Fellowship Hall

Living Rock youth find expression in art

Story and photos by Suzie Chiodo

Rod Nettagog (right) conducts an aboriginal drumming workshop at The Living Rock, with Umut (volunteer) and Ian (youth).

Using an eagle feather to waft the smoke towards them, Rod Nettagog oversees the smudging ceremony. An Ojibway Native and Cultural Facilitator at Niwasa, a headstart program, his job is to promote understanding of Native culture. He teaches aboriginal drumming at the Living Rock, as part of the ministry’s annual Arts of August initiative.

“By learning to drum, youth can get hands on experience and understand different aspects of our culture,” says Nettagog, whose workshops are sponsored by the Street Youth Planning Collaborative. “It’s a way of breaking down stereotypes.”

Arts of August began six years ago, and has grown into a citywide youth initiative with over a hundred entries annually. Hamilton youth aged 13 to 25 can submit art for free on the topics of peace, equality, love and culture, inspired by workshops like Nettagog’s which give them a positive focus for the summer.

The Grand Finale Showcase – this year at the downtown Hamilton Central Public Library on August 28 from 7-9 pm – sees youth receiving a certificate and community feedback on their art, with Scotiabank Medallions for the winners. Often marginalized and ignored, youth receive a huge boost in self-confidence when their talents are recognized.

“It’s amazing, I love it,” says Ian, 23, a drumming workshop regular who recently performed at a lunch for the Rock’s community partners. “I’m glad the Rock started the drumming because I’m part Native – that’s my background.”

Cultural expression is a big part of Arts of August. A highlight of the summer is the ‘Creativity through Diversity’ Fashion Show, which last year raised $1,500 to help rehabilitate a youth who was an innocent victim of gun violence. Youth and community members modeled Chinese dresses, African robes and South Asian suits. This year’s show promises to be just as big, and the models are getting excited.

“I’m a model for the Fashion Show,” boasts Twiggz, 22, a natural born entertainer. He sings as he helps out around the Rock and loves doodling cartoon characters. Today he’s drawing for the Graffiti Art competition in the Breakfast Program, and youth can submit their entries into Arts of August.

“I’ve been drawing and sketching my whole life, and I also teach art,” says Twiggz. “I draw for everyone else. I love entertaining other people.”

Poffty with one of her creations, a duct tape dress, which will be part of the Arts of August showcase, presented by The Living Rock, a ministry to street youth in Hamilton.

He’s not the only one. Colourful characters are the heart of life at the Rock, bringing joy and laughter in the midst of tough circumstances. Poffty is probably the most well known of them, and has earned even more recognition through her astonishing skill with duct tape. Bob Marley, John Lennon and Bob Dylan have been depicted in minute detail (she finished each portrait in less than half an hour), but Poffty’s finest piece has to be her duct tape dress.

Made entirely from tape and custom-made for one of her friends (who will model the creation at the fashion show), the dress has a distinct anti-racism theme. Rosa Parks sits at the front of the bus in one picture, and Martin Luther King gives a speech in another. It’s an amazing piece of art.

“The media constantly promote negative images of youth, but in fact they’re doing good things,” says Karen Craig, Program Director at the Rock. “We don’t want to be the first generation to fear our youth. Instead, we want to celebrate and encourage them. That is something wonderful and important.”