HAVE YOU SEEN MY SISTER?

raising our voices 
to CALL FOR EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.

 
 

Nicole Kidman, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, on our roles in ending gender-based violence.

Please see the news page for the latest news about this project.

“Have You Seen My Sister?”, a multi-faceted arts project, draws attention to the need for evidence-based strategies to combat gender-based violence. In the Covid pandemic lockdowns, many women, gender-diverse people, and children were trapped with their abusers, resulting in a global surge in gender-based and domestic violence. Women have also been attacked on their way to and from work, as assailants took advantage of less populated streets.
Aruna Antonella Handa’s cycle of songs, “Have You Seen My Sister?” had its debut at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche Festival in 2017. Late in 2020, FACTOR CANADA awarded a grant to record a single based on the song cycle. 

The single was released at a special performance in Toronto's famed Heliconian Hall, in the Yorkville neighbourhood renown for its folk music roots. 
This performance honoured women in the six boroughs of Toronto who were killed in gender-based violence during the pandemic. The recording has been nominated “Single of the Year” for the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2024. Performances of the song cycle and workshops to create collaborative performances with existing ensembles may be booked by contacting: bookings@haveyouseenmysister.ca

RECORD RELEASE & PERFORMANCE HONOURING SHADOW PANDEMIC VICTIMS
Heliconian Hall, Yorkville, Toronto. Concert took place on March 6, 2023. 8PM.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please get in touch with project director and composer Aruna and/or project producer David.

For more information about the first phase of the “Have You Seen My Sister?” project, please visit this page.


CREDITS
Recording engineer Jeremy Darby at Canterbury Toronto
Art: Victor Klassen Valle de Bravo, Mexico.
Producer David Seitz
 New York City
Audio editing Ben Ewing Toronto
Mastering: Tom Hutten Chester, Vermont
Soloist, Director, Composer Aruna Antonella Handa Bath, Ontario
Soloist Alejandra Ballon Toronto
Soloist Antje Duvekot Boston
Soloist Caitlin Holland Oshawa
Soloist Lindsay McDonald Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
Upright Bass Chris Adriaanse Toronto
Cello Dave Eggar Bristol, Tennessee
Vocals Dalila Bejar-Ali Toronto
Vocals Sarah Byck Toronto
Vocals Annika Forman Toronto
Vocals Alan Gasser Toronto
Vocals Dawn Keenan Toronto
Vocals Haven Klassen Toronto
Vocals Susanna Klassen Toronto
Drums Raphael Roter Toronto
Vocals Anne Stanley Toronto
Guitar Doug Tielli Owen Sound, Ontario
Vocals Jennifer Wakefield Toronto
Cover Design Eric Smith, Puerto Escondido
Project graphic Phase 2: Shelina Knight
, Calgary, Alberta
Banner photograph Mustafa Unsal

 
 
Oli painting of two women in profile faced toward one another: one is in full colour with the colours reminiscent of the blue planet earth, while the other is in black and white and greytones. The words "Have you seen my sister?" are written in red.

Click on this image to go to Bandcamp to listen to the single.

DONORS
Michaela Cheyne
Jessica Ferneyhough
Gigi’s House Of Frills
Handa Family
Alice and John Klassen
Susanna Klassen
Victor Klassen
Judith Magney
Hildegard Martens
Helen Reycraft
Emily Shirley
Mimmo Violi
Paula Violi
Perry Violi