ACTUALITÉS-OLD

Vuk Cvetanovic Lalovic • May 17, 2024

 

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, held by the AIDS committee of Ottawa (ACO) and Bruce House, offers a celebratory gathering in tribute of the struggles and triumphs of those afflicted by HIV\AIDS.

Last week the ACO commemorated those lost to a disease that still leaves many marginalized and stigmatized. The event itself gathered like-minded partners for the purposes of remembering those lost, and invigorating the community spirit the organizations have kindled for over three decades.

Both the ACO and Bruce House are some of Ottawa’s most storied institutions, with Bruce House’s 35th anniversary held just last year. Their milestones serve as a continued reminder that these missions of stable housing, healthy living, and readily accessible disease identification and treatment have always stood on the shoulders of a united community.

The battle for an integrated, anti-racist and prejudice-free location for sufferers of HIV/AIDS has been a difficult one, and one which disproportionately affects members of the queer and BIPOC communities. With about 55 new cases per year in Ottawa, the commemoration is a welcome chance to gather the community around a day of unity and thoughtful remembrance.

The nondescript building, tucked away on the corner of Main St. near the Rideau Canal, belies the sheer variety of attendants all fighting the grief of losing a loved one. The ACO created a comforting atmosphere with free refreshments and a BBQ afterparty.

However this was only the beginning, as a panoply of guests and community members alike organized themselves for a variety of performances.

A particular highlight was that of the multi-instrumentalist Eric, who played the drums and ngoni, a West African string instrument, in a brilliant manner, inviting the participants to dance. Delivering a touching series of eulogies, he spoke of the universal unity of all people, and declared that ‘’eternal life is what we are gathered here for… it is life through memory,” a poignant summation of the power of remembrance, especially in the context of heavy stigmatization.

Many participants found themselves praising the heart found in his music, with one commenting it helped to “connect oneself on a spiritual level.”

After Eric came the musical talents of Gustavo, whose repertoire, consisting of songs from Venezuela, Chile, and the Spanish region of Galicia, were tied together by a feeling of loss, but also that of a profound love. The resonant guitar, paired with heartfelt vocals, was a reflection, not just of the difficulties of loss and degradation but of the fact that a community remains, “still here, still singing,” as told by the artist.

The musical acts would give way to a short message, courtesy of journalist Ali Al Ashoor. Expressing his gratitude at the opportunity to work with the ACO, he gave thanks to the many participants of the Carleton University’s journalistic collaboration with Bruce House.

Through a series of interviews, both with volunteers and those afflicted by HIV, the students of Carleton University’s faculty of journalism wrote biographies highlighting the difficulties, but also the achievements of these contributors. Their stories commemorate the 35-year long efforts of the Bruce House community in fighting for the creation of a safe and inclusive space for sufferers of HIV\AIDS.

 

This candlelight memorial event showed off the trailer for 2023’s I Don’t Know Who You Are, a story about a young man desperately trying to gather money for an HIV-preventative treatment after a sexual assault. With a place of honour at Toronto’s International Film Festival (TIFF), the film’s themes of abandonment, desperation and isolation strikes a cord for many and marked a sober reflection on the fates of those who have passed.

Lifting the audience’s spirits was a stunning encore performance by Eric, whose performance on the ngoni was punctuated by calls for participation from the audience. Rousing the assembled guests, the instrument, which is traditionally reserved for ceremonial purposes, was able to “recall where we are coming from, even from far away,” a sentiment uniquely communicated by music.

The event was closed out by a small auction of visual art, with painter Norm B. designing a variety of artistic collections for the event. With depictions of landscapes, abstract art, and even superheroes on display, the sheer diversity of the showing was a proud demonstration of the community’s artistic talents, and only strengthened the message of unity that permeated the entire event. With a final applause and message of thanks, the guests filtered out and eagerly filled their plates.

As was stated by Eric, people are, in essence, “only made of stories.” Gathered around the table, their communal commemoration of those they had lost marks a bittersweet chapter in still-moving stories.

Ana Sofia de la Parra • May 14, 2024

 

The Tulip festival is here, and it came at full speed in full bloom. From this past weekend til May 20th, tulips will be growing right under our noses, showcasing their vibrant colours, fragrances, and impressive beauty at the Ottawa Commissioners Park around Dow’s Lake.

Numerous activities blossom with this festival, some of them include the Tulip
Market, open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. This market offers tulips and artisanal
merchandise from regional artists, a substantial way to support local markets
while also creating the perfect atmosphere.

