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Santassledarrivesformonth-longtourofFortSmithTuesdayDecember9201417ARTSCULTURECHRISTMASDocumentarycapturestheNorthsfuturecomposersFilmmakerstrailyouthmusicprojectacrosstheNWTARTSCULTUREFILMByDALICARMICHAELSantaselveslivinginFortSmithcameoutintothecoldlastweekofciallycommenc-ingtheholidayseasonwithoneofthecom-munitysmostbelovedtraditions.EveryyearfollowingtheSantaClauspa-radeandtownChristmastreelightingasmanyas50volunteerscometogethertoruntheChristmasoatamonth-longseriesoftourswithMr.andMrs.ClausthatbringstheChristmasspiritrighttoresidentsdoorsteps.ThewholeoperationisleadbyheadelfMikeLabinealocalartistwhochannelshistalentintodecoratingthe30-footoatandorganizingthenumerousvolunteersrightupuntilDec.23atwhichpointhesaidSantaneedstoreturntotheNorthPoletoprepforhisannualworldtour.ItgetsmeinthespiritsaidLabinewhohasruntheoperationforthelastfouryears.Itseemstohavethesameeffectonthetown.KidsrunouttogreettheClausesastheyglidebyhandingthemhotchocolateandcookiestokeepthecouplewarmandsatiatedalongtheircoldjourney.Theyalsohand-delivertheirlet-terstoSantaensuringheknowsjustwhattheywishtoseeundertheirtreeChristmasmorning.TheoattourshalfthetowneachnightspendinganhourortwowindingthroughthestreetswiththeClauseswavingateachofthehousestomakesureeveryonegetstheirChristmasgreeting.ItsnotjustthekidswhoenjoypressingtheirnosesupagainstthewindowtoseeSantassleighpassby.IttouchesthelittlekidsrightuptotheoldfolksLabinesaid.Wegobytheoldfolkshomeandtheyreallstandinginthewindow.Theycomeoutandseeitandloveit.Labineistrulyappreciativeofallhisvol-unteerswithoutwhomhesayshewouldnotbeabletorunthefestivities.ThelocalLegionbranchKaesersstoretowncouncilAuroraCollegeandlocalFirstNationsareallmajorsupportersaswellhelpingtonancereplace-mentlightbulbsandgastokeepthepartyaoat.Labinehasaddedsomeupgradestotheoatinrecentyears.ElectricblanketsarekeptonhandtokeeptheClausestoastywhileweather-wornspeakersblastonlythemostupbeatofholidaytunes-SantaBabyandBabyItsColdOutsidearesomeofLabinesfavourites.Thecolourfullightshavebeenupgradedtopower-savingLEDbulbswhichrunoffonegenera-toralonga12-voltsystem.HeislookingforwardtomakingonehugeaestheticchangetotheoatnextyearreplacingtheplywoodcutoutMuffaloosewithablowupversionalegacypropthatcouldbeusedtoraisespiritsatcommunityeventsthroughouttherestoftheyear.ContinuingtraditionssouthoftheborderTherstFortSmithChristmasoatrolledoutin1986.Backthenitwasaone-manop-erationorchestratedbyDuncanMacPhersonwhosimplydecoratedatreeplaceditonapieceofplywoodwithasmallgeneratorandpulleditalongwithafour-wheeleritslightsturnedofftoletthetreeshine.Astheyearswentbyothersinthecom-munitysuggestedincreasinglyextravagantideastoMacPhersonleadingtothelargeoatwiththousandsoflightsthatexiststoday.WhenIputthatsuitonIthoughtIwasSantaMacPhersonsaid.Whenyouthinkyoureactingthepartitsnotanactanymore.Youreallyreallyfeellikeyouvegotapurposeandyourewavingandyoureeyeballingthepeople.NowretiredMacPhersonandhiswifeCarolspendtheirwintersatanRVparkinTonopahArizonawheretheyvekeptthetraditiongoingforthepastthreeyearsusingagolfcartdressedtothenineswithChristmasdecor.WegoouteverynightnowuntilChrist-masandIthoughtpeoplewouldgetsickofitMacPhersonsaid.ButtheysaidYoujustkeepontraveling.Mostofushereourchildrenaregrownofcourseourgrandchildrenarenthereitsabitofalonelytimeoftheyearyouknow.Itbrightenseverybodyupforalittlebitandpeoplestartdecoratingtheirmotorhomeswithlightsandstuffandsoitskindofnice.ImsortofChristmascrazyMacPher-sonsaid.Ireallyenjoyit.Igetmoreoutofitthananyoneelse.