythms remind us about what keeps us going through struggle and heartbreak. Have a listen!
From November 4-7, 2011, representatives from many Indigenous communities, including the Secwepemc, Wet'suwet'en, St'at'mic, Tsimshian, Dakelh and Carrier from the Yinka Dene Alliance, Tla-o-qui-aht, Ahousaht, Cheam and Fort Chipeywan--will meet to discuss resistance strategies at the Indigenous Assembly Against Mining and Pipelines in Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories.
In response to the "Meeting Minds, Making Mines" conference being held by the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association at the Pan Pacific Hotel from November 6-8th, a strategy session will be hosted in East Vancouver with various affected communities in attendance.
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark recently pledged to speed up approvals and snip the red tape for the creation of 8 new mines and the expansion of 9 existing mining projects in BC. The plan also includes "10 new non-treaty agreements with First Nations by 2015 to improve economic certainty." It's clear that the current provincial agenda is to override Aboriginal Rights and Title to guarantee economic security to the mining companies.
In a public letter sent out on September 23rd, Secwepemc activist Arthur Manuel called on Aboriginal leaders to resist the further exploitation of Indigenous homelands:
We need to not let this opportunity pass us by, we need to believe in our Aboriginal Title and Rights. The onus or burden to make the economy in our territory serve our children and grandchildren is our job. Follow this story and get involved in meetings about mining and other economic issues. You own the land... Be careful out there in your traditional territory, some little people in the future are depending on you.
On Sunday November 6th there will be a public demonstration starting at 3pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery. A public panel will also be held on November 7th at 6:30pm at 1803 East 1st Ave (just east of Commercial Drive) in which impacted Indigenous communities will be speaking out against mining.
Songs of Resistance
During a rally held in May 2011 against a proposed open-pit copper mine on Chitapii (Catface Mountain) in Ahousaht Territory, Kalilah Rampanen - the 11-year-old daughter of Nitanis Desjarlais and John Rampanen - shared her song More Than Copper to Me.
Rampanen, who is Nuu-chah-nulth from Ahousaht, wrote and performed the song at the Imperial Metals AGM to protest a proposed mine where they have been exploring for copper.
The Ahousaht band council is one of the only First Nations working with Imperial Metals; and they have approved exploratory drilling in their territory.
Check out her performance below:
VIDEO: Kalilah Rampanen - "More Than Copper to Me"
For those digitally-minded of our relations, this could be a great opportunity to learn, be inspired and entertained and, of course, to network.
Women in Film & Television – Toronto (WIFT-T), in partnership with the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, is pleased to provide two Indigenous women with a complimentary pass to WIFT-T’s International Women in Digital Media Summit (iWDMS), October 23-25 in Stratford, Ontario (a $525 value). The candidates selected will also receive an All-Access Pass to the 12th Annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, October 19-23, in downtown Toronto (a $110 value).
Featuring keynote speaker Arianna Huffington, the iWDMS will bring together traditional and digital media communities, as well as educational and research institutions, to explore innovation, content creation, emerging trends and business models, and the role of women in digital media globally. Delegates will be exposed to inspirational leadership and the latest insights from leading women and men working in digital media industries worldwide. Click here for a preview!
The complimentary passes to iWDMS include the Opening and Closing Receptions, Welcome Dinner, and lunch and breaks on both Monday and Tuesday. Travel expenses and accommodation are not included. Please note RSVPs for the receptions and dinner are mandatory. The imagineNATIVE All-Access Pass includes all imagineNATIVE film and video screenings, workshops, parties, receptions, and events.
To apply for a pass, please email Kim Haladay, WIFT-T Development Manager, at khaladay@wift.comby Monday July 25, 2011, 5PM EDT. Please attach your resume and a letter (one page max.) outlining your eligibility and interest in attending the Summit. A selection committee of WIFT-T and imagineNATIVE representatives will review the applications. The recipients will be announced in mid-August.
Revolutions Per Minute is a global new music platform, record label, and boutique agency for Indigenous music culture. RPM’s mission is to build a visionary community of Indigenous artists and to introduce Indigenous music to new audiences across Turtle Island and around the world. Our main site, RPM.fm, has featured the work of more than 500 Indigenous artists and shared their music across our social networks of more than 275,000 followers.
RPM Records is the first of its kind: a label for contemporary, cross-genre Indigenous music, run by Indigenous people. Selected by The FADER as one of “5 New Canadian Record Labels The Entire World Should Know”, RPM Records artists include Ziibiwan, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Exquisite Ghost, and Mob Bounce.
