A collective of musicians, artists and organizers working toward social justice is behind the first annual Koksilah Music Festival, which starts at Providence Farm in Duncan on Friday.
The goal of the three-day Cowichan Valley festival is to give voice and stage time to Indigenous artists, while raising funds for grassroots Indigenous-led projects.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really trying to support people who are reclaiming a lot of territory and their cultural practices, and places where youth and elders can come together,鈥� said Alex Schiebel, one of the festival鈥檚 organizers.
Several Indigenous performers are expected to appear, including the Quw鈥檜tsun Tzinquaw Dancers, Mob Bounce, DJ Kookum, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Uschi Tala, Find Mutya and Valeen Jules.
Hannah Epperson, Buckman Coe, Scott Dunbar, Compassion Gorilla and others will round out the lineup.
Family-friendly workshops include vocal harmonization, cedar weaving and drum-making.
Weekend festival passes are $70, not including camping, and Friday night and Saturday and Sunday passes are also available for $30 and $40.
A youth weekend pass is $45, and children 12 and under are admitted free, as are all Quw鈥檜tsun people.
For tickets or information, visit koksilahfestival.com.