INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC SUMMIT ANNOUNCES MAIMOUNA YOUSSEF AKA MUMU FRESH AS 2020 KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

More performers announced including New Orleans' own Greyhawk Perkins. Indigenous Voices showcase lineup spans throat singers, classical composers, indie rock, blues, hip hop and avant artists. Global Indigenous Music Industry gathers in New Orleans Jan 21-26 in partnership with Folk Alliance International.

The International Indigenous Music Summit announces its 2020 Keynote Speaker, celebrated artist and activist Maimouna Youssef aka Mumu Fresh. A musical healer, teacher, powerhouse performer and community pillar, Mumu Fresh embodies the Summit’s ethos and mission to bring together cultural leaders and industry to honour tradition and forge new paths forward. The Keynote will take place Wednesday, Jan 22 as part of the Summit’s daytime programming, which also includes Roundtable discussions onCollective Ownership & Cultural Protocols, Music, Media and Representation andBuilding Respectful and Reciprocal Relationships. IIMS acknowledges that this year’s gathering takes place on Bulbancha, the ancestral lands of the Atakapa-Ishak, Caddo, Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma, Natchez, and Tunica peoples, and the Petites nations. We also recognize the Alabama, Biloxi, Koasati, and Ofo peoples, and others who were pushed into Louisiana from their ancestral lands. 2020 INDIGENOUS VOICES SHOWCASE SUITE The 2020 Indigenous Voices lineup will bring over forty artists from Australia, Norway, Canada, United States and Mexico to perform in the private suite. The Indigenous Voices programming is genre-inclusive, as evidenced by this year’s range of performers. The second wave of official selections includes New Orleans-bornGreyhawk Perkins, Nunavut throat singer/accordionist Nancy Mike (The Jerry Cans), Yaqui classical guitarist Gabriel Ayala, Haida/Cree DIY-indie artist Kristi Lane Sinclairand songwriter Leela Gilday, from the Northwest Territories (Canada). Additional performers announced in the second wave of lineup confirmations include Burnstick,Bebe Buckskin, The Johnnys, Thea Hopkins, New Tradition Music, Sandy Scofield,Rellik and Darryl Buck. Stay tuned for the final round of artist announcements next week. Accredited media attending Folk Alliance (or any writers and publications wishing to attend the Indigenous Voices Private Showcase) are asked to contact IIMS media coordinatorhere. Clockwise from top: Greyhawk Perkins (US), Gabriel Ayala (US), Kristi Lane Sinclair (Canada), Mamarudegal (Canada), Nancy Mike (Canada).  2020 OFFICIAL FOLK ALLIANCE SHOWCASES Select artists such as Elisapie and Raye Zaragoza have been previously announced as Official Folk Alliance Showcase artists. Beyond the partnership of shared time and place, FAI and IIMS have worked together to create a robust Indigenous presence in FAI 2019’s official programming. Those looking to spotlight Indigenous artists at FAI are encouraged to contact IIMS for details, information and materials such as guidelines for engaging with Indigenous art with knowledge and understanding.