Music Is Like A Heartbeat

Innu Nikamu - A great gathering

Shana St-Onge
August 5, 2017
Mani-Utenam

"You can come! It's really big!"

Shana G. Saint-Onge, Innue

Every year, Shana gets carried away by the whirlwind of music and activities at the Innu Nikamu Festival. Like all members of her community, she takes advantage of the overflowing energy and festive atmosphere of this event created in 1985. She meets family members she hasn’t seen in a long time and slips into the large crowd that’s come to enjoy shows, picking up here and there food or crafts. She wouldn’t miss this great gathering for anything in the world, a modern version of the ones her ancestors knew. Shana’s eyes sparkle as darkness falls and the lights hit the stage.

Transcript

On a grassy ground, about fifteen wooden benches where young and old have taken their seats. The festival stage and two giant screens are at one end; tents, mainly shaped like tipis are installed around the circumference of the site. The sky is blue. A song is playing. On a bench sits a young girl in a black hooded sweater. She's looking at her mobile device.

Shana

Kuei, hello! Here we are at Innu Nikamu, a music festival. It was mainly, Indigenous. Now it’s for everyone. It's... It's the 33rd year! It's a pretty important event for us. Craftsmen can sell their things; behind there or over there, the tents, as you can see.

Shana points in front, turns around and indicates the tipis behind her.

She looks at her mobile device.

This event is very important for us because it’s a way for us to get together. Family from outside the region, that we haven't seen during the year, come for a visit to enjoy the festival and have a good time.

She looks at her mobile device.

I remember when I was younger, there was an African tribe, I think. Those with plates in... plates on their lips, I’d say. And last year, there was Simple Plan. It was fun! And it was huge too. It’s cool! There are several communities who get together here. It’s really fun! And the festival is not just a site event, it's more than that. Everyone in the village takes the opportunity to sell... to sell homemade food, traditional or non-traditional. There are all sorts of things. There's even... They even sell candy.

She looks at her mobile device.

Yeah, and about 10, 12000 people come every year .
And I have the impression it’s getting bigger and bigger every year.

And it's really fun! There’s really... It's not only Indigenous people who come here to sing. There are Quebecers... People from all over the world, like the Africans who came for a visit.

I don't remember why they were here. But they came to visit with us. So, you people can come visit us too. Everything you need is here. There are crafts right behind the tents there! And there's more over there.

Pointing to her left and behind her.

Well, also, it's fun! I love it! So, thank you!

play_video

Innu Nikamu - A great gathering

Choose your video experience

Choose your video experience

Browser not compatible with immersive video