Heart of the City, indeed
A festival featuring the best of the Downtown Eastside begins on October 26
This year’s Heart of the City Festival will be missing two of its most important voices.
Sadly, the festival’s artist in residence, Kat Zu’comulwat Norris, and long-time participant Sid Chow Tan each passed away over the past three months. Kat and Sid were revered for their willingness to speak out against injustice and for building bridges between Indigenous and racialized communities.
I knew both of them for many years and think about them as my teachers.
Kat, a survivor of the notorious Kuper Island Indian Residential School, taught me about resilience. She suffered abuse that most of us cannot even comprehend, yet she remained incredibly upbeat and supportive of others.
When my time as editor of the Georgia Straight recently came to an end—an utterly trivial event in comparison to what Kat endured in her life—I could draw on her example to move forward with optimism on a new project.
One of my happiest moments in my previous job was seeing Kat on the cover of last year’s Georgia Straight Heart of the City Festival issue. It was a dream for me to be able to feature her in this way and tell our readers how special she truly was. I’ll always remember her sense of humour, even as she struggled with illness, and hope that her surviving family members can take comfort in knowing how much she was admired.
From Sid, I learned many things about the strength of the Lo Wah Kiu (old overseas Chinese) who made Hum Siu Fow (Saltwater City) their home. I also learned about the value of community service from Sid. He was a true public servant, forgoing material wealth so he could devote himself to advancing the dignity of Chinese seniors and low-income residents of the Downtown Eastside.
Sid was a warrior for the poor and disenfranchised, applying his impressive intellect to advance their interests rather than enriching himself. He often did this through documentary filmmaking.
One of Sid’s passions, which he articulated to me about 20 years ago, was to encourage racialized people to support one another in their struggles. He felt that it was essential for people to get out of their silos and work collectively on social justice.
In her own way, Kat also reflected this philosophy, eagerly lending a hand to non-Indigenous people seeking a fairer society. She was also an actor, radio host, and public speaker.
I also want to give credit to the founders of the Heart of the City Festival, Terry Hunter and Savannah Walling, for repeatedly providing a platform for Kat and Sid to elevate our collective understanding of the Downtown Eastside. Terry and Savannah are two of the city’s unsung heroes for their service to the neighbourhood that they’ve called home for decades.
Through Vancouver Moving Theatre (VMT), which produces the festival, Terry and Savannah have made a priority of programming Indigenous artists and storytellers. This year, Heart of the City runs from October 26 to November 6. It includes more than 100 events over 12 days, showcasing the neighbourhood in ways rarely featured in the mainstream media.
The festival’s capable publicist, Jodi Smith, sent me a news release this week that includes some of the top picks. I have reproduced this section of Jodi’s news release below. If you have time, I encourage you to drop by to some of these events or tune in over the Internet.
1. ‘The Gathering’ Mural Launch
‘The Gathering’ Mural, a stunning tryptic mural created in 2016 by Richard Tetrault, is expanding with an additional seven new panels by Tetrault, Charlene Johnny, Marissa Nahanee and Jerry Whitehead. The Gathering Mural hangs in the Carnegie Theatre during the Festival and pays tribute to past and present DTES artists and activists, and to the diverse cultures and heritage of the Downtown Eastside. Meet the artists and hear the inspiring stories behind the artists and activists represented in this extraordinary mural.
Wednesday October 26, 4pm. Free
Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main
2. Honouring Our Grandmothers Healing Journey Residency - Keeping the Fires Burning
Two weeks of art, ceremony, teachings and storytelling honour lived experiences and legacies of indigenous grandmothers past and present who traveled to the Downtown Eastside from the BC Interior. Launched at last year’s festival, this multi-year, multi-generational project brings together Interior Salish and Coast Salish peoples with nations connected to the Fraser and Thompson Rivers, mountains and salmon. Artist Producer Nadine Spence’s painted cedar chest honours her Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc grandmothers who died in the Downtown Eastside. The public is invited to place messages for their ancestors, land and waters into a travelling community message chest created by artists of different nationalities with historic relationships with Indigenous peoples. Through arts and ceremony, Honouring Our Grandmothers brings together family and residents who work to restore relationships between generations and communities. Produced by Further We Rise Indigenous Arts Collective/ Sacred Rock, in partnership with Vancouver Moving Theatre/ Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival, along with Massy Arts Society, VALU CO-OP lCommunity Projects and Love Intersections, and Carnegie Centre/ Oppenheimer Park.