Visitors can also make it a full-day adventure by taking the time to enjoy the splendid and varying colourful flowers. What’s more, they’re also showing movies and screenings in the park, which will showcase free children’s matinees at 2 p.m. and more free family-friendly viewings at 7 p.m.

Otherwise, if you are looking for a more private, date night idea, the Blacklight Boardwalk will alight from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night. One Tulip Festival visitor states, “The walk, the view and the market are to die for at this time,” which I agree with.

This activity isn’t just romantic but it’s also a very nice and beautiful walk; I highly
recommend indulging in and enjoying the spring-like weather as well as the sunset and
night sky cross the venue.

Colourful lights covered little markets and reflected on the water of Dow’s Lake, creating the stunning illusion of a magical night. However, some are coming out for the historical alignment of it all: there will be a free 10-minute show at 9 p.m. every night of one of the most notable RCAF missions of the Second World War: Operation Manna.

This event has gone on since 1953, boosting Ottawa’s economy and bringing over $140 million per year. Before digging into this historical festival and its establishment, it’s important to state that the tulip is an international symbol of friendship and peace.

This annual occasion has been a way for the Dutch royalty to thank Canada for its international friendship, as well as their support in the liberation of the Netherlands and Europe in World War II. The Tulip Festival also commemorates the birth of Dutch Princess Margriet in Ottawa during those times, the only royal personage ever to be born in Canada.

Gracefully so, the Royal Family sends 10,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa each year for the festival. This, in addition to the already 10,000 tulips the Dutch embassy gifted to the Civic Hospital as a gratitude gift
for the birth of their princess.

The Tulip Festival is a highly anticipated event, with it being the largest tulip display in the world.
People from around Canada and the world have come to see the delightful and stunning event.

While some have come more than once, as one visitor stated, “we come every year, it’s a nice family tradition,” there are also newcomers who said “It’s my first year in Canada, and the flowers are a refreshing end to the cold winter,” which I think we can all agree on.

Remember the Tulip Festival is here till May 20th, so plan a trip or a stroll through the park and enjoy the beginning of spring and the marvellous display of colours and flora that Ottawa has to offer during this time.

I will definitely be visiting again, and I suggest you take a bud, or find some-buddy to go with and marvel at the grandest display of tulips in the world.

Hadassa Igirubuntu • May 13, 2024

 

L’Académie Richard Robinson nous donne accès aux coulisses de sa Grande Première 2024 au Centre Shaw un samedi 4 mai 2024, au plaisir des plus grands curieux.

Avant les grands feux des projecteurs, les flashs des appareils photo ainsi que les applaudissements du public, il y a les coulisses. Explorons ensemble les rideaux qui nous séparent de l’arrière-scène et découvrez les trésors cachés de cet endroit peu fréquenté.

Derrière les rideaux de la grande scène

 

Au-delà de ce décor magnifique que s’imaginent les spectateurs, tout commence à partir d’une idée. La carte blanche a été donnée aux élèves de la prestigieuse académie les permettant de laisser libre cours à leur imagination ce qui, peut parfois s’avérer être une étape difficile dans la procédure de la réalisation de leurs œuvres d’art.

Sans le vouloir, cette carte peut mener au syndrome de la page blanche, celle de ne pas savoir quoi faire. Henriette Bangoura qui pourtant a remporté le prix du meilleur bustier 2023, se dit avoir finalement trouvé sa voie :

« Franchement, j’ai trouvé mon inspiration et j’aime beaucoup plus les trucs asymétriques. » nous fait-elle part.

Oui, comme vous l’avez bien compris le métier de créateur de mode excède le simple fait de tracer des croquis, mais exige également de les confectionner. Malheureusement, le sommeil n’était pas au rendez-vous pour certains et d’autres se voyaient travailler sans relâche (à en perdre la notion du temps) sans même voir les jours passés. C’est le cas d’ Apple Grace, designer de mode, dont un de ses modèles nous fait le récit du travail d’arrache pied qu’elle exerçait lors du préparatif de la Grande Première. « Elle était en train de travailler pour toute l’année et même l’année passée, ne pas dormir des journées pour pouvoir faire ce que l’on voit aujourd’hui. » nous dit-il.

