For Lillian Allen, poetry is a collaborative process at every step. A collaboration with the audiences who show up to her readings, as well as a collaboration with the musicians who accompany her.

There are no shortage of audiences and musicians who would love to collaborate with her. Allen is widely regarded as one of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 leading exporters of dub poetry, a style that incorporates Caribbean rythms, and is often itself set to music.

This weekend, Allen will bring the rhythms of the West Indies to the 2022 NorthWords festival. Although this is her first time in Yellowknife, she says she has a spiritual connection with the North, and vibes with the pace of Northern life and strong community bonds. SA国际影视传媒淭he sheer beauty of it, and the community,SA国际影视传媒� she says, adding that Northerners SA国际影视传媒渁renSA国际影视传媒檛 on their way to somewhere else. They love being there.SA国际影视传媒�

Allen will be appearing five times at this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 festival, participating in both readings and workshops. One of these will be a workshop on performance poetry, where Allen will coach attendees on giving compelling readings. Another event, a panel discussion entitled SA国际影视传媒淧oetry as a Reflection of our Times and Our Society,SA国际影视传媒� will focus on another subject close to AllenSA国际影视传媒檚 heart: The intersection of art and social issues. Allen says she hopes to touch on everything from the Covid-19 pandemic to social movements for equal rights and justice.

At least one of AllenSA国际影视传媒檚 performances at the festival will feature musical accompaniment. SA国际影视传媒淚t will basically take the root of what ISA国际影视传媒檓 doing, and then weSA国际影视传媒檙e just going to improvise and lay it with good energy, and see what occurs,SA国际影视传媒� she says.

Perhaps no one is as excited to be hosting the SA国际影视传媒淕odmother of dubSA国际影视传媒� as NorthWordsSA国际影视传媒檚 president, Robyn Scott. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 a performing poet myself, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 an English teacher,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淎nd so ISA国际影视传媒檓 a fan of Lillian AllenSA国际影视传媒檚 work and I have been for a long time.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲hen we decided to do an in-person festival, when we decided to extend an invitation to her, I never dreamed in a million years that we would be lucky enough for her to say yes. And so I am overjoyed that we get to introduce her and her writing to our poetry community and Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�

Although dub poetry has its roots in the Caribbean, Scott says she sees clear parallels in Northern poetry, storytelling, and music. SA国际影视传媒淚 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 really important that we bring a dub poet to our community, because dub poetry celebrates living in the same way that drum dancing does, the same way that Inuit throat singing does.SA国际影视传媒�

She compares Allen to Northern Artists like Tanya Tagaq, Kelly Fraser, and Tanya Snow. SA国际影视传媒淭heir work captures the heartbeat of stories in the same way that dub poetry does,SA国际影视传媒� she says.

For her part, Allen says sheSA国际影视传媒檚 looking forward to collaborating with the audience and with the community. SA国际影视传媒淲hen I get there, it will be inspiring, I know. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 one of the reasons I do it,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淧eople who will leave their TVs and their fishing, and whatever they do to come and listen to you and connect to you SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 really something I look forward to. Because that connection and collaboration is what actually fuels my work and me to keep going.SA国际影视传媒�

Tickets to this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 festival and a complete list of guests and events is available on the NorthWords NWT website.