RBC Bluesfest Visits Kitigan Zibi

On Dec 1, 2017, we had a great day spending time at Kitigan Zibi getting to know some students at the school and participating in a concert at the Community Hall. We were very fortunate to have the Rick Fines trio come in for the day from Peterborough to perform for the kids at the school and for a concert at the community hall. The band engaged in constructive conversations with the students and gave a characteristically excellent concert that night.

In the evening at the Community Hall, while enjoying treats from Anna Cote of The Birch Bite catering, we listened to the highly talented Keith Whiteduck performing works of Debussy and Rachmaninov. Opening the event was a rousing group from the school fresh off the Pow Wow circuit with some inspired singing and drumming. We also got to hear The Band With No Name made up of students and teachers from the high school. During an intermission, our executive director Mark Monahan got up and held a town hall type session about how the festival organization can connect better with the Kitigan community.

All in all it was a great day to connect with friends in the community and make some new ones. We feel it was a constructive visit and hoping that it will pave the way toward future projects and collaborations.