The Áakʼw Rock Indigenous music festival returns to Juneau this fall.
Billed as the only Indigenous music festival in the country, it will bring performers from Alaska and around the world to the newly renovated Centennial Hall Sept. 21 through 23.
Quacung Blanchett, a member of the band Pamyua, is one of the organizers. He was inspired to create Áakʼw Rock after performing at Indigenous music festivals in Canada and Europe.
“So there’s places that have them, and we’ve performed at those,” Blanchett said. “To see the pride and just the joy and connection that happens in those places over the years – it was like ‘God, we have to have one!’”
Blanchett appeared on Juneau Afternoon Tuesday with co-organizer Neilga Koogéi to preview the event. He said the goal is to celebrate Indigenous music by exposing it to a larger audience while also building relationships.
“It’s not just about music. We’re actually going to have time for us to get to know each other,” he said. “We’re going to create a space that has this opportunity to have moments of connection with people from all over the world.”
This year’s lineup includes international performers including First Nations hip hop groups Snotty Nose Rez Kids and the Halluci Nation and Rob Ruha from New Zealand. It also includes NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner Quinn Christopherson from Anchorage and Juneau’s Air Jazz.
Editor’s note: KTOO is contracted to produce parts of the festival.
