Thank you for a fantastic One Wave Gathering!
“Through film, artistic expression, lectures, and conversation, One Wave brings the Peoples of the Pacific together to share their stories of struggle, strength, and resurgence. … One Wave builds new solidarities and relationships across the Pacific so that we can confront the realities of climate change, injustice and gendered violence collectively to promote change.” – – by Dr. Jeff Corntassel. Associate Director CIRCLE, Acting Director Indigenous Studies at the University of Victoria, PPP Partner since 2014.
From September 1-15th 2018, Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP) is proud to have presented the 11th annual One Wave Gathering, an international Pacific Indigenous arts cultural celebration on Lekwungen territory. One Wave has celebrated international Pacific community, arts and culture in Victoria, British Columbia since 2008. This gathering offering a unique opportunity for communities to meaningfully engage with local and international Indigenous artists, youth and culture, fostering an environment of solidarity and expression amongst Pacific peoples.
One Wave Gathering is held with permission and engagement of Songhees & Esquimalt Nations on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen speaking peoples. This year’s 11th One Wave Gathering spanned two weeks and was held in three venues, providing a host of free public programming that celebrated Pacific Indigenous arts and cultures through music, dance, film, digital art and community discourse. The solidarity building program included special guests and participants from Samoa, Hawai’i, and Australia. All were respectfully received and welcomed by members of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. In the course of the program approximately 1500 people participated directly within the rich program offerings.
Hay’sxʷqa to all who helped make this event possible.
We raise our hands to the Esquimalt Nation and Songhees Nation for their hospitality, guidance and support throughout the coordinating process, for their beautiful lands and waters that sustain us, and for their leaders who guided us and opened our events in a good way.
We are grateful to the many cultural presenters as well as their families and communities, that joined us throughout the diverse program including the Lekwungen Traditional Singers and Dancers, Joe Thomas Esquimalt Singers and Dancers, the Pearls of the South Pacific plus their special guest presenter from Samoa: Ieti To’omalatai, the Kwakiutl Dancers, ANSWER (All Nations Strong Women for Education and Reconciliation), the Unity Drummers and Anela Kahiamoe.
The Gathering would not have been possible without the generous time and knowledge shared by elders, knowledge keepers and youth from Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation and the South Pacific Island Community. Thank you for walking with us in this journey and ensuring that we did our work in a good way.
We acknowledge the significant contributions of MediaNet, who assisted Austin Willis in creating a digital art tribute to last year’s Longhouse Project and most especially for allowing PPP to curate the inaugural digital exhibition The Longhouse Legacy within their brand new Flux Gallery. Thanks also to Jessica Sault for providing amazing food for the opening event on September 1, and to Councillor Garry Sam of the Songhees Nation for Welcoming everyone to Lekwungen Territory in such a good way, our appreciation also to the inspirational women of ANSWER for sharing song and dance; and to members of the Vaka Taumako project who visited us to showcase their film and resurgence project on Polynesian navigation and traditional vaka (canoe) building. And to the many artists and filmmakers that were part of this exhibition including the featured artists from last year’s Longhouse project Hjalmer Wenstob (Nuu-chah-nulth), Sarah Jim (Coast Salish), A.J. Boersen (Nuu-chah-nulth), Juliana Speier (Kwak’waka’wakw), Jazzlyn Markowsky (Maori) and James Goldsmith-Brown (Esquimalt Nation).
We are grateful for the powerful words of Michelle Deshong, CEO of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute, and to CIRCLE and Indigenous Studies at the University of Victoria for the co-presentation and sponsorship support of this important solidarity building event.
Thanks to those that made the signature One Wave Gathering cultural event at Centennial Square so special, including the City of Victoria for financial support, use of the square and technical support. The Songhees Girls Youth group for facilitating the hands on arts activities and helping with the give away, and to World Fisheries Trust for the ocean science display. We also acknowledge the artists that participated including Bear Cat, Virgil Sampson, Chahoo, and NGOs Orange Shirt Day (Every Child Matters), Dogwood Initiatives, and Mosquoy, And to those who helped us to make the event green including CRD and reFuse Zero. And to the incredible Songhees Seafood & Steam Food Truck!
Special recognition of the tremendous work of PPP Staff including April Ingham, Volunteer Andy Nystrom and Interns Austin Willis and Dana Johnson must be made. And we acknowledge former PPP Staff member Siobhan Powlowski for laying such a great foundation for this year’s event. Thanks also to all the volunteers who donated countless hours to help throughout the program’s development and at the events.
We hold our hands up in respect and appreciation to the guides and mentors that directly supported the coordination of the One Wave Gathering including Florence Dick (Lekwungen protocol and guidance), Russ Johnson (Indigenous allyship), Eli Hirtle (Indigenous film & art), Debra Lazzar (Songhees Youth Group), Cat Lewis (program development), Kat Zimmer (Communications), Rick Heywood (Rika) graphic mentorship, and Kirk Schwartz (media & technical support).
One Wave Gathering 2018 was made possible by the generous contributions of the Province of British Columbia, the BC Arts Council, the Government of Canada, the City of Victoria, the Capital Regional District, and the University of Victoria Indigenous Studies Program and CIRCLE.
We are so grateful to our phenomenal sponsors including Jessica Sault – SeeFood Catering, Rika Design, Metropol, Victoria Event Services, Patagonia, Level Ground, Whole Foods, Songhees Seafood & Steam truck, Spud.ca, reFuse zero waste, CRD Water truck, Italian Bakery, Gumboots Productions, Teamwork Promotions Ltd., Heather Tufts photography, plus our many volunteers and participants.
Our apologies if we have forgotten any names in our expression of gratitude. We are thrilled to have seen so many community members contribute to this outstanding event!