The 2023 North American Indigenous Games Host Society is excited to reveal the Cultural Village lineup and schedule to the week-long celebration at the Halifax Common.
The Village is free and open to the public, starts on July 15 and runs daily until July 22 and features over 40 performances at the Atlantic Lottery Main Stage, showcasing Indigenous artists from across Canada.
Daily food and cultural demonstrations will exhibit beading, drum making, quill work, basket weaving, storytelling and the games of waltes and lacrosse. In addition, the Village includes a cultural marketplace, presented by Credit Unions, with over 50 Indigenous artists and artisans. Each of the vendors will offer unique artwork, crafts, clothing and food from their respective cultures, including representation from Mi’kmaq, Ojibway, Haudensaunee, Cree, Coast Salish, Ashinaabe, Inuit and Anishininew Nations.
The Village will be hosting the Games Closing Ceremony, presented by Signal Gold on Friday, July 21, featuring Juno and ECMA award winning artists Neon Dreams and First Nations hip hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids.
Dates and hours of operation:
July 15 to 22
11:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Mainstage performances include:
Saturday, July 15 – Kick-Off: Celebrating Mi’kma’ki
Emma Stevens and Second Generation
Sunday, July 16 – Opening Ceremony Pre-Show
Matty Galaxy and Boggy the Beat
Monday, July 17 – History of Fiddle & Jig
Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers and Morgan Toney
Tuesday, July 18 – Celebrating Woman & Song
Mimi O’Bonsawin and The Ra11n
Wednesday, July 19 – Dancing Under the Stars
Drive the Common Man and The Relatives
Thursday, July 2 – Hip Hop Night
Cody Coyote and City Natives
Friday, July 21 – Closing Ceremony
Neon Dreams and Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Saturday, July 22 – Family Mawiomi
Deedee Austin and Tia Wood
In additional to the central Cultural Village, there will also be two satellite Villages at the following locations:
Halifax Waterfront
Hours of operation: 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Dartmouth Crossing
Hours of operation: 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
For a full listing of artists and scheduling of the Cultural Village, visit the NAIG 2023 website at https://naig2023.com/culture/village/