The Skoden Indigenous Film Festival is a two-day, student-led film festival that features exclusively Indigenous filmmakers and creatives from across Canada April 6-7, 2024.
Skoden Indigenous Film Festival 2024
Date: April 6-7, 2024 from 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: Djavad Mowafaghain Cinema (SFU School For The Contemporary Arts, 149 W Hastings St, Vancouver)
Founded on the principles of Truth and Reconciliation, Carr Sappier (Wolastoqew) and Grace Mathisen created the festival in 2019. SIFF is organized and led by a class of students from all over SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts and the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology, and co-taught for the last three years by Carr Sappier and Kathleen Mullen. SIFF features exclusively Indigenous filmmakers and creatives from across Canada, presented in 5 Programs, all thematically different, each ending with a Q&A session.
2024 Programs
Program 1: Retracting Our Roots + Opening Ceremony | April 6, 2024 from 12:00pm to 2:30pm Tracing the roots of a tree is nearly impossible – as soon as they extend into the ground, they become entangled with all of those around them, entering an extensive network of interconnectedness. This is the journey the films of this program embark upon: tracing both the metaphoric (and literal) roots to rekindle a connection to culture, family, land, and more. Films showing during this program include Our Maternal Home (Janine Windolph), Ajjigiingiluktaaqtugut: We Are All Different (Lindsay McIntyre), Our Grandmother: The Inlet (Jamie Leigh Demetra Gianopoulos & Kayah George), and more.
Program 2: Sea to Sky| April 6, 2024 from 3:30pm to 5:20pm From political trances to the political trenches, the films of the Sea to Sky program create an intricate portrait of nature from diverse Indigenous perspectives. These films serve as reminders that our environment, with all its life and resources, is something to admire contemplatively, to defend actively, and to respect with reverence. Films showing include Keepers of The Land (Deidre Leowinata and Douglas Neasloss), On the Land – Ice Fishing (Alysha Johnny Hawkins), Lii Bufloo Aen Loo Kishkishiw (Dianne Ouellette), and more.
Program 3: Stronger Together| April 6, 2024 from 6:00pm to 8:15pm The colonization of Turtle Island was accompanied by violent acts of assimilation and genocide that sought to separate Indigenous peoples from their family, communities, and culture. The films of this program aim to shine a light on the impact giving people a platform to tell their personal experiences with the Residential School system, hoping to heal the deep wounds they inflicted. Program 3 features March with Arch (Toby Mak) and Waapake: Tomorrow (Jules Arita Koostachin).
Program 4: Planting the Seed | April 7, 2204 from 1:00pm to 2:45pm Planting a seed is a new beginning. An opportunity to grow and develop new experiences both on our own and with loved ones that we find along the way. With the powerful storytelling and traditional practices found in these films, this program hopes to inspire youth to find meaning within themselves and value their unique experiences with bright colours, creativity, and Indigenous pride. Films showing include My Girl (Megan Shott), Abaznoda: Basket (Charlotte Gauthier-Nolett), To a Proud Generation (Cheyenne Flamand and Jimmy Clary), and more.
Program 5: All My Affections| April 7, 2024 from 3:30pm to 6:05pm Adapted from the phrase “All My Relations” used by many Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island, this program seeks to explore the interconnectedness of diverse emotions and experiences that affect all Indigenous lives. Digging deep into ongoing histories of violence and uplifting acts of resilience, these films showcase representations of what it means to be Indigenous and refuse attempts at reduction. Films showing include Conviction (Bruce Thomas Miller), Kiwolathmushis (Asha Bear), Miss Campbell: Inuk Teacher (Heather Campbell) and more.
Closing & Award Ceremonies | April 7, 2024 from 6:20pm to 7:25pm Join in to witness the closing ceremonies and presentation of awards.
Skoden Indigenous Film Festival is organized and led by a class of students from all over SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts and the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology, and co-taught for the last three years by Carr Sappier and Kathleen Mullen.
Colour Fest is a celebration of the spring festivals Holi and Vaisakhi happening at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam on May 18, 2024. Presented by Diwali Fest, the event features music and dance performances by South Asian artists and a “Colour Zone” where participants can cover each other in colourful powder.
Diwali Fest photo
Colour Fest in Coquitlam
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024
Location: Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam)
Tickets not required for access to Artisan Market or Food trucks.
Colour Fest is a celebration of spring festivals Holi and Vaisakhi. This multi-dimensional festival features a live DJ, music and dance performances by South Asian artists, multicultural food trucks, vendors, and free art activities for kids.
About Diwali Fest
Diwali Fest originated in 2004 as the Vancouver Celebrates Diwali Festival, and has since evolved to become one of the largest Diwali-themed events in the Lower Mainland. What started as a one day, volunteer-driven event has evolved to the point where it is a professionally staffed festival that has become a destination event on the City’s cultural calendar. Follow Diwali Fest on Facebook for info about the festival and more events.
Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC offers an engaging exploration of British Columbia’s history and the interconnections of nature through permanent exhibits and rotating installations. Find a spring break event based on one of the museums collections, and more!
From Beaty Biodiversity Musuem Facebook
Vancouver’s Natural History Museum at UBC
Date: Museum and Gift shop open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Beaty Nocturnal is every third Thursday of the month from 5:00pm to 8:30pm.
Location: Beaty Biodiversity Museum (UBC Vancouver Campus, 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver)
Tickets: Admission is available for purchase online or in-person. UBC students and faculty receive free admission.
Explore Vancouver’s natural history museum, Beaty Biodiversity Museum and discover the interconnections of all life forms on Earth and the role we play in preserving delicate systems. Journey through 2 million specimen including a 26 meter-long blue whale skeleton, dinosaur trackways, and fossils, mammals, and plants of all kinds from around the BC region and across the world. There are more than 500 natural history exhibits showcasing fossils and shells, mammals, birds, plants, and so much more.
The museum’s permanent exhibitions features a blue whale display, Culture at the Centre, dinosaur trackways, and an Earth timeline. The Blue Whale display at the museum holds one of 21 blue whale skeletons available for public viewing worldwide. Culture at the Centre focuses on how land, language, and culture are linked and the demonstration of interconnections with the history of 6 Indigenous communities (Musqueam, Squamish, Heiltsuk, Nisga’a, and Haida). Leap back in time with the Dinosaur Trackways exhibit and immerse yourself fin Canada’s fossil heritage. And, walk along 4.5 billion years of history in the Earth Timeline exhibit with a close-up view on the last 500 million years.
Through the permanent collections visitors can explore interactive, changing exhibits while learning about the biodiversity of not only BC and Canada but the world. Current exhibitions and upcoming exhibitions are updated on the Beaty Biodiversity Museum website.
The museum offers some online exhibits including Pressed Plants: Making a Herbarium, The Curious World of Seaweed by Josie Iselin, and much more.
Spring Break at Beaty Biodiversity Museum
There’s plenty of activities planned for Spring Break at Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Each event will focus on celebrating and learning about one of the museums collections. A full event’s calendar is available for viewing online. Featured event topics include:
Entomology | Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 10:00am Use a magnifying glass to look up close to identify and classify major groups of insects.
Herbarium: Fungi & Lichen | Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 10:00am Explore Fungi and Lichen – two types of organisms that are kept in herbarium but are not plants.
Marine Invertebrates| Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 10:00am Focus in on squishy ocean friends known as marine invertebrates. Creatures like snails, octopuses, and sea stars fall into the “invertebrate” category, meaning without a backbone.
The New Westminster Farmers Market kicks off their 15th season on March 28, 2024 with an Easter-themed Block-Party.
Easter Block Party in New Westminster
Date: March 28, 2024 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm
Location: Tipperary Park (315 Queens Ave, New Westminster)
Tickets: Free to attend!
Kick off the spring season with the Farmers Market and have a blast while supporting local businesses. Bring your reusable shopping bags, appetites, and the whole family for an evening of celebration and community connection. Stop by the first market of the season and leave not only with locally-produced groceries but also an assortment of free goodies (including free cookies for the first 100 visitors).
In addition to the regular 50+ vendors at the market, this family (and pet) friendly event includes activities and live entertainment for all. Kids are invited to join in the Piñata Party, get faces painted (4:00pm to 6:00pm), and make crafts hosted by New West Family Place. Enjoy live music from Sue Breton, and enjoy the opening ceremony. A silent auction will be held featuring unique items sourced from local businesses. Also, in collaboration with the City of New Westminster, the Farmers Market Block Party is participating in city-wide Easter Egg Hunt.
The New West Farmers Market focuses on environmentally sustainable food by bringing locally grown and produced food to the community and injects an estimated $3.12 million into the local economy and an estimated 59,00 shoppers every year.
Includes child’s entry to the egg hunt, all treats collected during the hunt, 1 kid FlexPass for a free PEACE Farm Sanctuary tour, and an entry into the Easter Basket Giveaway.
Little Vegan Treats owner Lori Blaszkowski created the event after noticing she had never seen a public vegan Easter event advertised before. With more families adhering to a vegan lifestyle, the holidays can be tricky to navigate. In 2022, Blaszkowski held Canada’s first-ever all vegan Easter Egg Hunt.
With room for 200 children to attend this years hunt, the sugar bar has been raised. Little Vegan Treats has procured around 40 kilograms of treats including the highly sought after mini-eggs. Levelling up from the last event, Veg Out Food Truck will be onsite serving up a delicious menu featuring an Easter shake. The Easter Bunny will also be making an appearance. Make sure to get your photo taken from the onsite photographer. All proceeds from photos with the Easter Bunny will benefit PEACE Canada.
If you’d like to place an order from Little Vegan Treats to pick up at the event, choose the “pick up” option at the online check-out and be sure to select the Easter Egg Hunt location.
