Slam Coalkan: Round 2

Jennifer Alicia Murrin, K’alii, ecoaborijanelle, Juan Santiago Téllez, Kahsenniyo, Zoey Roy, Sarah Lewis, Bobby Sanchez, Theresa Cutknife, Tyler Pennock, Lena Recollet, Janet Rogers and Deejay Jams

Slam Coalkan: Round 2

Jennifer Alicia Murrin, K’alii, ecoaborijanelle, Juan Santiago Téllez, Kahsenniyo, Zoey Roy, Sarah Lewis, Bobby Sanchez, Theresa Cutknife, Tyler Pennock, Lena Recollet, Janet Rogers and Deejay Jams

7:00pm

Sunday, October 31, 2021

The continent’s leading Indigenous spoken word artists have passionate messages you need to hear. For a second year running, TIFA has partnered with the FLUP Festival of the Peripheries in Rio de Janeiro, where there is a powerful spoken word tradition, to share ideas, dreams and aspirations for the future. This dazzling virtual poetry slam competition takes place in two rounds: October 30 hosted by FLUP, and October 31 hosted by TIFA. This second round will feature six poets from Canada, one from Mexico and one from the USA. Poems will be presented in English, Spanish and Portuguese with subtitles. Brazilian sign language will be available. The performed poems, newly translated, will be published in an anthology in March 2022 when we present the final round. Poems will be presented in English, Spanish and Portuguese with subtitles. ASL interpretation will be available.

Performers: Jennifer Alicia Murrin, K’alii, ecoaborijanelle, Juan Santiago Tellez, Kahsenniyo, Zoey Roy, Sarah Lewis and Bobby Sanchez.
Judges: Theresa Cutknife, Tyler Pennock and Lena Recollet
MC: Janet Rogers
DJ: Deejay Jams

CW // This event contains strong language and images of a sexual nature. Discretion is advised.

Slam Coalkan is an artistic coproduction between FLUP- Festa Literária das Periferias and the Toronto International Festival of Authors, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

FLUP Logo        Canada Council for the Arts logo

Reading

The continent’s leading Indigenous spoken word artists have passionate messages you need to hear. For a second year running, TIFA has partnered with the FLUP Festival of the Peripheries in Rio de Janeiro, where there is a powerful spoken word tradition, to share ideas, dreams and aspirations for the future. This dazzling virtual poetry slam competition takes place in two rounds: October 30 hosted by FLUP, and October 31 hosted by TIFA. This second round will feature six poets from Canada, one from Mexico and one from the USA. Poems will be presented in English, Spanish and Portuguese with subtitles. Brazilian sign language will be available. The performed poems, newly translated, will be published in an anthology in March 2022 when we present the final round. Poems will be presented in English, Spanish and Portuguese with subtitles. ASL interpretation will be available.

Performers: Jennifer Alicia Murrin, K’alii, ecoaborijanelle, Juan Santiago Tellez, Kahsenniyo, Zoey Roy, Sarah Lewis and Bobby Sanchez.
Judges: Theresa Cutknife, Tyler Pennock and Lena Recollet
MC: Janet Rogers
DJ: Deejay Jams

CW // This event contains strong language and images of a sexual nature. Discretion is advised.

Slam Coalkan is an artistic coproduction between FLUP- Festa Literária das Periferias and the Toronto International Festival of Authors, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

FLUP Logo        Canada Council for the Arts logo

Reading

Featured Authors

Jennifer Alicia Murrin
Jennifer Alicia Murrin (they/she) is a queer, mixed (Mi’kmaw/Settler) storyteller originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay Of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. She is a two-time national poetry slam champion and member of Seeds & Stardust Poetry Collective. Jennifer Alicia's debut chapbook is being released by Moon Jelly House Fall 2020. Find out more about their work here: www.jenniferalicia.com. Appearance supported by Pride Toronto.    

Read more about Jennifer Alicia Murrin

K’alii
K'alii Luuyaltkw is a spoken word artist who comes from the Nisga'a Nation in British Columbia. Her name means "to return upriver" and serves as a constant reminder for her to always return to culture in her work of upholding oral storytelling traditions.

Read more about K’alii

ecoaborijanelle
Janelle “ecoaborijanelle” Pewapsconias is a multidimensional nehīyaw spoken word artist based in Little Pine First Nation of the Treaty 6 Prairies. Her dedication to honour the Earth inspires her to read, perform and design to speak to Indigenous ways of being, knowing and thriving, despite ongoing settler colonialism in Canada. Influenced by the poetry slam and Cree oral storytelling customs, ecoaborijanelle has done a TEDx Talk, competed nationally twice and published in the American Indian Culture Research Journal. Janelle lives in her home community with her son and dog, surrounded by the endless living skies and rolling prairies.