 

 

Le travail paie, du moins les tenues confectionnées par la finissante de l’académie le témoignent. En termes de chiffres, vous êtes-vous déjà demandé combien d’heures un designer utilise pour créer sa tenue? J’ai posé cette question à Catherine, une étudiante de la première année ayant voulu explorer un domaine plus artistique, et voici sa réponse:

« Peut-être une centaine d’heures dans tous nos habits, ça a été beaucoup d’ouvrages. Oui, je suis pas mal excitée pour le spectacle mais, je suis anxieuse aussi. » dit-elle avec un rire anxieux.

Beaucoup d’heures de travail et que ce soit à la maison ou à l’académie, le travail continue malgré tout même dans les coulisses! C’est le moment idéal pour les perfectionnistes de rendre leur modèle et design parfait mais, également le moment opportun pour les élèves de finaliser et retoucher leurs vêtements. Maquillages, vêtements, souliers, sacs, collations, boissons, accessoires, c’est un véritable pêle-mêle derrière les rideaux de la grande scène!

Yosra étudiante en relation publique et passionnée de mode se présente en tant bénévole à l’événement. Présente sur les lieux dès 9h du matin, elle nous décrit la situation:

« C’est un peu chaotique… un petit peu mais, d’une bonne façon. […] Donc ouais, franchement, c’est quand même un événement très bien organisé. J’ai rien à dire, le staff (le personnel) était fabuleux! […] J’ai rarement eu des problématiques à n’importe quel niveau. » nous raconte honoré de prendre part à l’organisation du défilé.

L’arrière scène s’avère être un espace de travail acharné et bondé. Il n’est donc pas étonnant qu’il soit difficile de trouver les designers ainsi que leurs modèles. Invité, enseignant, modèle tout comme designer ont du style et souvent, il est très difficile de les différencier si ce n’est que les volontaires et les médias. Tous portent des styles qui leur définissent criant à haute voix leur personnalité.

Imaginé être dans la peau d’un modèle, ça ne doit pas être si facile de porter des vêtements qui ne nous représentent pas alors, voici l’avis de l’un d’entre eux:

« Nous ça nous fait plaisir, en plus qu’on aime bien ses modèles (du designer). Si je dois travailler avec quelque chose avec lequel on est confortable (je le ferai). On aime ce qu’il fait. » nous explique Louniss, un modèle qui défile pour la collection Mirage du designer Mamadou.

 

Le défilé de cette année 2024 nous a permis de repousser nos limites et d’étendre nos rêves. Bravo à tous ces académiciens qui ont travaillé dur pour nous émerveiller avec leur création! Votre avenir est très prometteur! Chacune de ces Grandes Premières est exceptionnelle, des incontournables de Ottawa à absolument pas manquer! Nous avons hâte de voir ce que les élèves nous réservent pour l’année 2025.

Vuk Cvetanovic Lalovic • May 9, 2024

 

The annual Cranium Festival has become an ever-expanding staple of the Ottawa music scene, and continues this trend with a duo of panels tackling some of the music industry’s biggest questions; how does a young artist best begin their career, and how is hip-hop tied to resistance?

The panels, hosted by a variety of prominent figures in Ontario’s music scene, reaffirm the event’s importance as a cultural hub for BIPOC expression in the National Capital region, presenting a variety of views on the hip-hop community, its influence on mainstream culture, and the role of the artist in the modern media landscape.

Held from May 2nd to 4th, the event has been branded as an event that prioritizes “engaging with BIPOC professionals and beneficiaries when booking artists or contractors and when delivering professional development programming,” as stated on their website.

Since their first event in 2019, the event has become a mainstay, attracting crowds with live performances, guest workshops, and vinyl discoveries. Participating artist Nambi, who has returned for a repeat performance at this year’s festival, describes Cranium as an event “by us, for us,” offering an experience that was previously vanishingly rare in the Ottawa region.

The panels were hosted in a small atrium in the National Arts Centre’s lobby, the airy space inviting passersby to stop by and listen. With most events absolutely free, the festival encourages active participation from members of the community of all backgrounds, contributing to a feeling of togetherness.

This year’s themed panels, with their topics of fighting polarisation and freely spreading information, have only strengthened that particular sensation.

The first panel, ‘Community Engaged Arts: Hip-hop and resistance panel,’ ran from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m on May 4th, presented by Patrick McCormack, an Ottawa-based artist and managing director of the festival since its inception.

Participants ranged from Jesse Ohtake, founder of well-known Toronto-based concert production company The Academy, singer, poet, comedian, and actor Rose-Ingrid Benjamin, and rising star rapper Mazyn.

