Alianait delivers music and mental health advocacy

St. John’s , Newfoundland singer/songwriter Amelia Curran brings her folk roots and mental health advocacy to Iqaluit, Cape Dorset and Pangnirtung this week. (HANDOUT PHOTO)

A series of upcoming concerts aim to entertain Nunavut residents, but also to highlight the urgent need for mental health support and suicide prevention across the territory.

Alianait has brought Newfoundland folk-country songstress Amelia Curran to Nunavut’s capital to play a show Sept. 10 — World Suicide Prevention day.

Curran, who put out her seventh album late last year, caught the attention of Alianait organizers with her vocals — and for her recent mental health advocacy work.

The St. John’s based musician put out a powerful PSA video, which demands we all “listen” to the need for better treatment for those who suffer from mental illness.

“It is a very impressionable issue, and I’m talking about it because mental illness that leads to suicide… there’s a human rights issue there,” Curran said in a phone interview.

“People who are suffering have the right to treatment. Crisis intervention training should be available as easily as CPR training is.”

But it’s not, she added — in Newfoundland, nor in Nunavut.

“I’ve lost an awful lot of people to suicide,” Curran said.

Besides her soothing songs, Curran isn’t sure what else to offer to Nunavummiut, who lose friends and family to suicide at an even greater rate than in her home province.

“I feel like I’m going to learn a lot while I’m here,” she said. “And maybe I can carry that to the rest of the country.”

More than just Iqalungmiut will get a chance to hear Curran play.

Alianait is presenting a mental health awareness tour. In addition to Iqaluit, Curran will play shows in both Cape Dorset and Pangnirtung later this week, thanks to support from Northwestel and the Embrace Life council.

Curran will be joined on stage by Baker Lake rapper Shauna Seeteenak, now an Iqaluit-based mental health worker, who will open each of the concerts.

Seeteenak said the shows are well-timed.

“Every day should be a day where you remember those who’ve died by suicide,” Seeteenak said. “But on that day, World Suicide Prevention day, I think people let out how they feel. People feel more open to talk about it.”

Mental illness can make it very hard to express how you’re feeling, Seeteenak said; many people avoid it altogether. Others try to ignore it through substance abuse.

“[Music] is my way to express myself,” she said. “So I want people to know there are many ways to cope or express yourself.”

Seeteenak and Curran play Inuksuk High School Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at Alianait’s website.

Alianait will be collecting donations at that show to raise money for Peter Pitseolak school in Cape Dorset, which was completely destroyed by fire Sept. 6. Alianait is also collecting donations online here.

Seeteenak said she’s also glad to visit Cape Dorset in the wake of the devastating fire, to show support for the community.

The show, originally scheduled for Peter Pitseolak high school, has been moved to Sam Pudlat elementary school for Sept. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

Curran and Seeteenak play in Pangnirtung Sept. 14.

The shows are free.