IndiginUS festival opening night

The third installment of the Planet IndigenUS festival, a nine-day multidisciplinary celebration of contemporary international indigenous culture kicked off last Friday night at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, which had once been the traditional beaver hunting grounds for the Six Nations.
Critically acclaimed hip-hop artist, Plex, who has previously performed at past Planet IndigenUS festivals, said he is honoured to be a part of the event that celebrates such a rich culture.
“Seeing so many different cultures coming from around the world – New Zealand, Australia, all over the world, they all meet here, so it’s great that we can network but at the same time it’s good to be surrounded by your people,” said Plex, who performed later in the evening.
“Toronto is basically the entertainment hub of Canada and if we didn’t include indigenous culture in that, then we’re excluding people that are very important to building this country. This country wouldn’t exist without the help of the native people,” said Plex.
Along with performances through the night, the international marketplace lined the side of Harbourfront.

The Opening Night Spectacle was hosted by CBC producer/host and hip-hop artist Wab Kinew, and actress Sarah Podemski, who both welcomed acts to the stage and joined in honouring and celebrating their culture and heritage.
Multi-award winning artist, Jennifer Kreisberg opened up the show with a powerful set. The singer was dressed in all blue, and accompanied her amazing voice with only a drum. She sang into the crowd with her eyes closed and it seemed as if her voice bounced off the moon and echoed off of Lake Ontario into the ears of the audience who seemed captivated by her performance.
Multi-talented host, Wab Kinew took to the stage next, drum in hand and sang and rapped for the audience who showed him much appreciation through their applause for his involvement in the night and the culture, before the three brilliant members of Pacific Curls used Maori language and fiddle, as well as their gifted voices, to amuse the crowd with their original music.
BC singer Fara Palmer only performed one song but the emotional message and powerful vocals of her performance left a lasting impression. With her daughter Willow sitting beside her, she belted out her single “To Bring Back Yesterday”, a song written for her mother on residential schooling.
Plex hit the stage bringing tons of energy while rocking a Manifesto fitted. The two hosts joined him on stage to perform their single, “The Way It Should Be”, while youth from the audience reached the front of the stage and began to jump on the chairs.
George Leach, the headlining performer of the evening, sang new tracks from his upcoming project Surrender, belting out the songs with his raspy rock and roll voice, accompanied by a band and his bright red twin guitar.

Gemini award winning actress Michelle Thrush empowered the audience in embracing themselves and artistic creativity, which was what the festival is all about.
“We are at a crossroads. We are at a precipice of change right now and of indigenous people of this land, we have always understood the power that is within us… The world is waiting to hear what we have to say,” she said.
“I am so proud to be an aboriginal woman,” she continued. “As we stand here today, not only are we celebrating artistic celebration [but also] we are celebrating the healing, the love, the unity and embracing our indigenous beautiful selves… We are in the middle of an artistic revolution and a renaissance.”
The event was an energetic night filled with immense talent and a great way to kick of the nine-day festival.