John Arcand Fiddle Fest marks 20th year with book about its founder

It was an emotional weekend for John and Vicki Arcand as they celebrated the 20th annual John Arcand Fiddle Fest near Saskatoon.

"We didn't think it would become what it has, or maybe even that it would last 20 years, but due to the support and the youth carrying things forward, we're still going," said Vicki Arcand.

John Arcand learned Mtis fiddling from his father and grandfather growing up in the Debden-Big River area of Saskatchewan.

He is touted as the most decorated fiddle player in all of western Canada, and has myriad provincial and national honours under his belt, including a National Aboriginal Achievement Award and lifetime achievement awards from the Canadian Grand Masters and the Saskatchewan Arts Awards. He also became a member of the Order of Canada in 2008.

John founded the fiddle festival in 1998, holding it in Green Court, Alta., in its first year.

"The fiddle was always good to me," he said. "I was always able to make a good living doing that so I wanted to share what I knew with the young people to make sure the traditions were kept on."

Green Court was where he met Vicki, and then the two moved home to Saskatchewan and kept the festival going at their acreage with a lot of hard work and the help of a board of directors.

"I don't know how many more we're gonna have but it's been fun," said John.

Last year the Gabriel Dumont Institute approached the couple about writing a book. Two members of the festival's board of directors, Cheryl Troupe and Wilfred Burton took on the project and Master of the Mtis Fiddle is the result.

"We spent the next four months visiting with John and Vicki and interviewing them and hearing stories and working with the Gabriel Dumont Institute to look through their archives," said Troupe.

"John has done so much for fiddle playing, for young people and for Mtis culture, it was really important to document his experience and what he's done with the festival."

Troupe said without John, they wouldn't be seeing the uptake in Mtis fiddle music they're seeing.

"So many young players are picking up the fiddle," she said. "You can see it when you look around the festival."

Though she had known the couple for years she was surprised to learn John loves opera music and would have liked to have sung opera music if he hadn't been a fiddler.

John and Vicki said they are pleased with how the book turned out and thanked the institute for donating 500 copies of the book to the festival to sell as a fundraiser.

As for next year's festival, "we're already thinking about what we're going to do for the 21st annual," said Vicki.