What was described as a significant, and somewhat unusual concert turned out to be a success after raising around $4,000 for the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness and the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
On Saturday, Feb. 8, Kwakwaka'wakw-Nuu-Cha-Nulth hip-hop artist Pindian and his band, the Nation of Creations Collective, joined the Gettin' Higher Choir for the Sharing the Fire concert where they performed a unique blend of genres to a sold-out crowd at Broad View United Church.
Pindian, whose real name is Alex Taylor-McCallum, said he was approached to collaborate with the choir in November at a Housing Justice Day rally at the B.C. Legislature. After meeting with the choir directors, Cathy Baker and Dick Jackson, they suggested doing a collaborative fundraiser concert at the church.
"Almost all my grandparents went to residential school. Many of my elders went to residential school. And of course, I've been forever impacted by the effects of the church in our territory," said Taylor-McCallum. "I was kind of apprehensive to say yes to performing in a church, but also part of me was like, 'I really like the idea of bringing my music in there.'"
As the Gettin' Higher Choir holds a few charity concerts every year, he chose to donate to both charities to support residential school survivors and those who endured and faced the many "intergenerational traumatic effects of things like colonization, assimilation and genocide upon the Indigenous peoples."
Both Taylor-McCallum and choir members explained that they were in uncharted territories while working with each other, as hip-hop and choral music are typically seen as complete opposites.
"It was a stretch, but we were totally willing to go there and have a good adventure," said Baker, adding that many of the – predominantly White – members of the choir have had limited exposure to hip-hop music, and they may have had a negative impression of the music.
"[We were] helping people understand that this grew out of often communities that we call, marginalized communities, or communities who haven't been listened to in the mainstream. And there are lots of important and powerful things that need to be said," she added.
A bit different than many choirs in the city, the Gettin' Higher Choir aims to sing songs about empowerment – like South African freedom songs – which is why they wanted to work with Taylor-McCallum, whose music largely touches on themes like intergenerational trauma, addiction and grief.
"Alex's music is confrontational, especially for people who don't often think about their role in colonialism or their role in the land theft and occupation of Indigenous lands," said Sammy K, Nation of Creations Collective's bassist. "It's confrontational, and Alex finesses that confrontation."
The church was packed the day of the show, and the organizers and performers were in "certain degrees" of chaos as showtime approached, but all went off without a hitch.
"It was moving. It was powerful. It was beautiful. It was loud. It was important. And I think a lot of people were really moved and wowed and impressed," said Baker.
Taylor-McCallum explained that a highlight for him was performing his song 'Marilyn,' about his late grandmother, one of the many murdered Indigenous women in the country, while also reconnecting with his first-grade teacher, who is a member of the choir.
"I don't remember much from grade one, but I remember her face," he explained. "It made me emotional because she wasn't my teacher at the time of my grandma's passing, but she was around when my grandma passed and everything changed for me."
Initially, he wasn't sure at first how people would react to his music, however after the show he said he received plenty of positive feedback, and people were "really impacted" by the music.
"One comment I love hearing from an older person was 'I never really appreciated hip-hop until I heard you.' I really love hearing that."
He explained how he doesn't use the term 'reconciliation' lightly, as people – especially politicians – use the term excessively without taking proper action to address the actual issues that face Indigenous communities. However, he believed this concert was truly "reconciliation in action."
"A choir of over 60 predominantly older White folks, working with an indigenous hip-hop artist, a Jewish bassist, and an Iranian drummer, playing a show together in the Broadview United Church," he said. "Our music is different. Our ways of rehearsing is different. Our personalities are different. We come from different backgrounds, cultures, places of origin, and so on and so forth. But our goal with music is the same."
Pindian is currently working on his debut album, which is expected to be released this year.
