Drum from the Heart

Ren Louie is Nuu-chah-nulth from Ahousaht and his traditional name is Wikinanish, which translates to ‘eldest son’. He comes from mixed Nuu-chah-nulth, African American, and Ukranian heritage. With his background in Indigenous Studies and his work as an Aboriginal Role Model in schools, he hopes to one day teach Indigenous Studies at the post-secondary level. Ren is passionate about his language and culture and enjoys learning new songs and traditional teachings from Elders and Knowledge Keepers in the Indigenous community. Born and raised on Lekwungen and WSÁNEĆ Territory in Victoria, B.C., Ren continues to live there today. Karlene Harvey is Tsilhqot’in and Syilx and grew up on territories of the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen Nations. She studied at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, earning a BFA in Visual Arts. Representation is important to her, she likes to consider how she can include varying forms of representation within the work that she does. Karlene currently lives on the unceded and ancestral home territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh people.