The Museum of Surrey will host Indigenous artists and performers for a two-day event in mid-July.
Called “Cedar, Sage and Sweetgrass,” the Cloverdale museum will welcome Indigenous artists and performers from across B.C. on July 13 and 14.
“We are honoured to host this celebration,” Lynn Saffery, museum manager, said in a press release. “This experience is for all ages and is one that showcases an incredible group of Indigenous artists.”
Cedar, Sage and Sweetgrass will feature Indigenous music, dance, food, and art. And festival-goers will also be able to meet the artists and performers over the course of the weekend.
According to the release, the free event “features two incredible days of Indigenous food, music, artwork and cultural sharing.” As part of that, Tradish's the Ancestor’s Cafe food truck will be onsite serving up traditional Indigenous cuisine.
Several artists will be on hand as well, including: Kalum Teke Dan, Maryanne Landrie, Pat Calihou, Ronald George Straight, John Spence, Sheila Rae Lowe, Patti Williams, Chantelle Trainor-Matties, Anna Matthews, Cat Aldred, and Clayton Williams.
Cedar, Sage and Sweetgrass is also the name of the Indigenous art group behind the two-day event. Created several years ago by Maryanne Lindberg and Patrick Calihou, Cedar, Sage and Sweetgrass was formed to “facilitate art shows and Indigenous events throughout B.C."
The event will run Saturday July 13 from 12 to 5 p.m. and then again on Sunday July 14 from 12 to 4 p.m.
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There are also two other exhibits currently showing at the Museum of Surrey.
One, Teens: Creative Minds, is a travelling exhibition that tells stories of teen innovators and inventors. The other, Witness Blanket, is a reproduction of art from master carver Carey Newman.
Teens: Creative Minds is an interactive exhibit that encourages museum-goers to explore their creative potential. The exhibition includes interactive modules that engage people “directly in the creative process.” There are also “real-world examples” where innovation and invention have enacted positive change around the globe.
Teens: Creative Minds runs until Aug. 4.
Witness Blanket is a “powerful” art installation being showcased in the Museum of Surrey’s Indigenous Hall.
The artwork is being circulated by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg and is a reproduction of a piece by Newman. Inspired by a woven blanket, it is a cedar‐framed artwork made from several hundred items from residential schools survivors, churches, governments, and other cultural sites across Canada.
Witness Blanket runs until July 21.
The Museum of Surrey is located at 17710 56A Avenue in Cloverdale. Entrance is free.
To find out more info, contact the museum at 604-592-6956, or via museum@surrey.ca, or visit surrey.ca/museum.