Wednesday October 26 to Sunday November 6. Free. VALU CO-OP Studio, 525 Carrall Elements Unite window display;
Wednesday October 26, 6pm. By donation, registration info on Festival website early October. Massy Arts Gallery, 23 E. Pender Generations of Women and Water exhibit launch;
Thursday October 27 to Sunday November 6, Tues-Sat 12pm-5pm. Free. Massy Arts Gallery, 23 E. Pender Generations of Women and Water exhibit;
Saturday October 29, 10am-4pm. Free. Oppenheimer Park, 488 Powell Keeping the Fires Burning , 1pm Cultural Sharing;
Wednesday November 2, 6pm. By donation, registration info on Festival website early October. Massy Arts Gallery, 23 E. Pender Travelling Message Chests Talk;
Thursday November 3, 6pm. By donation, registration info on Festival website early October. Massy Arts Gallery,
23 E. Pender Inherent Responsibility cultural protocol talk.
3. Light Up the Night: Conversation with Travis Lupick
Author and award-winning journalist Travis Lupick shares stories from his recent book, Light Up the Night: America’s Drug Overdose Crisis and the Drug Users Fighting for Survival (New Press, 2022). Told through embedded reporting focused on two heroic activists, it is the story of the courageous people stepping in where government has failed. Lupick is also the author of Fighting for Space: Drug Users’ Response to the Overdose Crisis that recounts Canada’s response to the opioid epidemic, and will discuss how Canada and the US have responded to their shared emergency. Interviewing Travis is Amanda Siebert, also an award-winning author with a new book released this fall, Psyched: Seven Cutting-Edge Psychedelics Changing the World (Greystone Books, 2022).
Thursday October 27, 1pm. Free
Online on the Festival website, pre-recorded
4. Intangible Treasures of the Downtown Eastside
Intangible Treasures of the Downtown Eastside (Zoom Shadow Two) is an online collection of short evocative shadow plays created on the Zoom platform by seven Downtown Eastside-involved artists who share intangible personal treasures that give them strength – from their culture and lived experiences to family stories and Chinatown’s Union Laundry. Co-produced by Runaway Moon Theatre (Enderby, BC) and Vancouver Moving Theatre.
Thursday October 27, 7pm. Free
Online, registration info on Festival website early October
Also available in Carnegie Viewing Room, 401 Main
5. 8th Symposium on Reconciliation & Redress in the Arts: Stories Have Always Been Our Governance
For the Festival's 8th Annual Symposium, we present Stories Have Always Been Our Governance, a national dialogue on culture in Indigenous cities that considers the needs of Indigenous cultural and urban practitioners. The Symposium's tradition continues with a deep-dive for settler cultural and land-based organizations to learn from successful strategies of showing up to do redress in policies and systems in building Indigenous cities. The day opens with an inspiring panel of Indigenous urban cultural leaders from across Turtle Island, followed by a music performance lunch break, and afternoon training in small group breakout sessions. This is for people who understand that reconciliation is broken in Canada, and want to be inspired with knowledge and tools to go past reconciliation to act on redress. The Symposium is a safe place to discuss how to take the next steps into policy action to create conditions for urban governance and justice. Bring your questions, your inventories, your successes, and your challenges! Presented by Voor Urban Labs and the National Urban Indigenous Coalitions Council, in partnership with Vancouver Moving Theatre and the DTES Heart of the City Festival.
Friday October 28, 10am-2pm. Free for DTES residents.
Online, registration and ticket info: https://bit.ly/redress2022
6. Housing Justice with SRO Tenants
Housing Justice with SRO Tenants is an interactive dialogue and film screening in collaboration with The Right to Remain Research Collective and filmmaker Eliot Galán, showcasing SRO (Single Room Occupancy) tenant researchers whose stories prompt moments of collective learning. Audiences are invited to share in the vision of transitional strategies for affordable, safe and healthy housing. Join the group at 1pm to watch three short films, followed by a conversation circle with SRO tenants Nicole Baxter, Kevin Nanaquewitang, Josh Gillen, Richard Schwab and Tom deGrey. The audience will be invited to offer questions. Come early to meet the crew, stay afterwards to partake in a community meal.
Saturday October 29, 1pm-3pm. Free to all!
Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main
Registration required for non-DTES residents; info on Festival website in early October
7. Two Amigos Walking Tour, with John Atkin and Bob Sung
The Festival is excited to present a walking exploration with the powerhouse duo of John Atkin and Bob Sung. The Two Amigos bring a unique insight to the neighbourhood’s history, culture and architecture. Along the way you’ll discover what’s in the herbal stores, the fight for neighbourhood preservation, local architecture, and bbq’d meats! John is a civic historian and heritage consultant, and Bob hosts cultural and culinary tours of Chinatown.
