London invites The Eighth Fire, a festival of Aboriginal roots derived from the Seven Fires Prophecy. The Seven Fires Prophecy says that 2012 is the start of a new world or the demise of the current one. The Eighth Fire presents the idea that all people have the choice to choose between spiritualism and materialism and this will depict the fate of the new world.

If enough people choose the path of spirituality and respect, we will begin a new era of eternal peace. If the life of materialism that we currently live is chosen by most, a social and environmental tragedy will occur.

The Festivities will be hosted at the Aeolian Hall until June 5. The ongoing festival will include a series of at least sixteen arts-related events, including film screenings, performances and workshops. The festival is presented by Red Sky, an arts company for theatre, dance and music. They use their contemporary performances to teach people about Native history.

There will be three main weekends of events. Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq will take the stage on April 9 with Jean Martin & Jesse Zubot. A special performance by Buffy Sainte-Marie takes place May 10, while she is here for "All Our Sisters" a national conference on women and homelessness.

Students of high school and elementary schools will be visited by Red Sky. Clark Bryan, executive director at The Aeolian said, "We hope to get the students engaged in the creative process of music, theatre and dance as witnessed through Aboriginal culture."

All of the events are public and open to all people. "We hope to have a balance of non-aboriginal and aboriginal attendees," he said. Donations are welcomed at all events, and only some of the events will be ticketed.

One of the major events of the festival is "The Great Mountain." It is the story of a young girl's adventure. She has set out to define the meaning behind Mother Earth's existence and the cause of her mysterious cries. For more information on this event and others by Red Sky visit www.redskyperformance.com.

This is the second time The Eighth Fire has come to London. Bryan said this is an important tradition to continue because "Aboriginal culture is incredibly rich and transformative in nature." It is a culture that can inform about human relationship, nature, diversity and social challenges. "Embracing Cultural diversity is the key to living on our planet in harmony and respect," he commented.

Once North America was colonized by the Europeans, "Aboriginal culture has slowly eroded," said Bryan. The Seventh Fire has ignited a spark in revitalizing the Aboriginal culture, including their language, but, Bryan said, "much work is still needed to bring back and nurture this culture. Our festival is part of the process."