The 39the The Innu Nikamu festival was undoubtedly the most successful in the event’s history. Even if the countdown is not quite over yet, the 10,000 tickets sold for the six-day festival in Mani-utenam, near Sept-Îles, are more than satisfactory for the organization.
Festival coordinator and member of Uashat mak Mani-utenam’s Innu community, Normand Junior Thirnish pilot, says he’s still impressed by the excitement acclaimed artists like Émile Bilodeau, Claude McKenzie, Roxane Bruneau, Loud and Souldia sparked at the Rain and the cool weather that awaited festival-goers.
“It was crazy to see umbrellas as far as the eye could see during the shows by Émile Bilodeau and Claude McKenzie,” says the festival’s big boss. “It’s almost a good thing that it’s raining, otherwise we might have had too many people to do the logistics,” remarks the man who helms Innu Nikamu in its second edition.
A pride for the community
With headliners like this, we can understand why the festival’s organization went so far as to pay for huge billboards across Quebec to promote the festival.
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
Roxane Bruneau, Loud, Émile Bilodeau (who is with Florent Vollant in one of the photos), Mathieu McKenzie from the Maten group (with the glasses), Ivan Boivin Flamand (with the sunglasses) and Claude McKenzie (with the gray hair)
Photo credit: JB Film-
“We want people to see that it’s not mandatory to go to Montreal or Quebec to attend a big festival,” explains the coordinator. “This event gives members of the community an important sense of pride,” he states, and would like to thank the Uashat mak Mani-utenam band council and community radio CKAU for their contribution to the success of the celebrations.
The municipal police are also very proud of the way the festival went, as very few incidents were reported and the non-alcoholic nature of the event was strictly respected.
Fulfill the dream of its predecessor
Réginald Vollant, who died of cancer in 2018, was a real pillar in defending First People’s rights and promoting their culture. The organizer of the Innu Nikamu Festival from 2011 to 2017 dreamed of one day having a chance to see the group of Gypsy Kings on the stage of the former Mani-utenam boarding school. His wish was granted this year and the current coordinator had to think of his predecessor at that magical moment.
“It was a very emotional moment,” says Thirnish-Pilot. “I fell into a kind of trance during the performance. [des Gipsy Kings]I closed my eyes and offered a prayer to Reginald [Vollant]hoping he was watching from up there.”
The Mixbus enjoyed great popularity
In addition to the main stage set up on the site of the former Mani-utenam boarding school, a mobile stage in the form of a school bus traveled to offer surprise performances to festival-goers.
The Mixbus, with an interior that transforms into a sound console and a roof that transforms into a performance stage, welcomed up-and-coming First People artists in particular.
“For the first time this year we parked the Mixbus next to the main stage to fill the hour before the Gipsy Kings show,” explains the organizer of the event. “It was a magical moment; “The sound was excellent, the bus was great and it offered great visibility for the group that was performing,” adds Normand Junior Thirnish-Pilot.