Workshop 8, Led by Tanya Tagaq
ARTIST TALK + Q&A - Tanya Tagaq talked about how the North influences her art and took questions.
Tanya Tagaq is a Canadian (Inuk) throat singer, artist and activist from Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuutiaq), Nunavut, Canada, on the south coast of Victoria Island. She gave an artist talk as part of the Banff Spoken Word program during which she kindly shared some of her writing with us, and then answered questions from the group. Her writing is based on her experience and is also quite abstract. She intends for her writing to increase awareness and then help with the healing process.
She presented herself in a curious manner; Softly spoken and prone to giggles, her feminine, timid, high-pitched voice indicated a degree of shyness and vulnerability. However, as she revealed some of the disturbing stories of her childhood, a more confident, resilient and courageous character emerged.
I admire the way that, despite all the trauma she has been through, she does not want this to be her identity and is not looking for self pity.
Some really pertinent comments she made, include
"If you don't live it, don't claim it"
"It's not until you give birth that you realise the pain that will be involved in dying"
"If you have a papercut, don't complain to people with no arms"
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