As part of this month’s New Constellations Digital Residency, we’re featuring some of the artists and mentors joining the nation(s)wide tour running from November 23 to December 20, 2017.
What’s your favourite song at the moment?
Cool Like Dat by Digable Planets.
How do you celebrate a great performance?
Pretty low-key. Being an introvert, I like to recharge by going for a walk or being somewhere quiet.
The best place in Toronto to enjoy winter weather is …
A local neighborhood park? I’m not sure as I don’t live in Toronto. Maybe someone can tell me their favourite spot?
What’s the last performance/concert you saw?
Leland Bell at the Anishnaabe Family Camp in Peshawbestown, Michigan. It was awesome!
Name one other New Constellations artist you think audiences should see during this nationwide tour.
Elisapie! I think she’d be great to see live!
Describe the best gig you’ve ever played.
My most recent poetry reading was just a couple weeks ago at Western University for Words, Truth, Stories – a Canada 150 event celebrating Indigenous peoples. I read three poems followed by a choral ensemble who sang the poems set to music. The choral and music composition was created by the amazing Dr. Mark Sirette from Kingston. It was incredible. Imagine over 200 singers in poetic harmony! So far that was the best!
New Constellations will bring together a lineup of Canada’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists. Why is that an important feature of this tour to you?
I’ve been a fan of Indigenous artists ever since I started writing over 20 years ago. I love that I can connect to another Indigenous person through literature, music, visual art … any artistic medium really, is such a great feeling to have. It’s inspiring and makes me feel proud of other Indigenous artists and their accomplishments. So to have Indigenous and Canadian artists share the stage supporting and celebrating each other will be another great feeling to carry with me. I’m sure I won’t be the only one who will be inspired by it.
What’s coming up for you next?
I’ve been working on a year-long art project thanks to an Ontario Arts Council Chalmers Arts Fellowship. The project focuses on Anishnaabe language, innovative poetry and engaging with some traditional art techniques. It will be winding up in February 2018. So my focus right now is completing the project and developing a new bilingual book of poetry and some audio and visual projects as well. It’s pretty exciting! OAC rocks!
Learn more about Vera Wabegijig at New Constellations.
