Nak’ulamen Performance Collective

A newly formed performance company which presents traditional works as well as contemporary performance.This group is based out of the En’owkin Centre an Aboriginal educational-arts and ecological institute situated on the Penticton Indian Reserve. Nak’ulamen was formed so young people of the Okanagan Nations could learn their traditional dances, songs, language and stories. Richard Armstrong presently serves as one of the main Okanagan traditional mentors and works with the group teaching the Okanagan traditional-based songs and stories.

Visit Web site: Nak'ulamen

Herman Edward

Herman is a member of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band and is well known throughout the Interior for his flute music and as a story teller. His extensive traditional knowledge consists of flute making & music, canoe & paddle carving, bead working, the making of prayer pipes, hand drums and regalia. He is also a hand drummer and a fluent speaker of the Okanagan language.

In 1979 his mother, Isabelle Edward taught him about the traditional flute materials,which inspired Herman to become a flute maker. In 1982 Herman met Woodrow Haney, a master flute maker, who told him the oral history of the traditional flute and provided him with a picture of a flute pattern. Today, Herman is a self taught traditional flute maker who mastered the art of traditional flute making and uses a variety of mediums to construct the instrument. In 1987 Herman recorded a tape of his flute music through Canyon Productions in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Through out the years, Herman has composed and recorded music for several documentaries and television in Canada and the states of Washington and Idaho in the United States. Herman also facilitates flute making workshops. His daughter Hovia, is also an accomplished flute player who was mentored, encouraged and is supported by Herman.

Rezzifyde Empire - JRez

Rezzifyde Empire is an Independent Record Label owned and operated by Audio Engineer Sam Mitchell, (aka JRez) of Okanagan Indian Band.

Rezzifyde Empire's flagship crew 'Rezzifyde' consists of two Okanagan youth from Vernon, BC. The group was formed in early 2002. JRez & Young Chative have been writing lyrics since 2001 and recording since 2003. Since their inception they have performed in numerous show's and events throughout British Columbia.

Rezzifyde Empire currently represents and records Independent Solo Artists and Groups as part of the label or by contract. To date, there has been 10 solo artitsts, 2 groups and 1 traditional powwow drum group who have recorded with Rezzifyde Empire.

Visit web site: Rezzifyde Empire

Kreeps

Greg ‘Kreeps’ Ferguson, born February 21st, 1978, broke into the hip hop scene as a graffiti artist at the age of 14, was free styling at 15, break dancing at 16 and never took the art of hip hop seriously until the age of 17, when he began writing lyrics. At 18 he began performing locally, he recorded his first song by the time he was 20 and became actively pursued by other artists to appear on compilations and mixed tapes throughout Canada. His first appearance was on the ANC CD which was produced in 1999. Kreeps also appeared on DJ Combz Presents Back To The Essence which was released and sold over Canada & USA in 2005. He has recorded and performed with many Hip hop crews, groups and artists.
Kreeps released his first solo project, ‘Shadows I Battle,’ in April 2006. He is already working on his next solo album, ‘Multiple Personality.’ which will all be released under Crazy Cutz Records.

Visit Web site: Kreeps

National Aboriginal Professional Artist Training

National Aboriginal Professional Artist Training

Through the En'owkin Centre National Aboriginal Professional Artist Training (NAPAT) program students are taught live performances. Students in the NAPAT 3 (A/B) Fusions class are taught traditional performance in a contemporary world; music; media; movement; dance; theatre.

NAPAT 3 is focused on providing hands-on workshops designed to assist professional Aboriginal performance artists and musicians, who already have a foundation of skills in performance movement, theatre performance and music performance. Students produce a body of performance works as well as present a variety of works to audiences. The performances created in the NAPAT program have been made available for various En'owkin centre (and other local organizations) events, venues and functions.

Visit web site: En'owkin Centre

Indigenous Arts Service Organization (IASO)

Housed in the En'owkin Centre, IASO is a non-profit society formed in 1995 to support and serve Indigenous artists in all artistic disciplines in the province of British Columbia.

IASO's mandate is to promote and increase exposure of Indigenous artist's works on a provincial, national and international level, by empowering them with information and access to existing services and resources within the provincial arts community.

Visit Web site: IASO

Ullus Collective

The Ullus Collective is a regional group of independent aboriginal artists who have worked together on numerous project based activities and screening events since 1996. They began meeting in 1995 with the intent to pool together talents and resources to enable themselves to produce media art works and to learn more about the art form. The Ullus Collective members continue to work together to collaborate and support each individual or team project by combining resources, networks and information to aid in the success of the Independent and the collective media producers. Ullus also initiated the formal process of organizing activities to serve its members to provide screening, training and other opportunities and experiences.

webite: http://www.enowkincentre.ca/ullus.html

Tracey Jack

Ms. Tracey Kim Jack is an award winning independent broadcast journalist and producer for television news and documentaries. She is a member of the Syilx Nation from the Okanagan; born and raised on the Penticton Indian reserve. Currently she is the Program Director for the Indigenous Arts Service Organization, a Provincial Organization mandated to support, advocate and create access and awareness for aboriginal artists in multi disciplines in British Columbia.  Ms. Jack is also on faculty at the En’owkin Centre in Penticton instructing Media Arts. As well she volunteers on a National Board of Directors in Canada; Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) representing the National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition (NIMAC) to support the growth of aboriginal media arts run centre's in Canada.

