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18 Tuesday September 8 2015 ARTS CULTURE STORYTELLING In Loving Memory Wendy Lou Campbell We look up to the sky and talk to you. What we wouldnt give to hear you talk back. We miss your voice. We miss your laughter. We miss everything about you. April 12 1963September 7 2014 LOVE ALWAYS - Mom Dad your sons Terence and Trevor and your brothers Lenard Keith Kevin and Reggie Jr. By DALI CARMICHAEL Families around the North have come together to share memorieslegendsandadvice while keeping warm next to the comfort of a blazing re for centuries. Thisweekendthetradition willtakeshapeasacontempo- raryartformwhenmusicians andactorsalikehittheNorth- ern Arts and Cultural Centre NACC stage for the annual Ko Ke Storytelling festival kicking off in Yellowknife on Sept. 11. Keeping with the NACCs year-long theme of reaching newlatitudesthe2015KoKe festivalisdedicatedtocelebrat- ing oft-marginalized groups giving voice to people from even the most remote com- munities of the NWT. Last year the storytelling wasmoreabouthumoursaid NACC executive and artistic directorMarieCoderre.This yearwewantedtofocusonthe indigenous women as artists and storytellers. When Coderre brought the concept up to long-time per- former Dneze Nakehko he agreed to it wholeheartedly. Womenarealwaysimpor- tanttobetalkingaboutandcel- ebrating. I think about all the women in my life - my mom mywifemydaughterandmy sister-Ivebeenblessedwitha lotofpowerfulcreativeloving womeninmylifeandImvery happy. I dont think Id be the person I am today if it wasnt for them he said. Sickofbeinginundatedwith negative stories about indig- enous women on a regular basis Nakehko said hes ec- static about providing a plat- formforNorthernerstopause and appreciate the women in their own lives. Weliveinadayandanage andaplacewheretheresmiss- ingandmurderedindigenous women. One of the ways we cantrytocombatallthatstuff thatsgoingonwithindigenous womeninourcountryduring thistimeistotaketheopportu- nitytocelebratethemandsee how special they are not only for our communities but for everyone across the country. Taking the show on the road Following two days of per- formances in the capital the artists will part ways to drop theirknowledgeinFortSimp- son Fort Smith Hay River Norman Wells and Inuvik. Its not only women who will be sharing their stories. Performers include duo Quantum Tangle which con- sists of Greyson Gritt and Tif- fanyAyalikmultidisciplinary Mtis artist Moe Clark spin- ner of tales Thelma Cheechoo from Moose Factory Island Ontario poet Jacq Brass CKLB Radio host and sto- ryteller Lawrence Nayally and Inuvialuit actress Ren- eltta Arluk. Arluk for one is excited to return to her place of birth in Fort Smith. I didnt grow up there but I spent all my summers there with my grandparents who raised me until I had to go to school. Several years ago Arluks grandfatherArchieLaRocque passed away at the age of 96 leaving her with his guitar and a collection of stories from life on the land re- corded over at least 20 cas- sette tapes. When the RCMP used to patrol the North they had to do it by dogsled. They would have someone who would guard the RCMP that was my grandfather she said. He had all these stories and because he was a trapper and a prospector he mapped out a lot of the barrenlands. Arluk has been busy for a month diligently digitizing and cataloging some of his stories. She plans to share them with Ko Ke audiences with the accompaniment of that old guitar. He really touched on an era of our history in Canada that no one else really docu- mented so Im just bringing it home bringing it to Smith she said. My grandfather wasnt perfect but thats the stories people want to hear theimperfectstoriesthathave a sense of richness to them. I think we need to start con- necting to that. Im all about women empowerment but I also believe that we all have to support each other. Each community visit will also feature matinee shows at the schools and a special guest performance by a re- gional storyteller. For more information on the Ko Ke Storytelling Festi- val schedule and tickets head to www.naccnt.ca. Northern voices amplied at Ko Ke Storytelling fest PhotoAmosScott PhotocourtesyofJillandJackshProductions Reneltta Arluk left will be sharing stories of her grandfather Archie LaRocque at this years Ko Ke Storytelling Festival. Quantum Tangle formed by duo Greyson Gritt left and Tiffany Ayalik will bring a fusion of traditional and modern sounds to their debut on the Ko Ke stage.