Mike Stevens is a non-aboriginal folk musician who has found a new calling as the founder of ArtsCan Circle, a non-profit organization aimed specifically at providing Aboriginal youth in several remote communities in Canada with access to musical instruments and visits by experienced musicians from different parts of Canada to provide instruction and support.
The idea for ArtsCan Circle emerged after Stevens had been invited to visit Sheshatshiu in 2000, an Innu village in Labrador that at the time had the highest suicide rate in Canada. He was struck by the level of poverty , substance abuse and especially the lack of opportunities for youth. When he began playing his harmonica during a fireside chat with members of the community, he noticed how many youth in particular seemed to be drawn to the music and stopped whatever they were doing to listen. Since then he has devoted his efforts to getting instruments into the hands of as many kids as he can.
The article on Stevens, featured in the September issue of Vancouver’s Common Ground, is worth a look as it underscores the harsh reality that many Aboriginal communities in Canada live in a level of poverty that is substantially lower than the rest of the country. It also provides a message of hope as the healing power of music is described to have a tremendous impact on the community.
Ultimately, what I do find lacking from the article is an Innu perspective. While Stevens observes the benefits and positive influence that an influx of art and music have had on revitalizing the communities he’s worked with, what I would like to know is how the Innu themselves view how the role of the arts have had on their community. Do they see a marked difference in the attitudes of youth in the community? Have young people shown a greater interest in their traditional music and art forms as a result? How is the community itself taking control of the development of the music development program begun by Stevens and ArtsCan Circle? I feel that without this perspective, the Innu and other Aboriginal communities benefitting from this program come across as passive participants with no voice of their own.