Feature stories

February 18: International Indigenous Day

The 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion welcomes the Indigenous people of the world on a day dedicated to our brothers and sisters world-wide. New Zealand group Soul Paua pop with traditional Maori and Polynesian inspired acoustic grooves. The group sings in a mix of English and the Maori language. The sounds of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia fill the air with a performance by Tjupurru. This descendent of the Djabera Djabera tribe adds a modern twist to the iconic Didgeridoo by adding a slide to it to allow for a greater range of notes and tones. Adjagas of Norway describes their music as "gentle, peaceful, dreamlike, spiritual and utterly engrossing. It is, at the same time, strangely alien. Lyrics are unrecognizable, startling vocals delivered in a style that veers between whispered but crystal clear sweetness, unbridled emotion and all points in between, sometimes hitting notes that may previously have never existed." The group bases their music on a traditional music form called a yoik which describes something with sounds rather than words.

From 3:30pm until 7:30pm , the Four Host First Nations is proud to present We Are Here at the Chiefs' House — a spectacular 360 degree multimedia experience featuring the driving beats, vivid sights and compelling stories of Aboriginal culture across Canada.

The Nightly Performance Series at the Chiefs' House continues with the international theme at 9:30pm with a show entitled Globespotting. Daytime performers Tjupurru and Adjagas return for an encore performance. Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Kinnie Starr graces the stage. Starr, who is of Mohawk and European descent, calls Vancouver and Toronto home. The Royal British Museum in Victoria recognized Starr as one of BC’s cultural icons in 2008. To cap off Globespotting, the Borealis String Quartet bring their dynamic sound to the Chiefs' House.

After a long day of excitement visiting the various pavilions and events around town, the Aboriginal Pavilion is pleased to offer a welcome respite. Every night during the Winter Games head over to the pavilion for Lounge Nights at the Jack Poole Hall from 9:00pm to 12:00am. Sample a fusion of traditional Aboriginal food and contemporary cuisine including the chef's famous bison sliders with sautéed wild mushrooms and Salt Spring Island goat cheese. Sit back and relax with a glass of wine and catch the evenings' Olympic programming on our flat screen televisions.

Aboriginal Artisan Village and Business Showcase

Three performances on the Aborignal Artisan Village Main Stage highlight the youth of our nations. Since the age of twelve, Rapper Ostwelve has been experimenting with the rap/hip hop sound by exploring the scene in Vancouver. At 11:00am come and listen to one of Canada's great young hip hop artists. The 3:00pm show features a group from Chief Matthews School in Masset on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) and at 6:00pm Saskatchewan hip hop artist Def3 takes the stage to belt out some rhymes and rhythms born of his upbringing in Regina and his ground breaking stature in hip hop in his province.

Also at the Aboriginal Artisan Village and Business Showcase, Kwakwaka'wakw artist Harold Alfred displays artwork born of 36-years of experience in the northwest coast design. His gold and silver bracelets, pendants and wedding bands shimmer with the intricate lines of a master craftsman. He also works in stained glass, prints and of course wood. He will be at the Artisan Village until February 19th.