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheimageofrenownedGryphonTriocellistRomanBorysdragginghispreciousinstru-mentacrosstheblizzardingtarmacofaNWTairportisonethathasstuckwithlmmakerPJMarcellinosinceherstsawthephotothatsparkedhisinterestincomingNorth.IthoughtthatssuchaweirdjuxtapositionofelementsrightMarcellinoreected.HeresthishugegroupfromTorontowiththeirverydeli-cateinstrumentsdraggingthemacrossthetar-macthewindisblowinganditsprobably-20.SowhenheheardtheTriowouldbereturn-ingtotheNWTtohelpconducttheirlarg-estcollaborativeyouthmusicprojecttodatewithhundredsofparticipantsfromacrosstheterritoryMarcellinoknewthatheandhiscamerawouldhavetofollow.OnemonthlaterwewereinYellowknifeMarcellinotoldTheJournalwhileinFortSmithlastTuesdayonthefthstopofthetourwhichendedlastweekinFortSimpsonafterthreeweeksoftakingovermusicclass-roomsinInuvikNormanWellsYellowknifeandHayRiverwithcomposersJeffRyanofVancouverandCarmenBradenofYellowknife.ThetourispartofListenUpaninitiativeoftheGryphonTriothatgetsstudentstohelpcomposethelyricsandmelodiesthatwillforma25-minutepieceperformedbytheGryphonTrioandYellowknifeyouthchoirnextMayattheNorthernArtsandCulturalCentreNACC.ThetrioalreadydidakickoffeventatNACCinOctoberbeforetaskingRyanandBradenwithdoingtheheavyliftingcollaboratingwithstu-dentsandteachersatsixschoolsacrosstheNWTtocomposetherhythmsandpitchesthatRyanwillweaveintothenalmasterpiecebasedonpoetryalreadywrittenbythestudentsthatfocusesonthefourelementsearthairwaterandre.ItsthelargestListenUptoeverhappenlargelybecauseofNACCsbroadeningreachintothecommunitiesandpromisestobeafunandchallengingmissionforRyanoverthenextfewmonths.Weregoingtohaveover100melodiesandIwontbeabletoincludeeverythingbuteverycommunitywillberepresentedbothwithinthemusicofthepieceandalsoasperformersRyansaidnotingthatNACCwillbebringingtogether10studentsfromeachcommunitytoformthe70-voicechoir.Itsabsolutelyimportantthateverycommu-nityberepresentedinthepieceinthemusicit-selfbecausewereallcomposers.EveryonethatsparticipatedinthisisacomposerRyansaid.FilmcapturescreativemagicItsthiscollaborativeandpotentiallytrans-formativeprocessthatMarcellinoiscaptur-ingbehindthescenesateveryturnaspartofhislmWayUpNorthapartnershipofLongyearbyenMediaandCircleCinema.LikeayonthewallMarcellinoiscapturingthesparksofinspirationintherst-timecom-posersthatcouldonedaybelookedbackonasthestartofabrilliantmusiccareerorlife-chang-ingmomentofawakeningtowhatspossible.ApartfromlmingtheclassroomsessionsMarcellinoisalsopickingoutcharacters-studentsandteachers-tofollowthroughthewholeprocessaddingpersonalweighttotheexcitementthatwillcrescendowiththenalperformanceinMay.Andinbetweenhesinterviewingthecom-poserstogettheirreectionsonthecom-munitiesclassroomsandkidsoftheNorth.ListenUphasbeendonebeforebutnevertothisscaleneverinaterritorythissizewithallthistravelinvolvedwithallthelogisticalchal-lengesinvolvedallthedistancetheextremeweatherthediversityofcultureMarcellinosaid.SoforusthestorywasnotjusthowdoyoumakeListenUphappen...butalsohowdoyounegotiatethatinterculturalrelation-shipnotjustbetweenpeopleofthesouthandpeopleoftheNorthbutalsobetweenpeoplewhohavedifferentunderstandingsofmusicandsoundandkidsthatmightnotknowasmuchaboutmusicasotherkids.Withthethree-weektourdoneMarcel-linowillbeheadingbacktoTorontountilMaywhenheplanstoreturnforthenalshoot-startingonthepackedplanesofex-citedkidsontheirwaytotheNACCstageinYellowknifebuildingupthroughrehearsaltothenalchorus.IthinkkidsabsolutelygetchangedbytheListenUpexperienceandstartdreamingandmaybeonedaylaterwilllookbackandknowthatintheirpersonalarchaeologythatisthemomentMarcellinosaid.Thatmomentonstagemightwellbethatforanumberofkids.KeeperoftheFortSmithsleighartistMikeLabinewithSanta.DuncanMacPhersoncontinuestotourwithagolfcartsleighinArizona.PhotoMeaganWohlbergFilmmakerPJMarcellinointerviewscomposersCarmenBradenamdJeffRyanalongwithNACCsSummerMeyerforWayUpNorthduringtheirstopinFortSmithlastTuesday.