Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With

April 22 to June 2, 2024 I Off site programming

Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With is a six-week series of workshops, conversations, and outdoor events that give space and time for asking how our personal, ancestral, and professional experiences and realities affect how we listen, and how we sound, specifically within the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples. Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With recognizes that artists and all community members have work to do with respect to the climate emergency, social justice, and a meaningful commitment to respectful relations with the original peoples of these lands. 

Immersed in the overwhelming sounds of machines echoing within paved environments, those of us who have come from other places might not be aware of the traces, memories, echoes, and stories that still vibrate through these lands, skies, and waters.

Is it possible to come together over a series of gatherings to begin a process of change, reconnection and to strengthen relationships through listening and soundmaking? 

Questions

Some of the questions we are asking in Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With:

What unique ways do the land, rocks, and waters of this place resonate, vibrate, and sound within themselves? How might they influence how we listen and how we sound? Are we eavesdropping? How can listening, sounding, and artmaking benefit the people and other beings of this place?

How do people from different backgrounds, orientations, and cultures listen and sound within their respective positions?

What techniques of listening and attention do sonic practitioners already use in their daily lives and practices? How do these inform their relation to these questions?

Program Artists

An opening gathering on Sunday, April 28 will introduce Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With through a workshop with Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick, who will offer traditional ways of embarking on shared work in good relationships. In May, Yuxwelupton will lead a series of four workshops each focusing on a specific traditional story and inviting reflection on the soundscapes and images that are evoked.

Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With offers three open conversations: One led by Dylan Robinson with guests France Trepanier and Heather Iglolirte; another led by Giorgio Magnanensi with guest Peter Hatch; and a demonstrative conversation will take place with Rebecca Hass, Michael Benneyworth and others.

Hayalthkin’geme Carey Newman and Kirk McNally will present an immersive audio-visual preview of the Witness Blanket VR Experience followed by a discussion with special guest Olivia Shortt.

Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With will also feature audio works by Dylan Robinson and Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick as well as audio offerings from local Indigenous community members. 

Throughout the series, participants are invited to independently engage with listening practices through provided prompts and exercises. Onland sessions offer the opportunity to reconsider personal listening intentions and practices, and to develop collective ways to listen and sound from the perspective of these lands. Participants and guests also have the opportunity to make and contribute to audio recordings.

On June 1, an outdoor installation with Giorgio Magnanensi’s West Coast Radians - eight wood resonators - will bring sonic offerings made through the project to a wooded location in the area. 

A final Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With Open Gathering on June 2 invites everyone involved in the project to share insights, ideas, practices, and possible new ways of working. Giorgio Magnanensi’s wood resonators will be brought indoors to accommodate the sharing of sounds. Can how we listen, sound, and create benefit the people and other beings of this place?

Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With sessions are free, and open to anyone who would like to be involved. 

Registration, as indicated, is strongly recommended, as space is limited for some events.

Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With is convened by Tina Pearson and Mitch Renaud.

Schedule of Events

Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With
April 22 through June 2, 2024

All events are free of charge, and open to anyone. Registration is recommended for some events as space is limited.

*times and locations subject to change, please check back often

DATE: Monday, April 22, 2024
TIME: Ongoing

EVENT: Online launch of Listening Practices, audio and video files;

• Featuring xwe'í  [arrive, arriving, come here, have come, get here, get back], an audio offering from Dylan Robinson that asks participants to listen on the land, made for Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With, an invitation to make sounds with Hayalthkin’geme Carey Newman’s Earth Drum, and scores for independent listening.

• Links to the associated audio and video files will be provided here on April 22, 2024.

LOCATION: Online

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Sunday, April 28, 2024
TIME: 2 - 8 pm, with light meal at 5pm (Note earlier start time)

EVENT: Listening With Ourselves: Welcome Gathering and Introduction

• Workshop: Sxwamales: gifts from our ancestors, led by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick, who will introduce traditionally inclusive ways of creating circle agreements with one another during shared times in Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With. Participants are invited to bring an item that reflects the work we are coming collectively to do and how it forms their Identity. The workshop is offered to prepare us for how we work with like hearts and like minds. 

• Workshop: Deep Listening and Reciprocal Listening led by Tina Pearson 

• Prompts by from Dylan Robinson

• A light meal will be available.

REGISTRATION: Eventbrite

LOCATION: Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, POV, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Saturday May 4, 2024
TIME: 1 - 4 pm

EVENT: Story of Camosung - Sound and Artmaking from Here

• Workshop #1 

• In a series of four workshops for Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With, Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick will offer key traditional lək̓ʷəŋən stories and guide participants to reflect on their soundscapes, asking how the process might influence their relationship to the lands and waters of this place, home to the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples since time immemorial.

