Presented in Partnership with Odd Meridian Arts
Remembering Our Return Home is a scored improvisational performance weaving spoken word poetry, dance, and found objects. Now in its fourth year, the intergenerational Gathering Hope performance collective consists of Coast Salish storyteller and historian, Rosemary Georgeson; Anishinaabe Elder and artist, Sharon Jinkerson-Brass; Vuntut Gwitchin spoken word artist, Melissa Matheson-Frost; DTES long-time artist and founder of Vancouver Moving Theatre, Savannah Walling along with dance artists Sophie Dow, Rianne Svelñis, Ziyian Kwan and Olivia C. Davies.
Morrow
910 Richards St, Unit 204
Vancouver, BC
By donation
Gathering Hope Collective
Nagoohiindaak/Melissa Frost is the daughter of Shirlee Frost, granddaughter of Alice Frost, and great-granddaughter of Joanne Njootli. She comes from Wolf clan/Chʼichyàa from the Vuntut Gwichin First Nation of Old Crow, Yukon. Frost is an aunty and a cousin who works for mother earth and our future generations. She has forged a career out of her passion for the arts and community work with youth. Frost tries to channel traditional teachings and positive, hopeful messages when writing or performing her spoken word poetry.
Olivia C. Davies (Anishinaabe) creates and collaborates across multiple platforms including choreography, creative writing, augmented and virtual reality, sound design, and story-weaving, often investigating the body’s dynamic ability to transmit narrative. She is the Managing Artistic Director of O.Dela Arts and Matriarchs Uprising and mother of Daisy and Aurora.
FB: O.Dela Arts
IG: @odela_arts
Website: oliviacdavies.ca
Rianne Svelnis is a dance artist, teacher and community facilitator. She leads the Carnegie Dance Troupe in the Downtown Eastside and is a member of the Palestinian-led dabkeh team Canadabkeh. Rianne is also a co-producer with Holy Crow Arts Society, and the Associate Producer of this year's Matriarchs Uprising!
Rosemary Georgeson is a Coast Salish and Sahtu Dene filmmaker and multi-media artist. Georgeson was born on Galiano Island, British Columbia. Rosemary was born into the commercial fishing industry and lived and worked in this industry alongside all her family. This has been the mainstay to her work in the arts. Her work ranges from film, to theatre and radio.
IG: @Galigirl57
Websites: rosemarygeorgeson.wordpress.com / thewaterwecallhome.com
Savannah Walling is an independent artist, playwright, performer, and consultant based in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside on Coast Salish homelands. She was co-founding Artist Director of Vancouver Moving Theatre and the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival. Her practice celebrates the power of the human spirit and builds shared experiences. Savannah is a 12th generation descendent of Northern European refugees who has participated in the Gathering Hope Collective since 2022.
Sharon Jinkerson-Brass is a member of Key First Nation in Saskatchewan. Sharon received her cultural teachings from her beloved Anishinaabe grandmother Rebecca, who was a midwife and traditional healer. Sharon’s cultural heritage has inspired all of her art and way of living. Sharon is an award-winning artist who was the artistic director of “Big Sky” a successful multi-media company that performed in the US and Canada. For 37 years Sharon has also been a community leader working for social change for the Indigenous Community in the areas of arts, culture, health and community development.
Treaty 1-born Sophie Dow is a multidisciplinary creator, inspired by dance, music, film, collaboration and her Michif/Assiniboine + French/Ukrainian/German roots. Sophie presently fulfills roles as a freelance dancer/choreographer/musician/sound designer/bodyworker/artistic associate of O.Dela Arts, The Chimera Project & V’ni Dansi/Louis Riel Métis Dancers.
FB: Sophie Dow
Website: sophiedow.com
子嫣 Ziyian Kwan (she/her) is a 1st generation Hong Konger Filipina settler who lives and works on the unceded ancestral, occupied and stolen territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm. Skwxwú7mesh, and Səl̓ílwətaɬ First Nations. Since 1988, Ziyian has performed over 100 original movement creations by an eclectic range of artists. Her own work collates images, movement, and language. As founding Artistic Director of Odd Meridian Arts, Ziyian stewards programming that supports the creative adventures of colleagues from across disciplines - including activities at Morrow, Odd Meridian’s intentional cultural space. Energy at play, in bodies in worlds.
IG: @ziyiankwan
Website: oddmeridian.ca
