This video is shared courtesy of Nelson Bird, CTV Saskatchewan, Indigenous Circle. Nelson filmed and created it 23 years ago in the summer of 2002. It also comes with appreciation to late Annie’s ôsisima, Simon Bird (#CreeSimonSays, barely a pup back then).
Late Annie Bird was a traditional medicine woman from Southend, Saskatchewan, who also carried a deep connection with her own Christian faith. Annie’s Cree in the video is voiced in translation by Nelson Bird’s mom Rita. Both Annie and Rita have now passed, but Nelson expresses thanks to Pauline Clarke and Jason Matity who helped make it all happen.
Simon Bird’s acknowledgement of Nelson’s work speaks well for all of us: “You are a man that can see ahead of his time to record elders and their stories before they left us.”
Learn more about the Indigenous Circle stories – stretching all the way back to 1993 – via their FaceBook group, administered by Nelson Bird and Creeson Agecoutay.
Since 2018, “Indigenous Circle” no longer airs as a half hour show on CTV Saskatchewan. It continues nevertheless as a segment on Tuesdays during the 6:00pm CTV SK News hosted by Mick Favel.