Dust Dancer Productions

Dust Dancer Productions (DDP) is a multi-media production company that is owned and operated by Victoria Baptiste,a Penticton Indian Band member.

DDP specializes in digital video production, digital photography, stock photography, website design & development, computer graphics (design and layout) and provides an online Aboriginal Talent Database for currently unrepresented Indigenous Artists.

visit web site: Dust Dancer Productions

KRUGER DeZines

Kruger DeZines is a home-based business that has been in operation since 1985. The owner, Patsy Kruger, is a local artist, specializing in contemporary visual and media arts, through free-hand and comptuer-generated art. KRUGER DeZines offers services that include Production and Layout of Business Cards, Business Logo designs, Photo Alteration, Animation, Graphics, Layout and Design of various templates from CD/DVD Covers, Web-related graphics, Web sites and digital backgrounds, and much more. Video and audio projects have now been included and more hi-tech mediums have been considered for services that KRUGER DeZines can offer. KRUGER DeZines also does acrylic paintings with natural paint (Ochre) and Sculpturing (Clay and Plaster with metal). For more information, contact the artist at:

Phone: (250) 487-0313

email, at: patsy.kruger@gmail.com.

Visit web site or Facebook, and MySpace!!"

Evelyn Alec

Evelyn is a multidisciplinary artist in numerous fields and a member of the Penticton Indian Band. She is skilled in the visual arts and uses a of variety of mediums, she's a self taught computer graphics artist in addition to being an accomplished recording artist. She designs CD covers, posters & printed materials for various artists and has been featured on numerous CD's and soundtracks for various films and documentaries.

Visit Web site: Evelyn Alec

Linda Anderson

Linda was born in Oliver B.C. and grew up in the Okanagan Valley. She is a member of the Osoyoos Indian Band. She lives in Oliver with her husband of 25 years and has three grown children and one granddaughter.

Linda is an entirely self taught artist and has loved art since childhood. Her medium is acrylic painted on feathers, sliced rock, natural hide drums, petrified wood, and stone slabs. She will also use beads, horse hair, porcupine quills, and small decorative feathers to finish her unique one of a kind pieces. Her subjects are local wildlife and/or faces capturing the spirit and essence of her Okanagan heritage. Linda prefers painting on natural objects compared to traditional canvas. And upon contemplation she has come to realize that the objects on which she paints mean as much to her as her art. It is a merging or a joining, and the object then becomes a part of her work.

Visit Web site: Okanagan Artist OR Linda's myspace web site

Theytus Books Ltd

In 1980, Theytus became the first Aboriginal owned and operated publishing house in Canada. Widely recognized in North America and internationally, Theytus is respected for its efforts in producing and promoting appropriate reading material and information created by Aboriginal authors, illustrators and artists. Theytus strives to ensure that the Aboriginal Voice and Vision is expressed in the highest level of cultural authenticity and integrity. Today, Theytus continues the legacy to be owned and operated by Aboriginal people and is a division of the En'owkin Centre.

Visit Web site: Theytus Books Ltd

Jeannette Armstrong

Jeannette Armstrong is an Okanagan Indian who was born in 1948 on the Penticton Indian Reserve in British Columbia. The grandniece of Hum-Ishu-Ma (Mourning Dove, 1888-1936), and considered the first Native American woman novelist, Armstrong is a writer, teacher, artist, sculptor and activist. She speaks both Okanagan and English; she received a traditional education from Okanagan elders and her family and has raised her own two children on the Penticton Indian reserve as well. In 1978, she obtained a BFA from the University of Victoria in 1978. In 1986 Armstrong became the director of the En'owkin Centre in Penticton. She is also the first director of the En'owkin International School of Writing in Penticton, a creative-writing school organized by and for Native people which grants diplomas through the University of Victoria. Armstrong writes poetry, fiction, essays and children's literature. She also continues to make visual art and teaches creative writing and performance. The importance of music and poetry is reflected in the recent production of her poem/song "Grandmothers" on the compact disk Word Up! She has been invited to speak to numerous international audiences on native issues including native education and indigenous rights. In 2003 Jeannette Armstrong was the recipient of the Buffet Award for Aboriginal Leadership in recognition of her work as an educator, community leader and Indigenous rights activist.