Engaging with the complex topic of social resistance, the panel attempted to chart the different approaches that characterise the hip-hop movement’s rise from urban rebellion into world-spanning fame.

The controversial topic was enthusiastically discussed by the panellists, who brought their particular experiences to bear in order to articulate their relationship with the artform.

Indeed, the example of rapper Mazyn, who grew up in Egypt, but said “hip-hop speaks to me more than any other type of music.”

This was contrasted by Ohtake’s more sober and storied perspective and Benjamin’s grassroots enthusiasm. In spite of these differences, each response revealed a different facet of hip-hop’s place in the current socio-cultural zeitgeist.

The panellists also delved into the minutia of the dichotomy between hip-hop as a culture and hip-hop as a brand, and the balance which must be upheld in order to foster any kind of resistance.

With clothing so intertwined into the movement, there was emphasis placed on a spirit of scrappy recycling and inventiveness which was at the origin of many of the trend-setting items, a small act of resistance in and of itself.

Ottawa-born singer and comedian Rose-Ingrid Benjamin says the“making do is non-consumerist,” which was presented as a refutation of the polished sheen of mainstream hip-hop, and demonstrated the continued grassroots nature of the bottom-up movement, an attitude that Benjamin would call “owning your story, which no-one else can do for you.”

The second panel, ‘Navigating Your Career as an Independent Artist,’ from 4 p.m to 5 p.m. was host to a veritable who’s-who of influential musicians in the Ontarian music scene, including the experienced musical consultant and music business teacher David ‘Click’ Cox, stalwart independent rapper Dan-e-o, inventive Afro-Caribbean artist Jessie Simmons, and the eclectic soul singer Nambi, all presented by Juno nominated reggae artist J Morris.

With a variety of approaches to both music and business on display, aspiring artists were able to glean a wide variety of tips and advice in regards to any tentative first steps into the business. Questions of resource gatekeeping, networking advice, and difficulties in were all addressed, with the panellists repeatedly stressing “constant re-learning” as a key factor in enduring and thriving in a rapidly-developing entertainment environment.

According to Nambi, a prominent key to success as an up-and-coming artist is to “hold strong relationships with those you trust,” a sentiment only reaffirmed by Jessie Simmons, who has cultivated a strong media image only by collaboration with a competent and trusted team.

This of course, doesn’t mean that additional support wouldn’t be appreciated, with discussion of groups such as the Toronto or Ottawa Arts Councils, as well as initiatives like the Unison Fund heartily recommended to any aspiring creatives.

Commenting on the difficulties of growing past the initial artistic slumps, the panellists showed a variety of responses, but insisted on a single idea; success is not easy, and must be done with heart. Give it your all, or do nothing at all.

For a festival that has enabled and cultivated a variety of voices that, until recently, would have been strongly marginalised, it is a fitting summation.

Following the panel, the CHUO team was able to obtain an interview with musician and long-time follower of the station, Nambi (formerly Rita Carter). She has graciously shared her thoughts on her music, development as an Ottawa-based artist, as well as her involvement in the Cranium festival. Her interview is a revelatory insight into the role the festival plays in assuring a space for emerging acts, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vuk: Hello Nambi, and thank you for granting me this interview. So, first of all, for those who don’t know you, maybe a short introduction would be in order?

Nambi: Okay, great, yeah. Um, thank you so much for inviting me to speak to you. Um, my name is Nambi. I’m formerly known as Rita Carter.

I was born and raised here in Ottawa. My parents immigrated from Uganda, from East Africa, in the late 70s. And I’ve been making music for a couple decades now and um, yeah, I’m super happy to be here for the Cranium conference and showcase.

 

Vuk: So as I’ve heard, the Cranium Festival is kind of a crowning, well, not a crowning achievement per se, but definitely another notch in your belt. You’ve been to Blues Fest, you’ve done Soul City, you’ve done tours both in East Africa and in the UK.

It’s, all told, quite the storied career. So how much has that, um, has the diversity of that career influenced the development of your sound?

Nambi: Yeah, I think that just growing in my career has influenced the development of my sound. I mean, I write from a very personal place, based on past experiences, or what people close to me are going through.

I also write a lot about world issues. So having all of those milestone moments and great avenues to present my art has definitely helped my career a lot. I especially appreciate the Cranium Festival’s background; it’s been providing a place for emerging talents, especially BIPOC artists, to express themselves and find a platform for like minded people.

