Rubaboo Arts Festival returns to Edmonton from July 19 – 28

By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – The Rubaboo Arts Festival is returning to Edmonton for its 15th year from July 19 to 28, with something for everyone.

Christine Sokaymoh Frederick, the festival’s artistic producer, told Alberta Native News that attendees “can expect a whole great big stew of lots of different kinds of offerings.”

You Are Loved is the theme of this year’s festival, which Frederick said was inspired by a painting from local artist John “JCat” Cardinal.

Frederick asked if she could use the painting as the event’s poster. When she asked Cardinal what the Cree syllabics at the bottom meant, Cardinal translated them as You are loved.

“I immediately was smitten with this whole idea,” explained Frederick, whose family comes from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and Kikino Métis Settlement.

Since it’s the 15th anniversary of Rubaboo, she thought this theme would be a good way of conveying her gratitude for all the artists, community members, producers, crew, sponsors and donors who have helped the festival over the years.

Rubaboo is a Métis-Michif language word that refers “to the stew that Métis trappers would have late in the trap season, during the darkest, coldest time of the year,” Frederick said.

The stew is made of whatever the trapper happens to have in their cupboard, “so it was always a little bit different,” she added.

“For us, the arts are that food that feeds our spirits,” said Frederick.

This nourishment “helps us to grow as a community and revitalize our collective identity as Indigenous people, and to celebrate so we can see the dawning of the new spring,” she said.

The festival has had “tremendous growth” from its humble beginnings as a week-end theatre showcase, said Frederick.

“When we first started out in 2009, there was not a single Indigenous arts festival in Alberta. There were only a few scattered across Canada,” she said.

Not only is Rubaboo now an Edmonton mainstay, but it has increasing access to funding opportunities, professional development, venues and, most importantly, “to each other,” Frederick noted.

“We’ve seen a lot more inclusion in programming at other institutions — like the Citadel Theatre, like the Fringe Festival — and we’ve seen a proliferation of the opportunities for Indigenous artists,” she said.

This year’s festivities are divided between Brighton Block on Jasper Avenue and Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre on Gateway Boulevard.

The festival’s opening gala reception on July 19 will feature performances from artist Michelle Thrush and musician Cikwes.

The following day, Frederick said, there’s a “special, unique fusion performance” honouring Troy Emery Twigg, Taran J. Kootenhayoo and Bishop Pipestem — three Indigenous artists who recently passed into the Spirit World.

“It’s our way to honour the work that they’ve done and their contribution to not only our festival, but the Indigenous art scene here in Alberta and in Canada,” Frederick explained.

Those looking for family-friendly entertainment from July 19 to 21 will not want to miss Silly Billy, a dance show involving a rare white buffalo who goes on a journey of self-discovery while trying to find a magic unicorn named Silly.

“I think it’s just going to be really wonderfully uplifting,” said Frederick.

From July 26 to 28, attendees will be able to see Talk Treaty to Me, a Sterling Award-winning Edmonton Fringe show from Teresa Cutknife and Samantha Fraughton, which Frederick explained “uses both theatre and puppetry” to provide different perspectives on Treaty 6 relationships.

A dance party centred around the You Are Loved theme is on July 26.

Visit www.dreamspeakers.org to get tickets and the full schedule.