Free Concert: Walking Through the Fire
Featuring Indigenous Artists with Sultans of String
Friday, September 26
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Experience a powerful evening of music and storytelling!
Oakville Public Library brings “Walking Through the Fire” to the stage, a musical multimedia experience featuring award-winning First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists from across Turtle Island, alongside Billboard-charting, six-time Canadian Folk Music Award winners Sultans of String.
From Métis fiddling to an East Coast kitchen party, rumba to rock, and the powerful drumming traditions of the Pacific Northwest, this event showcases the rich and diverse music of Turtle Island. Featured artists include:
- Elder and Coast Tsm’syen Singer-Songwriter Shannon Thunderbird
- Ojibwe/Finnish Singer-Songwriter Marc Meriläinen (Nadjiwan)
- Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk of the Métis Fiddler Quartet
- Plus virtual guests on the big screen, including Elder/Poet Dr. Duke Redbird, the Northern Cree Pow Wow group, Inuit throat-singing duo PIQSIQ, and more!
Bandleader Chris McKhool from Sultans of String shares: “A central theme running through “Walking Through the Fire” is the need for the truth of Indigenous experience to be told before reconciliation can begin in earnest. Embedded in the title of the show is the energy of rebirth: fire destroys, but it also nourishes the soil to create new growth, beauty, and resiliency. “Walking Through the Fire” ensures that we emerge on the other side together, stronger and more unified.”
Things to know before joining:
- The concert will take place in the Rehearsal Hall at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC), 2302 Bridge Rd, Oakville ON, L6L 2G6.
- To ensure we have enough seats, registration for the concert is required. Please register each individual separately, including family members and guests. Multiple attendees can be registered using the same email address, but each person must have their own registration form submitted.
- Doors open at 7pm – various displays will be available to explore before the concert, including The Debwewin: The Oakville Truth Project’s Indigenous History Exhibit.
- Parking is free at QEPCCC, and public transit to the site is available.
- This is a family-friendly concert, and everyone from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities are welcome to attend and enjoy. An Oakville Public Library card is not required to join this event.
This event is part of Oakville Public Library’s Truth and Reconciliation programming. Explore related programs, curated reading lists, educational resources, and more by visiting this webpage.
Thank you to the event supporters: Sultans of String, Oakville Community Foundation, Debwewin Oakville, and Town of Oakville.