Adäka Cultural Festival facts for kids
The Adäka Cultural Festival is an exciting yearly arts and culture event in Whitehorse, Yukon. It celebrates the amazing art and culture of First Nations people, especially those from the Yukon. The word 'Adäka' comes from the Southern Tutchone language and means 'coming into the light'. This name shows how the festival helps bring Yukon First Nations art and culture into the spotlight for everyone to enjoy.
The idea for the festival was inspired by Joe Johnson, whose daughter Katie Johnson helped start it. Years before the festival began, Joe Johnson was part of a meeting with the same name. That meeting brought people from the Yukon together. They talked about their heritage and culture. The goal was for everyone to "come into the light" together.
Since it started in 2011, the Adäka Cultural Festival has grown a lot. It used to be held outdoors on the street. Now, it takes place at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. This beautiful building is right next to the Yukon River in Whitehorse. Artists from all over Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, now come to the festival. Artists from the United States, Greenland, and New Zealand also join in the fun.
The Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association (YFNCT) hosts the Adäka Cultural Festival. YFNCT is a group that doesn't make a profit. They work hard to help Yukon First Nations arts, culture, and tourism grow and be celebrated. The festival office is located within the YFNCT office in Whitehorse.
What the Festival Aims To Do
The Adäka Cultural Festival has several important goals:
- To help keep Yukon First Nations art and culture alive and growing.
- To help First Nations artists sell their work in the Yukon and around the world.
- To create chances for Yukon First Nations artists to meet. They can get new ideas and share their knowledge and skills.
- To make the festival and the Yukon a popular place for tourists to visit.
- To build new friendships and strengthen old ones. This helps the Yukon First Nations art and culture sector for a long time.
What Happens at the Festival
The Adäka Cultural Festival is packed with exciting activities. Since the very beginning, it has offered Indigenous art workshops. During the week-long festival, Indigenous performers share their culture. They do this through traditional dancing and drumming. You can also hear folk, rock, and country music. There are storytellers, comedians, and fiddlers too!
The festival has an art gallery and a gift shop. Here, artists can sell their amazing creations to visitors. The festival also makes sure that Elders and young people can take part in workshops and activities. In recent years, a fashion show has become a popular part of the festival. It shows off modern and traditional Indigenous clothing designs.
Other fun things to do include:
- Activities especially for children.
- Special events that require tickets.
- Artists working together on projects.
- Chances for artists to meet and connect.
- Film screenings.
- Live demonstrations of arts and culture.
- Community events for everyone.
Most of the Adäka Cultural Festival is free to attend. However, some special events, workshops, and buying artwork do have a cost.
Awards and Recognition
In 2015, the Adäka Cultural Festival won the Yukon Tourism Award of Excellence. It was also nominated for a Cultural Tourism Award by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. These awards show how much the festival has grown. They also show that it is getting national attention as an important arts and culture event in the North.
