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A collaboration between the Traditional Arts Partnership and a group of Native American traditional singers back in 2021, has led to the group being invited to perform locally, with exciting Lislea and Belfast concerts planned for March.
The Sullivan Squad, a family of traditional Ojibwe Anishinaabe/Ho-Chunk singers from the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation in Wisconsin, USA are performing for the first time in the Crescent Arts Centre Belfast March 20 and Lislea Community Centre, Armagh, March 22 and they will be joined by local musicians.
Organiser, Fergal O’Brien from the Traditional Arts Partnership (TAP) said that there was growing excitement about the Sullivan Squad making their Irish debuts at the Imagine Belfast Festival and in Lislea in March.
The group consists of Michael Migizi Sullivan Sr. the lead singer of the award winning drum group Pipestone, his sons Niizhoo Sullivan (19-years-old), Preston Sullivan (15-years-old), Lennox Sullivan (9-years-old), and daughter Lexie Sullivan (14-years-old). They regularly perform together at round dances, ceremonies, hand drum contests, events, and celebrations across the United States.
Dr Michael Migizi Sullivan (PhD.) is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) linguist from the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation in northern Wisconsin. He is currently the Native American Studies Faculty Director at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University and previously served as the resident linguist for the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Immersion School. Dr Sullivan has travelled extensively across Ojibwe country exploring regional language variation and works closely with elders and tribes in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ontario.
Dr Sullivan is no stranger to TAP, having taught 32 bodhrán players a round dance beat during COVID-19 in preparation for the Kindred Spirits- Anamchairde project in 2021.
Anamchairde is a term from the Irish language and means soul friends which has been used to describe the deep understanding that gave rise to the Choctaw Nation donating $170 to help the Irish people devastated by the Famine in 1847. This was a huge sum at the time worth tens of thousands of dollars today.
A unique partnership in 2021 between the Celtic Junction Arts Centre, St Paul Minnesota, Aonach Mhacha Cultural Centre and TAP culminated in the production of a curated, hour long on-line production exploring areas of common experience and shared humanity, music, song and spoken word. Contributions to this programme included a song ‘Ima’ from Finbar Magee, a Whitecross native, to recount the Choctaw story and a Gaelic version from Piaras O Lorcain translated by Gael Linn CEO, Réamonn Ó’Ciaráin. TAP fiddle tutor, Aodh Mac Mhurchaidh composed a piece ‘Kindred Spirits’ for the on- line production which has been performed in Armagh and Minnesota. All artists now look forward to performing alongside the Sullivans in Lislea.
Thanks to funding from the Ho Chunk and Ojibwe tribes, the Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership, Imagine Belfast and Gael Linn a dream has come true for Michael to perform in Northern Ireland and visit the country of his grandfather’s ancestors. Asked had he any special requests in Ireland, a wish for a round of golf was readily granted by Joe Pilkington the manager of Cloverhill Golf Club, Mullaghbawn who offered three!
Keep an eye on the Traditional Arts Partnership - South Armagh Facebook Page for details of the event in Lislea Community Centre on 22 March.
Tickets for the Belfast event are available at imaginebelfast.com
