Resistance Rising Springs Into Action!

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Friday, May 17th, 2019
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Artistic Director, Rama DelaRosa invites community members to attend Resistance Rising Choir’s end of season concert on May 17th at the Dave Dunnet Theatre. DelaRosa said, “It’s going to be a very special evening in support of land and cultural reclamation for Coast Salish Youth.” Spring Into Action? will feature the radical harmonies of the Resistance Rising Choir.

The evening will include an Activist Social hosted by The Raging Grannies, a silent auction, sumptuous bake sale, and local beverage bar including Salt Spring Kombucha as well as local coffee, tea and cider. Guest speakers, Tiffany Joseph, SEN?O?EN Language & Culture Revitalization apprentice and Joe Akerman, of Xwaaqw'um will share about the importance of cultural reclamation and indigenous youth empowerment.

There will also be poetry and music by special guest Wraven Détha. The choir is raising funds to support Xwaaqw’um - Youth Camps for indigenous youth on Salt Spring Island. Led by Quw’utsun Elders, knowledge keepers and other indigenous leaders, these camps provide a unique opportunity for indigenous youth to learn about Hul’q’umi’num culture and teachings in a natural environment through land and culture based activities. Youth participate in potlucks, storytelling sessions, camas planting, plant medicine walks, nettle rope building , intertidal studies, clam garden restoration and other environmental restoration efforts. A portion of the funds raised will provide garden tools and native plants for Project Reclaim. Project Reclaim empowers youth from the Tsartlip Nation to lead their community in healing, resisting, and preventing violence through youth-led land restoration and culturally relevant violence prevention curricula in local schools.

Resistance Rising Choir is dedicated to building community, elevating awareness and inspiring action by bringing the magic of choral harmony to the front lines of environmental and social justice causes. DelaRosa explained that “These territories give us all so much, we want to show our gratitude by giving back in the spirit of community, music, celebration, learning and sharing.” The choir was founded in September 2019 by Salt Spring Island resident Rama DelaRosa. In their first season the choir’s Winter concert raised over $3000 to help defend wild salmon through Matriarch Camp. Resistance Rising Choir has performed at many actions and community events including a recent banner drop and flash mob for Defend the Salish Sea and most recently performed at Rise and Resist and Extinction Rebellion’s Earth Day bank divestment action in downtown Victoria.

Resistance Rising Choir currently has about 30 members and is open to new singers of all ages and all genders for their next season starting in September 2019. The choir meets in downtown Victoria every Monday evening to rehearse. Choir member Marilyn Wolovick says that “Rama is an inspiring leader who arranges all of our songs with exquisite harmonies and we are making a difference, one song at a time.“

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