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17ARTSCULTURESTORYTELLINGTuesdaySeptember162014KoKeStorytellingFestivalignitesNWTcommunitiesAnnualfestivalspreadslikewildreacrosstheterritoryByDALICARMICHAELTheatre-goersinYellowknifegottotravelthecountrysidewithoutleavingtheirseatsthisweekendasperformersfromnearandfarsharedtheirtalesinthisyearseditionoftheKoKeStorytellingFestival.TheannualeventrunbytheNorthernArtsandCulturalCentreNACCinpartnershipwithCKLBRadiokickedoffinthecapitalcityonSept.13beforehittingtheroadthisweek.ThetourhasalreadymadeitswaythroughNormanWellsInuvikHayRiverandwillmakeitsnalstopinFortSimpsononSept.15.KoKeisaplacewherepeoplegatherandtellstoriesaroundafiresaidMarieCoderreexecutiveandartisticdirectorforNACCwhichiscelebratingits30thyearofoperation.IdecidedtopartnerwithDenezewhoisthedirectorofCKLBandweworkedallyearlongtofindthelineupofartiststogether.WedecidedthistimetoputalittlemoreemphasisontheAb-originalcomponent.Thefirstdayofthefestivalstretchedthroughouttheafternoonandintotheeveningemceedbythefestivalsco-or-ganizerandCKLBradiodirectorDenezeNakehko.Nakehkoalsosharedthehis-toryofhisnameandfamilyduringanaf-ternoonsession.Wetriedtobringsomediversitytothespo-kenwordnotonlytellingastoryCoderresaiddescribingtheeclecticgroupofartistsattendingtheevents.TheyincludedDenestorytellerLawrenceNayallywhosharedtalesfromlivingonthelandintheNorthwestTerritoriesfol-lowedbyMohawkwomanJanetRogerswhocaptivatedtheaudiencewithherem-poweringpoetry.BothperformershadthechancetohitthestageasecondtimewhenlocalperformerPaulMcKeecamedownwithanillness.WilliamGreenlandofInuvikthenplayedhisutewhiledescribingtheupsanddownofhismusicaljourneyanexperiencehede-scribedashealing.TheYellowknifeDeneDrummersagroupmadeupofyoungmencomingintotheirownfollowedupwithtra-ditionalsongsthathadsomeinthecrowdontheirfeet.AfteratraditionalfeastofcariboustewandbannockPatBradentolddreamytalesoflifeinYellowknifeandotherstoriestothesoundofhishypnotizingChapmanStickaguitar-basshybrid.FinallyCreecomedianHowieMillerclosedtheshowwithacomedyroutinethatwalkedthenelinebetweenhilariousanduncom-fortableasheaddresseduniquelyAboriginalexperiencesinthecountry.DevelopingtheatrecultureintheNWTThefestivalisawaytopreservethecul-turethroughthespokenwordsoitsveryimportantforustoencouragethelocaltal-entsaidCoderreexplainingthatlocalart-istswouldbeperformingateacheveningofthetour.ItsnotonlyaboutbringingwithusartistsfromthesouthorthebigcentrehereinYellowknife.Itsalsoaboutbeingabletodevelopthetalentsinthelocalcommunities.CoderresaidNACCistryingtodevelopastrongertheatrecultureoutsideofYellow-knifewithanunderstandingthattalentedartistsareworthpayingfor.Anothergoalofthetourshesaidistoencouragethedevel-opmentofyoungartistsintheNorth.Eachcommunitywherewegowiththestorytellingweregoingtostopinalltheschoolsshesaid.Itssomethingwedoeverytourdefinitelyinordertocreateaninterestforkidsandtomakethemdreamtogetthemthinkingaboutwhattheywanttodolater.PhotosDaliCarmichaelTheyoungmembersoftheYellowknifeDeneDrummersplayandsingasthecrowdenjoysafeastofstewandbannock.PatBradenriffsoffmelodictuneswhiletellingstoriesoftheNorth.WilliamGreenlandplayshisutepausingperiodicallytospeakofhismusicaljourney.JanetRogersperformsherpowerfulpoetrywhileencircledbytheaudience.LawrenceNayallybecomesanimatedwhilesharingtalesfromtheland.TheeveningsheadlinerHowieMillermakesthetheatreroarwithlaughteroverhisantics.