Sunday October 30, 10am
$10 / low-income pay what you can
Limited capacity, registration info on Festival website early October
8. 3rd Annual Legion of Flying Monkeys Evil Cult Singalong
Come in costume to MacLean Park for the third annual Legion of Flying Monkeys Evil* Cult Singalong! Enjoy a rousing good time with music composed for the wildly original instruments built from Strathcona-grown wood; dance to protest-folk-rock and join in the pledge to become a part of a larger, completely benevolent corporation. What could possibly go wrong? *Caution: children will be exposed to humanist and socialist lyrics.
Monday October 31, 4pm. Free
MacLean Park, 710 Keefer
9. IronFest III
Novel sound worlds and first-time collaborations: musicians from the UK, US, and Canada join local greats for three nights of daring sonic exploration at The Ironworks, a cozy and acoustically delightful jewel of the DTES. Coastal Jazz, in association with the DTES Heart of the City Festival and Music on Main, presents IronFest III, a diverse three-night series of fresh, expressive music by players from around the world, and right around the corner. The mini-fest kicks off with two groups, SICK BOSS and Josh Zubot & Strings, who enmesh cerebral composition with next-level adventurous improvisation; followed by two evenings that promise unprecedented, unrepeatable, and unmissable meetings between international innovators, cross-Canada all-stars, and local lights.
Thursday November 3, 8:30pm. Josh Zubot & Strings/ SICK BOSS
Friday November 4, 9:30pm. Feven Kidane/ Tony Wilson; Eylem Basaldi (US)/ Gord Grdina/ Torsten Müller; François Houle/ Alexander Hawkins (UK)/ Kate Gentile (US)
Saturday November 5, 9:30pm. Jay Clayton (US)/ Róisín Adams/ Jen Yakamovich; John Paton/ Stéphane Diamantakiou/ Ivan Bamford; Ayelet Rose Gottlieb/ Elisa Thorn/ Aram Bajakian/ Peggy Lee/ Hamin Honari
The Ironworks, 235 Alexander
Tickets on sale September 27th, $25 each including service fees
For more info, visit www.coastaljazz.ca/events
10. Honouring Writers of the Downtown Eastside
Honouring Writers of the Downtown Eastside, celebrates writers and poets - past and present - who mentor our community with their powerful thoughts, words, ideas, support and encouragement. In the evening program, we honour poets who have passed before us, including: Sandy Cameron, Bud Osborn, Muriel Marjorie, Robyn Livingstone, Joan Morelli, dn simmers, Lee Maracle, Jim Wong Chu, Wayson Choy, and Kat Zucomulwat Norris, the Festival Elder in Residence 2017 to 2022. In the afternoon, the DTES Writers’ Collective will share their writings; Muriel’s Journey Poetry Prize will offer readings from award-winning writers in honour of the beloved DTES poet Muriel Marjorie; and the annual Sandy Cameron Memorial Writing Contest & Award Ceremony, presented by the Carnegie Newsletter, will honour and recognize writers of today.
Saturday November 5. 12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 7pm. Free
Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main
11. The Prop Master’s Dream
The Prop Master’s Dream is a new fusion opera based on the extraordinary true-life story of Wah-Kwan Gwan (1929-2000), a legendary prop master born to a Chinese father and an Indigenous mother in BC. Produced by Vancouver Cantonese Opera.
溫哥華燕鳳鳴粵劇團呈獻 “道具大師的尋根夢”
道具大師的尋根夢是根據關華坤 (1929-2000) 的真實故事改編而成,他是一位傳奇的粵劇界道具大師,父親是華裔,母親是卑詩省的原住民。
購票電話: 604-764-8181; 電郵: vancanopera@gmail.com
Saturday November 5, 2pm & 7pm
2022年11月5日; 只演兩場:下午 2 時,晚上7時
Annex Theatre 劇院 溫哥華 823 Seymour
Tickets $35-45. Limited seats, purchase tickets at Eventbrite: The Prop Master's Dream Tickets
12. Together in Peace
An annual Festival favourite, this afternoon concert nurtures peace through culture and community, presented with the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians. The concert highlights lively choral and orchestral music, exciting dance, and exquisite costumes, featuring the Hall’s own Barvinok Choir , Vancouver Folk Ensemble and the award-winning Dovbush Dancers. Special guests this year include the Left Coast Labour Chorus who bring the joy and inspiration of music to the social justice and labour movements, and The Wheat in the Barley, founded 26 years ago by Steve Gidora who has deep roots in the labour and peace movements, performing selections that can be described as multicultural with an emphasis on Celtic and Slavic flavours. Enjoy the Sunday concert with friends and neighbours at the east-end’s historic Ukrainian Hall, followed by a Hall social.
Sunday November 6, 3pm
Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender
Tickets: $25 (6-12 years olds $10). For info and tickets, visit www.auucvancouver.ca