• Led by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick

REGISTRATION FOR ALL WORKSHOPS: Eventbrite
LOCATION: Church of Truth, 111 Superior St, Victoria, BC

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Sunday May 5, 2024
TIME: 8 am - 12 pm

EVENT: Listening and Speaking With the Land: Apologies, Reparations and Affirmations

• Participants are invited to consider their relationships with the lands and waters, and record messages they wish to offer for inclusion in an audio piece by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick and Michael Benneyworth.

• Coordinated by Michael Benneyworth

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Outdoor Location TBA

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Thursday May 9, 2024
TIME: 6 - 9 pm

EVENT: Decolonizing Sound: Ideas and practices for ecologically, and socially sustainable relationships.

• An Open conversation and demonstration

• Led by Giorgio Magnanensi, with Peter Hatch, and others.

• Demonstration of West Coast Radians wood resonators.

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Church of Truth, 111 Superior St, Victoria, BC

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Friday May 10, 2024
TIME: 6-9 pm

EVENT: Story of the Two Sisters- Sound and Artmaking from Here

• Workshop #2 

• Led by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick

REGISTRATION: Via Eventbrite for all 4 workshops(link coming soon)
LOCATION: Church of Truth, 111 Superior St, Victoria, BC

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Sunday May 12, 2024
TIME: TBA

EVENT: Soundwalk / Onland Listening Practice

• Led by TBC

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Outdoor Location TBA

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Thursday May 16, 2024
TIME: 6 - 9pm

EVENT: Great Flood Story - Sound and Artmaking from Here

• Workshop #3

• Led by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick

REGISTRATION FOR ALL WORKSHOPS: Eventbrite

LOCATION: Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, POV, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Friday May 17, 2024
TIME: 6 - 9 pm

EVENT: Listening and Arriving [tset íkw'elò, xwélalà:mtset]

• Open Conversation led by Dylan Robinson on the ways in which we might hear our various arrivals in place.

• Participants will reflect on their experiences of Robinson’s audio work, xwe'í.

• With special guests France Trépanier and Heather Igloliorte. 

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, POV, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Sunday May 19, 2024
TIME: 8 am - 12 pm

EVENT: Listening and Speaking With the Land: Apologies, Reparations and Affirmations

• Participants are invited to consider their relationships with the lands and waters, and record messages they wish to offer for inclusion in an audio piece by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick and Michael Benneyworth.

• Coordinated by Michael Benneyworth

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Outdoor Location TBA

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Saturday May 18 and Monday, May 20, 2024
TIME: Ongoing

EVENT: Listening Remote Together

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Individual Listening 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Friday May 24, 2024
TIME: 7 - 9 pm

EVENT: Considering Sound in Relation: The Witness Blanket VR experience 

• An immersive preview and discussion will explore the function that music plays in accessing memory, through a transformative interactive experience that will extend the visceral power of visiting the original Witness Blanket installation.

• Led by Hayalthkin’geme Carey Newman and Kirk McNally, with special guest Olivia Short

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, POV, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Saturday May 25, 2024 
TIME: TBA

EVENT: Soundwalk / Onland Listening Practice

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Outdoor Location TBA

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Sunday May 26, 2024
TIME: 1 - 4 pm

EVENT: Peace Treaty with Sii'shalth Nation - Sound and Artmaking from Here

• Workshop #4

• Led by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick

REGISTRATION FOR ALL WORKSHOPS: Eventbrite

LOCATION: Church of Truth, 111 Superior St, Victoria, BC

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Wednesday May 29, 2024
TIME: 6:30 - 9:30 pm

EVENT: The Ways We Voice: Language and Rituals in traditional Indigenous and Colonial Practices

• Led by Rebecca Hass, Michael Benneyworth, and others

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, POV, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Saturday June 1, 2024
TIME: 12 noon - evening 

EVENT: Sonic Offerings for Here: A Resonant Installation

• Presentation of Eight Wood Resonators by Giorgio Magnanensi

• Featuring an audio work made for Ləléʔnəŋ Listening-With by Yuxwelupton Bradley Dick and Michael Benneyworth, with contributions from Dylan Robinson, France Trépanier, Judy Elk, Genevieve Mack, Mark Atleo, and others.

REGISTRATION: Not required
LOCATION: Outdoor location TBA

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

DATE: Sunday June 2, 2024
TIME: 1 - 5 pm

EVENT: Closing Gathering and Potluck: Deepening Relations and Community around Listening and Sounding

• Open Conversations, Resonator installation.

REGISTRATION: Eventbrite

LOCATION: Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, POV, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria