[1]Angel Kelsey and Donna Lynn Mitchell were among the more than 500 visitors who attended the 19th annual Festival of Native Arts at Loyalist College in 2013. (Photo from loyalistcollege.com)
By Jordan Merkley [2]
BELLEVILLE – The 20th annual Festival of Native Arts is taking place at Loyalist College [3] Saturday, Nov. 1.
Hosted by the Aboriginal Resource Centre, the festival will take place in the dining hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“It’s a wonderful day to come and just have fun. Life is so fast, and this is one of those days where you can come relax, share, and have exposure to new things,” said Loyalist Aboriginal Resource Centre co-ordinator Paul Latchford.
Latchford said he believes that the festival is important for spreading aboriginal heritage.
“The event is really about the sharing of cultures, traditions, practices, dress, medicines, food and ways of knowing,” said Latchford. “The impact is huge, especially to those who don’t understand a lot of the culture.”
Saturday’s events will include a craft table for the kids, musical performances by the Tyendinaga Women’s Singers and David Finkle, and more. There will also be an elder coming in at the beginning of the event to give thanks [4].
“It’s a great event for kids and families, and of course really good food,” Latchford adds.
There is no admission fee for the event, and everyone is welcome.