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The Flin Flon area's vibrant arts scene exploded into a rich mosaic of cultural activity over the weekend as thousands celebrated the creative customs that define us as northerners. Culture Days was a three-day extravaganza packed with 30-plus events showcasing the region and its sometimes-underappreciated capacity for visual and performance art. "I have to say without fail Flin Flon never fails to put on an amazing show Ð Flin Flon, Creighton and the area around here," said Churchill MP Niki Ashton, addressing the opening ceremonies. Ashton's words would ring true. Attendance at Culture Days totalled roughly 4,600, though people who attended multiple events were counted more than once. Top artists from across Northern Manitoba Ð in some cases beyond Ð converged on the community for a celebration that had been eagerly anticipated for months. "One highlight I think I really enjoyed was a person running to me with a program in his hand and asking me to explain what was going on because he had to decide which night he would go to the hockey game and which (Culture Days) show he would go to," said Crystal Kolt, chair of the festivities. "So that was quite fun to know that we able to tag team together the hockey and the culture." Culture Days hit the ground running Friday morning within the cozy confines of the Gala Caf, a tented auditorium erected on green space adjacent to the Primary Health Care Centre. With about 100 guests on hand, the rhythmic beat of Cranberry Portage's Aboriginal Drumming Group heralded speeches from dignitaries who weren't about to miss out on the tribute. Real fun Then it was time for the real fun. Throughout the weekend residents took in concerts sprinkled with just about every type of music conceivable. A wealth of spectacular northern art elicited praise. A mini film festival showcased 50 shorts produced by local students and their counterparts in The Pas and Thompson. Vincent Murphy, the Flin Flon-raised storyteller of international acclaim, led a trip-down-memory-lane style tour of downtown. He also brought his exceptional talents to the darkened stage of the R.H. Channing Auditorium, performing as the late prospector Lew Parres. Things got interactive as visitors learned some tricks of the artistic trade themselves through workshops focused on photography, pottery, Aboriginal art, quilting and painting. A graffiti wall at the Creighton Sportex brought out the impromptu artist in participants. Another station had them down on their knees composing chalk pictures. A fashion show had young women donning all manner of sophisticated styles. Local historian Gerry Clark's slide show took viewers on a black-and-white journey through the area's rich history. Children toured museums, panned for gold and got a lesson in the art of live theatre. They made masks, perfected dance moves and learned how to construct tipis. Even the food carried a cultural flavour, with wild-rice pancakes served up Saturday morning at Denare Beach's Northern Gateway Museum. And that is merely a sampling of the activities. Dance their way One of the truly unique events saw 300-plus people dance their way down Main St. to the backdrop of Wavin' Flag, the chart-topper by Somali-Canadian hip-hop musician K'naan. The Culture Days program promised the dance would be "super easy" and open to "any age, any size, any shape." Ranging in age from breast-fed to prune-fed, participants heeded that advice. "It was truly inspiring," said Kolt, adding that some who lined Main St. to watch the dance ended up joining in themselves. Culture Days organizers did not have to look far for top-notch talent in Northern Manitoba, even when it came time to name the featured artists. See 'Reno...' on pg. Continued from pg. Renowned Aboriginal artists Irvin Head and Jasyn Lucas trekked in from Cranberry Portage and Thompson respectively. Maria Luz Alvarez, a Spanish Soprano with a wide repertoire, was also in from Thompson. From further north arrived the school-aged Churchill Fiddlestix, whose musical gifts are self-explanatory. Also putting themselves under the spotlight Ð literally Ð were Ham Sandwich, the popular local theatre troupe. Their equivalent from The Pas, Theatre 53, took part as well. On the musical front, the Flin Flon tandem of Brent and Susan Lethbridge took to the stage. So did the Flin Flon Community Choir, of which Kolt is instrumental, and Crooked Jack, a Celtic trio from The Pas area. Among the featured artists, only storyteller Murphy, who now lives in Regina, and rising-star Canadian artisan Marcel Dubreuil arrived from outside Northern Manitoba's borders. (Of course, their graceful presence was more than welcome.) If the Culture Days weekend looked like a lot of work, that's because it was. Backing up Kolt at the committee level were as many as 60 ambitious volunteers. They drew from a total budget of about $30,000, the largest single piece of which was $10,000 courtesy of the Manitoba Arts Council. "I think Flin Flon should be really proud of what they're doing here," said the provincial council's David Scott. "I think it's a real testimony to (Kolt's) vision and the community's vision that this event has been sponsored to such a high level, because people sitting down south in Winnipeg saw that this was a really vital community and that the arts run very deep and at very great many levels." Talent shared The level of talent shared throughout the three days was remarkable, but for those who have come to know the area, it was not unexpected. "It comes as no surprise to me that Flin Flon is the hotbed of cultural activity," said Flin Flon MLA Gerard Jennissen, who frequently enjoys local concerts, plays and other creative efforts. Jennissen said the community's potent arts scene dates back to a time when "people had to rely on each other to make life not just interesting, but meaningful." "The roots of a strong arts and culture community were created many years ago," he said. "We're now at a level that is unbelievable because we're doing stuff that you'd expect in cities of half a million or a million, and it's just so good to see." The weekend was not about any one person, but the collective talents of a region. Still, some participants couldn't help but single out Kolt and her husband Mark for their vast contributions to the local arts scene since moving to Flin Flon in the mid-1990s. "We've been very blessed in this community, ever since the Kolts arrived, to rejuvenate an arts program," observed Mayor Tom Therien. "We'd always had it in the past, but when the Kolts came I think it reached a new ultra level, and we've been very blessed." Crystal modestly placed the emphasis back on the artists and the community. "The local support of artists in all mediums made (Culture Days) happen," she said, "and the response from the general public is what will make it happen again." Culture Days will become an annual event across Canada, but it is not clear when the event might return to Flin Flon. After all, when it comes to artistic talent, our community is hardly unique in Northern Manitoba.
