Guest Speakers

CHERYL L'HIRONDELLE

Panelist
Performance Artist ~ Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Cheryl L'Hirondelle (aka Waynohtew, Cheryl Koprek) is an Alberta born but currently a Vancouver based, halfbreed (Metis/Cree-non status/treaty, French, German, Polish) multi/interdisciplinary artist.  Since the early 80's she has created, performed, collaborated and presented work in a variety of artistic disciplines: performance art, music (voice, percussion, songwriter, arranger, producer), theatre (actor, writer), performance poetry, storytelling, installation art (site-specific, earthworks) video and new media (net.art, pirate radio, audio art).

Since the early 90's she has also worked as an arts programmer, cultural strategist/activist, arts consultant, facilitator/coordinator, administrator, assessor, workshop and sessional instructor and director/producer independently and within the national artist-run network, national independent music industry, various educational institutions, first nations bands, tribal councils and government agencies (provincial & federal) in this land now known as Canada.

Her music and art practice is an investigation of the intersection of Cree worldview (nehiyawin) and the inter/multidisciplinarity of creative expression inherent in other indigenous, world and youth cultures.  As part of this investigation, L'Hirondelle develops performative physical endurances, infiltrations and  interventions, site-specific installations, interactive net.art projects [www.ndnnrkey.net] and keeps singing,  making rhythm, dancing and telling stories whenever and where ever she can.

Cheryl also is part of the musical group M'Girl (an Aboriginal Women's Ensemble with Renae Morriseau,  Sheila Maracle, Tiare Laporte), still performs with her singing duo Nikamok, backs up (percussion, vocals) Metis singer/songwriter  Arlette Alcock and occasionally performs with Metis jigging troupe Compagnie Vni Dansi (Yvonne Chartrand, Artistic Director). Cheryl was recently appointed as an Associate Researcher with SmartLab / University of East London, London, UK.