 

Vuk: As I recall, this is the second or third time you’ve performed here?

Nambi: This is the second time that I’ve performed for Cranium, but this is my fourth time at the NAC. I definitely want to echo your previous statement. In regards to Cranium, we didn’t have that when I was coming up in the industry in Ottawa.

It was really just, you know, tiny little cafe shops where there would be ,like, open mics or spoken word poetry and stuff like that.

But for BIPOC artists, it wasn’t really common that you would see us in the NAC or in any space like it, for that matter. So yeah, it’s a big change, especially in the last few years.

 

Vuk: Do you think there’s been an uptick in accessibility, and by extension, spaces for people of all sorts to develop their musical style, and do you think Cranium’s been a big contributor to the development of a more open culture?

Nambi: Yeah, I definitely think it’s changed a lot in the last few years. I wonder if it has to do with, uh, the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement which really hit it’s stride back in 2020.

What with it putting more awareness on the fact that representation is really, really important for next generations. Cranium, is almost like the brand FUBU, like, for us, by us, it’s built by people of colour, for people of colour, which is definitely a good way to go forwards.

 

Vuk: Yeah, this is especially important in the wake of intense polarisation in terms of who exactly tells a person or a community’s story.

In any case, what do you think about the mix of panels and live performances, and especially the subjects they cover?

Nambi: I think that it’s all so necessary. Um, all the panels today that I’ve had the chance to listen to have been subjects that we don’t get to really learn about, unless we maybe go to school for this or have people in our corner that can help and educate us on this these subjects. Or researching it yourself, of course, but having panels like today have been very, very beneficial. There are the one on one meetings as well, where you can feel a little more comfortable to ask questions one on one with, you know, music industry people that know more about the subject than you do.

 

Definitely, especially with the specialisation that a lot of the artists here at Cranium benefit from. And it’s all outlined in a non profit way is something that’s very accessible for a whole, for a whole branch of people who might not be able to access it otherwise.

 

Vuk: How do you think the festival itself will develop in the next few years? Do you maybe have any, any ideas for things you’d like to contribute yourself?

Nambi: Um, yeah, I’ve been actually very lucky in my career to work with Ottawa Blues Fest for two seasons, so I learned kind of the back end of how that festival runs.

So I would definitely love to contribute.
Some of the expertise that I’ve learned when it comes to administration as well as programming and grant writing as well.

Uh, but they seem to have that pretty much covered. But I can see the festival growing to be even bigger or even something that can be taken to other small cities around Ottawa that maybe don’t necessarily get the opportunity to come here.

That’s why it was created in Ottawa; because we always had to go to Montreal or Toronto for these types of conferences.

So maybe now it could be spread to more smaller cities because there’s lots of artists everywhere.
You know, some of the best artists come out of the smallest cities and towns.

 

Vuk: Yeah, especially in the wake of, I guess, the mass democratisation of the creative process with different types of applications.
So maybe, continuing on from that, would you maybe have something to say to those, to those young creatives?

Nambi: Yeah, to all the young creatives, I would just say to continue believing in yourself even when you feel like you’re the only one who does.

Belief and doing it with 100 percent your heart is what is going to keep you sustained even in the dark times. That’s the most important thing.
Everything else will come after, but you’ve got to make sure you have your own mental health, okay?
You CAN believe in yourself and believe in the craft that you create.

 

Vuk: It’s an invaluable message to share.
With your release of your album: All of We, the end of the trilogy coming this year,
what kind of sound do you expect people to hear from it, and what do you think your next projects will be like in the wake of it?

Nambi: Yeah, it’s been a long time coming, this album.It’s been over a decade in creation.
A lot of, like, time growing my family and having children and taking steps away.
But, um, finally, really, really excited for people to hear.

Acoustic soul, folk, it’s kind of like an R& B street folk kind of sound, so I like to say that my main influences, Tracy Chapman, Lauryn Hill, and India Arie kind of mixed them together.
So, it’s that kind of natural, acoustic sounding, um, soul, funk, reggae.
I have an eclectic taste, so that’s what my music represents.

And then after that, I’m looking to dive a lot more into the R& B side of myself.

 

Vuk: Yeah, thanks for, thanks for describing it.
And all in all, as we’re running out of time, I have to thank you again for participating in the interview.
I wish you good luck, both for your album and the continued Cranium Festival.

Nambi: Thank you so much, I appreciate it.

Additional details pertaining to the Cranium Festival can be found on the event’s site.