In Hul’q’umi’num, Nutsa’maat Sqwalawun means “One Heart, One Mind.” It’s more than just a name — it’s a living invitation to meet on the bridge between cultures, to listen deeply, and to move forward together.
On September 26, 2025, the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre will host a free community event that embodies this spirit. Nutsa’maat Sqwalawun: One Heart, One Mind is an intergenerational performance rooted in Reconcili-Action — the practice of moving beyond words into tangible acts of healing, understanding, and cultural truth-telling.
The project brings together Indigenous and settler artists, Elders, youth, musicians, dancers, and storytellers. Through music, movement, and improvisation, it creates a shared space for honest cultural exchange. The performance will conclude with a vital community conversation on racism and reconciliation, led by Elder Robert George (Qwiyahwultu’hw), inviting the audience to reflect, ask questions, and carry the dialogue forward into daily life.
Reconcili-Action Through Music
Music has a way of reaching across divides where words alone may falter. Improvisation — a key part of Nutsa’maat Sqwalawun — offers a living metaphor for reconciliation: it’s about listening first, responding with respect, and co-creating something that could not exist without both voices.
In this performance, a powwow drum might meet a Celtic fiddle, a hip hop verse might weave with traditional song, and dancers might embody the rhythms of both shared and distinct histories. This is not about blending everything into sameness — it’s about standing together in difference, honouring each voice while finding the points where our stories touch.
The Bridge We Walk Together
Walking on the bridge together requires courage. As Elders have shared, the more reconciliation deepens, the more resistance can arise. Racism is real, and sharing power is not easy work. But Nutsa’maat Sqwalawun holds space for that complexity — the joy of connection alongside the discomfort of truth.
The performance is guided by Quw’utsun Elders and Protocol Keepers, including T’uwahwiye’ (Philomena Williams), Qwiyahwultu’hw (Robert George), and Tsulhwuletse (John George), ensuring the process remains rooted in cultural integrity.
An Invitation to Community
Everyone is welcome — whether you come to listen, to witness, or to participate in the post-performance dialogue. Reconciliation is not a spectator sport; it is a shared journey. Events like Nutsa’maat Sqwalawun remind us that art can be both a mirror and a bridge, reflecting where we are and inviting us toward where we could be — together, one heart and one mind.
Nutsa’maat Sqwalawun: One Heart, One Mind
When: Friday, September 26, 2025 – 6:30 PM
Where: Cowichan Performing Arts Centre
Admission: Free – Presented as part of Culture Days