Cultivating Indigenous Culture through Songs and Stories

An all-ages Indigenous storytelling event featuring drumming, joy, audience participation, and stories of identity and community. Immerse yourself in an all-ages celebration of Indigenous storytelling and joy. Presented by Patty Krawec (Annishinaabe/Ukranian), renowned local author of “Bad Indians Book Club” and “Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future”, in collaboration with Cindy Biancaniello (Inuk), Nicole Joy-Fraser (Cree/Metis/East European), and Okie (Choctaw/Irish). During this family-friendly event Patty will share with us a story about animals saving us from an eternal winter, Cindy will talk about her family's experiences in what is now Nunavut as well as her own experiences here in Niagara. Nicole will lead a drum circle that invites audience participation, and Okie will be talking about the importance of loving and caring for each other across all the boundaries that our world creates to keep us separated. Together, they will create an Indigenous storytelling experience that combines drumming, joy, and identity in a collaborative environment that emphasizes shared moments and audience activation. All attending participants that RSVP via Eventbrite will be entered into a draw to win signed a copy of Patty Karwec's book, a Family Membership to the Niagara Falls History Musuem, or a prize pack from the Niagara Falls Public Library. This event was created in partnership with the Niagara Falls Public Library, The Exchange, and the Niagara Falls History Museum. This program is supported by Ontario Culture Days through the Niagara Activation Fund 2026.