Skookum Sound System to embark on a tour of Yukon!

“Art has the ability to inspire new dreams, while reinforcing the thoughts and understandings of our ancestors….As Sqelxw (Indigenous People) art continues to be a means for survival, but rather than providing everyday function and practicalities like in the pre-contact era, art is now the loudest way to bring attention to our existence and perspectives.”

 

Those are the words from Bracken Hanuse Corlett, one of the four members of Skookum Sound System. The Indigenous media artists, from BC’s Coast Salish territory, call their show a media trip of song, dance, and moving images from the past and present.  The collective is coming up fast on the heels of the greatly successful A Tribe Called Red, who headlined at the Frostbite Music Festival this year.

 

“All native DJ collaborations are catching on like wildfire; in the clubs, at festivals, in galleries in schools and community workshops. These guys and girls are shaping and defining something that’s never been done before,” BC Musician magazine wrote earlier this year.

 

Lucky for us, these talented artists are coming to the Yukon to share their skills with Whitehorse and rural youth.

 

The collective is travelling to Whitehorse to perform at the Adaka Cultural Festival. Afterwards, they’re embarking on a tour of Yukon to give youth workshops on djing, beatmaking, singing and video-making.

 

BYTE is honoured to help host workshops in Haines Junction, Dawson and Old Crow. Our Community Outreach Coordinator, Tanyss Knowles, is incredibly excited to join the tour. Although Skookum Sound System will be delivering the workshop content, BYTE will be leading some games and activities, and acting as a liaison with community youth workers.

 

“This is an awesome opportunity to decentralize cultural events in the Yukon, to bring rural youth an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have access to,” Tanyss says.

 

Skookum Sound System’s aim is to transcend the barriers that sometimes come with learning about new forms of technology. The workshops will teach youth media art skills and in a broader sense, reaffirm the importance of human expression.

 

 

Skookum Sound System will be in:

 

Haines Junction

Workshops Monday June 24th 11AM-5PM at St-Elias School

Contact CAFN Youth Centre, Shannon 634-5242

 

Whitehorse

Workshop Tuesday June 25th and Wednesday June 26th 11AM-5PM at the Yukon College (Trades Wing)

Contact NCES Naomi 335-5920

 

Dawson City

Workshop Saturday June 29th 11AM-5PM

Contact THFN Youth Centre Ricky 993-7129

 

Old Crow

Workshop Sunday June 30th 1-7PM at the Youth Centre

Contact VGFN Jeremy 966-3261 #275

 

The project is a collaboration of the Yukon Film Society (YFS), the Adaka Cultural Festival, Northern Cultural Expression Society (NCES) and BYTE. Community partners are Champagne-Aishihik First Nation, Trondek Hwech’in First Nation, KIAC, Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation.

 

 For more information

 

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/259914064146940/

 

Skookum Sound System website: http://www.realskookum.com