Just as the 2025 WAVES Conference was coming to a close, I stumbled upon the YouTube channel of the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, and this video, described as a “celebration of Indigenous Language, Music, and Storytelling”. I’m sure it created quite an emotional stir at the gathering. I’m happy to share it here to help keep it in circulation.
The film is a hour-long feast of “powerful performances by Indigenous artists singing in their mother tongues, recorded in landscapes of deep personal significance. The film explores the living rhythms that connect culture, land, language, and tradition. Through art, music, movement and storytelling, it celebrates the strength and spirit of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.” It opens and closes with trilingual narration in English, French and Cree, all provided by Tomson Highway.
From the film’s closing credits, I’ve extracted the names of individual artists and listed them below, along with the titles of their contributions and the location where they were recorded. I want to acknowledge the stunning performances, and the richness of their visual surroundings.
I can’t count the number of times individual performances gave me chills. And I loved the contributions in Cree, including Tia and Earl Wood and Kevin Lewis. But it was Kevin Lewis’s gentle lullaby in Plains Cree, recorded on-site at his kâ-niyâsihk Culture Camp, and accompanied simply with a rattle that had me close to tears.
Featured performers (in no particular order):
- Layla Staats, Ohenton karihwatekwen, performed in Mohawk (Six Nations), Six Nations of the Grand River
- Gloria Desjarlais & Al Desjarlais, French Song, performed in Michif, St Laurent, MB
- Kym Gouchie, Atsoo Shun, performed in Dakelh, Chun T’oh Whudujut/Ancient Forest, Lheidli T’enneh Territory, BC
- Charlotte Qamaniq, lnngirajaalirlanga, performed in lnuktut, Iqaluit, NU, Inuit Nunaat
- Silla, Qimmiruluapik, performed in lnuktut, Iqaluit, NU, Inuit Nunaat
- Jeremy Dutcher, ‘tahcuwi Anelsultipon, performed in Wolastoqey Kehkimin, Wolastoqey language immersion school, NB
- Beatrice Deer, Atungak, performed in lnuktitut, Wentworth-Nord, QC
- Andrea Menard, Riel’s Prayer, performed in Michif , Batoche National Historic Site, SK
- Susan Aglukark, Tikitaummata, performed in lnuktitut, Arviat, Nunavut
- Emma Stevens, Ki’s kejitu, performed in Mi’kmaw, Chéticamp, NS
- Dave Lavallee, Metis Medley, performed in Michif French, St. Ambroise, MB
- Deantha Edmunds, Ananak silatsualimak, performed in lnuktitut, The Rooms, NL
- Tia and Earl Wood, Grandfather Rock, performed in Cree, Saddle Lake First Nation, AB
- Kevin Lewis, Traditional Cree Lullaby, performed in Cree, kânîyasihk Cultural Camp, SK
- Tomson Highway, Rene’s Song, piano, Gatineau, QC
- Bear Fox, Opening Address, performed in Mohawk, Akwesasne, ON
Produced in partnership with the Government of Canada · Featuring 16 artists from across Canada
