ArtsCan Circle is proud to present Faces of the North a song and music video written, composed and performed by Indigenous youth in Attawapiskat, Ontario. Attawapiskat is a community of many different people, with many different experiences. The voices of youth are often the last to be heard, and yet may be the most important voices for the future of Indigenous Communities. Our ArtsCan Team of Filmmaker, Brendan Mariani, B Boy Dance Instructor/Producer, Lee Pham and Indigenous Singer/Songwriter, Mimi O’Bonsawin, worked together to create an incredibly powerful song and video, that captured the hearts and minds of the students of Vezina Secondary School in Attawapiskat.
“You don’t have to hide, you can be yourself. Just know that you’re loved, even from above You don’t have to leave, I’m trying to make you see, you can be the person you want to be.”
These words speak to the desire of the youth to find themselves and stay strong despite living in extremely difficult circumstances.
This is the beauty and power of collaborative art projects that use a multi-disciplinary approach to create works of art that are informative, educational and emotionally powerful. For the youth, it is a way for them to express their feelings and experiences in a way that is lasting and impactful. This video will give you a snapshot of life in the north and hopefully encourage you to learn more about the wonderful, resilient young people who are working hard to find their way in the world.
Faces of the North is a collaborative project between ArtsCan Circle and world-class artists educators. This project was supported by the Slaight Family Foundation and the Mississauguas of Scugog Island First Nation. The release celebrates International Youth Youth Day 2019!
