Xenia Concerts acknowledges that we operate on unceded land that has been the home of Indigenous peoples and nations long before colonial conceptions of time. The peoples that have occupied this land include the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, the Wendat, and the Mississaugas of the Credit – people who continue to live and work here in what is currently known as Toronto or Tkaronto. It is now home of many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, as well as the meeting ground for the urban Indigenous Tkaronto community.

We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered under Treaty 13, and operates under the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant – a treaty between the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabe for sharing land and resources. Subsequent peoples from around the world including settlers, immigrants, refugees, and displaced peoples have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship, and respect. We all have a responsibility to care for this land and for those who live here.

As arts workers, we are participating in an arts and culture sector that has actively erased, dehumanized, and displaced Indigenous peoples in Canada. Part of working towards decolonization means being accountable to the systematic relationship we all have with one another in the arts, and what power we hold in presenting music, and sharing stories.

Disability is a colonial construct and it disproportionately affects Indigenous people across Turtle Island. Through our work, we at Xenia are participating in an active and ongoing process of decolonization. We hope those who visit our concerts, engage with our programs, and participate in our community recognize the intersectional ways colonization has impacted disability. Access is a dynamic practice of collective care that acknowledges the infinite complexities of each individual.