Read more about ecoaborijanelle

Juan Santiago Téllez
Juan Santiago Téllez (Juan Sant) is an indigenous Tutunaku Mexican writer. In his writings he makes visible the situations experienced by people who migrate from the countryside to the city. Topics such as racial discrimination, abuse and social violence are addressed in his work, which some consider as poetry. Since in each work the particularity with which Juan composes and interprets his creations stands out, where the Tutunaku language (his native language) and Spanish are mixed.

Read more about Juan Santiago Téllez

Kahsenniyo
Kahsenniyo is a spoken word artist from the Mohawk Nation Wolf Clan. Kahsenniyo began utilizing her poetry as a tool for social change and community engagement in 2008. Her work is centered around Indigenous issues. She aims to educate non-indigenous people about the struggles, beauty and realities facing Indigenous people. As well her work attempts to create moments of understanding, connection and healing for Indigenous People. Kahsenniyo transforms her love for her community and people into passionate performances. Kahsenniyo was selected as the eastern comma writer in residence (2018) and is currently working on publishing a collection of poems.

Read more about Kahsenniyo

Zoey Roy
Zoey ‘Pricelys’ Roy is a Nehithaw-Dené Métis poet, creative director, educator, researcher and activist from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She is now based in Kingston, Ontario. Zoey released her debut rap album Made Up in May 2021 and is set to release her first spoken word album in January 2022 under her stage name ‘Pricelys’. Zoey uses poetry as therapy and her work often synthesizes the kaleidoscope of mirrors she sees around her. She is often inspired by the state of affairs amongst Indigenous people – particularly the way Indigenous women interact locally and globally as a result of ongoing violent nation state drama.

Read more about Zoey Roy

Sarah Lewis
Sarah Lewis is an Ojibwe and Cree spoken word artist from Curve Lake First Nation, Ontario. She is a proud member of the 2019 Peterborough Poetry Slam Team, as well as a national semi-finalist at the 2019 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Most recently, she was selected as the first Poet Laureate of Peterborough, Ontario. As well as a published poet, she has also been featured on Global News and CBC morning radio. Shortly, she will be publishing her poetry on CBC Arts’ ongoing series: Poetic License. Her poetry highlights the struggles and more importantly, the resiliency within Indigenous communities.

Read more about Sarah Lewis

Bobby Sanchez
Bobby Sanchez is a 26-year-old poet musician and model. Her indigenous blood comes from Ayacucho Peru. She was born and raised in New York.

Read more about Bobby Sanchez

Theresa Cutknife
Theresa Cutknife is a queer Nehiyaw and Puerto Rican actor, writer, curator, storyteller and producer from Maskwacîs, Alberta located on Treaty 6 Territory and is a member of the Samson Cree Nation. As a playwright her work brings her both to Toronto and her homelands and has been presented as a participant of the Indigenous Arts Program at the Paprika Festival, the Weesageechak Begins to Dance Festival and most recently Edmonton Fringe Festival for her co-written play Talk Treaty To Me. Her newest venture brings her to Tarragon Theatre as the incoming Producer.

Read more about Theresa Cutknife

Tyler Pennock
Tyler Pennock, author of Bones (2020), is a Two-Spirit Queerdo from Faust, Alberta, and is a member of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. They were adopted from a Cree and Métis family, and reunited with them in 2006. Tyler is a graduate of Guelph University’s Creative Writing MFA program (2013), as well as the University of Toronto (2009). They have lived in Toronto for the past 25 years.

Read more about Tyler Pennock

Lena Recollet
Lena Recollet is Anishinaabe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Terrritory. She currently resides in Toronto - Tkaronto and is a multi-disciplinary artist. She received Best Spoken Word Recording at the 14th Annual Native American Music Awards. The pivotal moment where she realized she was a writer was when she made her first short film Eggs Instead, which won the Cynthia-Lickers Sage Award for Emerging Talent from the ImagineNative Film + Media Festival in 2006. Currently she is working on sketch comedy for an upcoming recording in front of a live studio audience Indig-E Girl.

Read more about Lena Recollet

Janet Rogers
Janet Rogers is a Mohawk/Tuscarora writer from Six Nations of the Grand River. Janet traveled throughout 2017-2019 working within numerous residencies in Vancouver BC, Santa Fe NM and Edmonton AB. Janet is based on the Six Nations territory of the Grand River where she operates the Ojistoh Publishing label. Janet works in page poetry, spoken word performance poetry, video poetry and recorded poetry with music. She is a radio broadcaster, documentary producer and media and sound artist. Her literary titles include: Splitting the Heart; Red Erotic; Unearthed; Peace in Duress; and Totem Poles and Railroads.

Read more about Janet Rogers

Deejay Jams
Jams is a Tkaronto-based multi-racial DJ, poet, community artist, programmer, producer and radio geek specializing in 90s and futurist hip-hop, house, electric powwow vibes and music to move you.

Read more about Deejay Jams

7:00pm

Sunday, October 31

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