Onni Nordman

Onni Nordman just managed to catch the last flight from Germany to Canada when the lockdown began. He had been artist-in- residence at the Max Planck Biochemistry Institute, where they had been among the first to study the novel coronavirus, in January 2020. Driving from Halifax airport to Sydney, overnight through deserted highways, he outran the winter’s biggest blizzard by an hour.

Wake of the Flood

Artist Project

Here is what happened: the sea rose and the well ran dry. That was 222 years ago, or maybe 22. No, it was 2 years ago. We crossed the sea of night, remember? Anyway, get out the pots and pans. Don’t just stand there dreaming.

Land Acknowledgement

With construction still underway in Downtown Sydney, the festival will be hosted at Eltuek Arts Centre for this year. In line with Eltuek Arts Centre's land acknowledgment, we recognize that this festival occurs on the traditional and unceded ancestral territories of the Mi'kma'ki people.

Eymu'ti'k Unama'ki, newte'jk l'uiknek te'sikl Mi'kmawe'l maqamikal mna'q iknmuetumitl. Ula maqamikew wiaqwikasik Wantaqo'tie'l aqq I'lamatultimkewe'l Ankukamkewe'l Mi'kmaq aqq Eleke'wuti kisa'matultisnik 1726ek.

Eltuek Arts Centre is in Unama'ki, one of the seven traditional and unceded ancestral districts of the people of Mi'kma'ki. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship which the Mi'kmaq first signed with the British Crown in 1726.

Ketu'-keknuite'tmek aqq kepmite'tmek ula tela'maiultimkip wjit maqamikew ta'n etekl mtmo'taqney. Ula tett, ula maqamikek, etl-lukutiek l'tunen aqq apoqntmnen apoqnmasimk aqq weliknamk Unama'ki.

We wish to recognize and honour this understanding of the lands on which we reside. It is from here, on these lands, that we work to create and support a culture of self-reliance and vibrancy on Unama'ki (Cape Breton Island).