The 40th edition of Festival Innu Nimaku in Mani-utenam attracted
over 30,000 people, a record attendance since the Festival's
inception. After six days of festivities, it's safe to say that the
organization more than lived up to expectations, and that the event
has now entered the big leagues.
Features of FestivalFestival
Innu Nikamu, Canada's largest non-consumptive Aboriginal music
festival, has been held annually for the past 40 years, in the Innu
community of Mani-utenam, 15 kilometers east of Sept-Îles. The
festivities on the main site take place on the grounds of a former
Indigenous residential school. "Children are a big part of the
Festival. We want to see them laugh, sing and dance freely, to give
them hope for a better future," says event coordinator Normand Jr.
Thirnish Pilot.
In fact, all 1,300 members of the Mani-utenam
community vibrated to the sound of Festival Innu Nikamu over the
six days. Residents decorated their homes, and some even offered
visitors access to the territory, lodging, refreshments or objects
from their culture.
Another objective of this gathering is to bring
people together through music, regardless of age or origin. A large
place in the programming is given to aboriginal artists from
several communities, but also to emerging artists who feel
privileged to be able to present their interpretations and
compositions on a professional stage.
What’s New This
Year?Everything has been rethought for the 40th edition.
First, the Festival offered three stages. Two were located on the
main site, while a third took place on the Innu Nikamuniss site, a
free family celebration venue located in the center of the
community. The main site was expanded to accommodate up to 20,000
festival-goers per day. Giant screens have also been added, and
images of the performances are projected to allow proximity to the
artists performing on stage.
More than 60 shows, most of them featuring
Aboriginal artists, were presented this year. The program also
featured international artists such as Flo Rida, Samantha Fox, Aqua
and Bryan Adams. These stars are the driving force behind the
event, bringing crowds together to discover aboriginal music and
culture.
"The artists were impressed by the vibrancy of
the crowds and left waving to the fans who welcomed them with
passion. We're all very proud that all these artists have come to
celebrate the 40th edition of Innu Nikamu with us," says Normand
Jr. Thirnish Pilot.
The magnitude of this 40th edition brought its
share of logistical challenges, which were brilliantly met. "We
found solutions to facilitate the arrival of visitors from outside
the community. For accommodation, we collaborated with a company
offering all-inclusive tent rentals. To avoid the influx of cars,
we set up a free shuttle system that allows people from neighboring
towns to get to the site easily", also mentions Mr. Thirnish
Pilot.
A Varied and Flamboyant
ProgramThe 40th edition of the Festival kicked off with an
official ceremony honoring high school graduates from the nine Innu
communities, in the company of chiefs and numerous dignitaries who
witnessed the traditional launching of mortars carried by the
graduates. This academic achievement, celebrated each year as part
of the festivities, is always a moment of collective pride.
On the artistic front, the opening night saw the
grand return to the stage of Kashtin (Florent Vollant and Claude
McKenzie), the famous duo's last performance after several years'
absence, attracting over 5,000 people and generating a great deal
of emotion, both on stage and in the crowd, who applauded them
warmly. Rapper K.Maro rounded off the first day of festivities.
On Wednesday, it was the turn of great artists
Claude Dubois and Elisapie to delight us with their intensity and
transcendent vocals. Another memorable evening that even the rain
didn't dampen.
On Thursday, much to the surprise of fans, Sir
Pathétik gave a demented performance at short notice, preceding Flo
Rida's long-awaited performance on Innu soil. In a 90-minute show
of pure intensity, the superstar electrified the crowd of over
7,000, performing his greatest hits, sometimes among
festival-goers, sometimes inviting young people of all backgrounds
to sing and dance with him, right on stage.
On Friday, festival-goers marveled at the
spectacle of luminous drones that decorated the community's skies.
Colorful images formed above Mani-utenam, to the rhythm of
traditional sounds and music. Afterwards, Samantha Fox, one of the
most beloved stars of the 1980s, performed on the main stage. She
performed her hits, including the popular Touch me, as well as more
recent pieces.
On Saturday, the skies once again came alive
with the sounds and lights of the traditional grand pyromusical
show, a Festival staple, while Aqua got thousands of spectators
dancing to the rhythm of their greatest hits, including the famous
Barbie girl.
On the closing night, renowned Canadian singer
Bryan Adams drew a historic crowd of some 12,000 people of all
generations to his show at Innu Nikamu. The artist performed his
greatest hits, chosen especially for a festival audience. His warm
presence lifted the crowd throughout his performance.
Innu NikamunissSince the very
beginning of the Festival, children have been a major focus. For
the first time this year, youngsters enjoyed a family site, less
than a kilometer from the main Festival site, where traditional
activities, shows, lectures, tastings and various ways of
experiencing Innu culture were offered free of charge.
Free musical performances were presented from
the Mixbus stage, parked right in the heart of the community, and
featured a variety of performances by local artists and
personalities from here and elsewhere in Quebec. The site welcomed
notable figures such as Guylaine Tanguay, Dr. Stanley Volant,
Ministers Kateri Champagne-Jourdain and Ian Lafrenière, Philippe
Fehmiu, along with many others. The organization is already looking
ahead to next year, and promises festival-goers an event to match
this year's experience.
About Festival Innu Nikamu The mission of
the Innu Nikamu Festival is to promote and enhance Innu culture
through music, dance, song and the arts. The Festival aims to bring
together the Innu communities of Quebec and Labrador, as well as
other Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, in a spirit of sharing
and respect. The Festival takes place every August in Mani-utenam,
on the North Shore. It is also recognized as one of the largest
alcohol-free festivals in Canada.
For information (national & international
medias):Philip Vanden BrandeVice-President &
AssociateAnnexe media438 402-7391phil@annexe.media |
For information (regional medias):Caroline Michaud
Strategic Communication SpecialistBoite à clés 418 409-5784
caroline@boiteacles.ca |
Source: Normand
Jr Thirnish-PilotCoordinatorFestival Innu Nikamu |
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/16e75eca-fd99-46ff-9dd0-ea4ac37796fa