Open Conversation: Ancestor Songs | Thursday 2 November

What are the stories, songs and poems written into our blood memory? Join Janice Jo Lee and Elsa Jayne to rediscover the connection to their own traditional mythology, folklore and teachings that had been lost through displacement.

Janice Jo Lee is a Korean-Canadian, spoken word poet, folk musician, and theatre artist rooted in Kitchener, on Haldimand Treaty territory. She is passionate about building flourishing communities based in justice and joy through art. Lee is a hard femme queer radical and on stage is known for being disarmingly hilarious, off-the-cuff and fearlessly honest. She is interested in the question: “What is my responsibility to my ancestors and my community as a storyteller?” In Waterloo Region, she organizes with the KW Poetry Slam, Rainbow Reels Queer and Trans Film Festival, and directs the Young Company at the MT Space Theatre. Lee was the City of Kitchener’s Artist in Residence in 2015 and created a cinepoem project called Folk Myths of Kitchener. Lee’s music has been played nationally on CBC Radio, and she has performed across Canada and facilitated over one hundred workshops on storytelling, songwriting and activism. Earlier this year Lee premiered her one-person musical Will You Be My Friend to sold out houses in Kitchener presented by Green Light Arts. This year will see the release of Lee’s third studio album Ancestor Song, and a documusical about her journey titled The Legend of Sing Hey. janicejolee.ca

Elsa Jayne is a First Nations singer-songwriter from Kitchener, Ontario. A multi-instrumentalist and dynamic vocalist whose repertoire ranges from folk ballads to synth-led anthems, her melodies and stories are woven with a sense of wonder and disarming truth. Lilting and soaring, Elsa sings of her First Nations heritage, faith, and her personal musings. She addresses the joys and grievances of life in her music with hope and peace. Elsa has released several recordings including her self-titled album, Elsa Jayne, her EP, Heart, and most recent release, Christmas Songs. Elsa has performed extensively across Canada and in 2017, alongside singer-songwriter Jesse Maranger, co-founded Evergreen Arts, a Kitchener record label.

Open Conversations: Ancestor Songs takes place on Thursdays, 5 October and 2 November from 7-8 pm. Free admission. 

Sponsored by The Gamble Family