Featuring hand-drumming grandmother and grandson, the Indigenous duo Chubby Cree will perform in Surrey on Sept. 29, the day before Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
That Thursday evening, Edmonton-based Carol Powder and Noah Green, 12, will lead a performance at city hall’s Centre Stage starting at 7:30 p.m., with dancers and other drummers joining in.
For the Surrey Civic Theatres-presented concert, tickets are $24 on tickets.surrey.ca, or call 604-501-5566.
New this summer was Chubby Cree’s video for a song called “Rock Your World,” posted to YouTube in June.
“So far we’ve made 65 songs,” Powder says in a CBC News video about the duo. “We have a whole drum group at home that I’ve raised – all my grandkids, my niece, my nephew. I teach them everything that I teach Noah. In the summer one day we’re going to bring them all out to perform for everybody.”
An advisory for the hour-long Surrey concert says Chubby Cree “is on a mission to use their gift of traditional Indigenous music and song as a way to heal and unite people from all walks of life.
“The group’s formidable performances often bring audience members to tears…including tears of joy. Expect to enjoy an uplifting and inspiring evening that you are certain to remember for a long time to come.”
In recent years Chubby Cree has played around Edmonton at both traditional powwows and community events.
Singing by eight months old, Noah began performing live at the age of two.
Likewise, Powder was trained at a young age by her grandfather.
“In the future, you’re going to be a singer,” she recalled him saying. “You’re going to help bring these women back to the drum because that’s where they belong. Children belong there. Why? Because that’s the only time anyone’s going to heal.”
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram and follow Tom on Twitter