Pieces of the world are literally joining together this Saturday, as the Mosaic Mountain Heritage Festival returns.
The festival, hosted by the International Heritage Cultural Centre Society (IHCCS), celebrates culture and the arts from all nationalities in one place. It will be the second year Squamish is hosting the celebration.
IHCCS founder Cathy Arguzon explained that whilst last year’s festival took place in Totem Hall, it is being moved this year to the larger outdoor space of Junction Park and O'Siyam Pavilion to accommodate the festival’s anticipated popularity.
She estimated that the number of attendees was around 150 to 200 last year, and this year, organizers are expecting 250 attendees or more.
Arguzon said the group is opening itself up to greater community collaboration.
So what can attendees expect to see on Saturday?
Arguzon told The Squamish Chief there will be traditional dances, music, and games for everyone of all ages to participate in, as well as numerous food and art vendors.
“[The festival] is going to be a part of a project to build a cultural centre because we want to have a community that is one [that has] love and affinity. We call it a family, you know. We call this our home, [with] peace and freedom,” she said.
What’s happening at this year’s festival
Arguzon confirmed there will be exhibitions with artists from countries such as Iran. There will also be craft stalls hosted by local businesses from Squamish and Greater Vancouver, selling candles and jewelry, and pet photography will be a new addition this year.
Furthermore, there will be various types of dancing, featuring Filipino performers, and guests from Slovakia and Squamish Nation, among others. Traditional Filipino games will include sipa, which involves kicking a weighted bundle of feathers.
Like last year, vegetarian food will be donated for free from the Squamish Sikh temple.
“Collaboration with the First Nations, and to show off and share multiculturalism is an honour, you know, to have togetherness,” Arguzon said.
“There's no separation; whether you’re European, Asian, African, First Nations … or you were born here, [we] are a Canadian people. There's no me, I, or you. We become we.”
How it started
Arguzon, who is Filipino and has resided in Squamish for 38 years, said the IHCCS started out as a way to represent the Filipino community in Canada, but in creating the festival, she looked to accommodate global cultures and the arts in one vibrant gathering, including those within immigrant communities and local residents, to represent Canada as a whole.
Arguzon wrote in a statement to The Squamish Chief that the IHCCS was “born from a vision to celebrate, preserve, and share cultural stories … to create a welcoming space where cultures—especially the Filipino heritage—can thrive, be honoured, and shared with others.”
Her statement reads she has “found beauty not only in the land, but in the wisdom, resilience, and sacred traditions of the Squamish people,” and that she was moved “to build something that fosters mutual understanding between newcomers, Indigenous peoples, and multicultural communities.”
A plan for a centre
Arguzon told The Squamish Chief that a physical location for the IHCCS has yet to be built in Squamish, but it is part of her plan.
Her statement also reads that she plans to “collaborate with Elders, knowledge keepers, youth, artists, and organizations in a spirit of truth, reconciliation, and friendship” in order to foster shared purpose and deep respect for the Squamish land and its people in every step.
“With your guidance and blessing, we hope to build something sacred that can serve not only the present community but generations to come.”
When asked about the festival’s name, “Mosaic Mountain,” Arguzon clarified that, to her, a mosaic represents the coming together of different parts of the world, and mountains are representative of Squamish’s beauty.
She gave thanks to the festival’s numerous supporters.
The Mosaic Mountain Heritage Festival will take place Saturday, July 19, from 10 to 5 p.m. at the O'Siyam Pavilion.
Ina Pace is The Squamish Chief's Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter.
This reporting was produced through the LJI, which supports original civic journalism across Canada.
