Indigenous Music In Canada
By McCrimmon Middle School Students: Meharpreet, Eric, Armaan, Drish And Bhavesh
Intro To Indigenous Music
Aboriginal people (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) who reside in what is now Canada have diverse cultural traditions that are reflected in the variety of their musical genres and styles. Music is generally seen as an integral part of the daily life and spiritual beliefs of Indigenous people in Canada. The diversity of Aboriginal life and music in Canada has been recognized by scholars who attempted to classify people according to "culture areas," which were also applied to music made by people in each area. Aboriginal people have their own distinct musical traditions, repertoire, and meanings. As well, genres of music have emerged that traverse boundaries and are performed by Indigenous musicians across North America. Some generalizations are that traditional Aboriginal music is predominantly vocal, with drums, rattles and flutes serving as common instruments. As well, Aboriginal musicians have been influenced by non-Aboriginal music-making, often adopting other musical styles (such as country music and pop) and instruments (guitars, fiddles).
Originally from Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Kelly has performed countless concerts across Canada (especially the Arctic), and she is extremely well-known in Nunavut and Nunavik. Her northern concerts attract large crowds, and on social media she has 250,000+ views on YouTube, as well as an impressive 9,500+ followers on various platforms, including SoundCloud.
Like many other Inuit, Kelly has been through many personal struggles, ranging from substance abuse, the loss of her father and others to suicide, to name only a few. Kelly uses her pain as inspiration to make art that can positively impact other native youths. She seeks to spread her messages of joy, healing, and cultural pride through a blend of traditional Inuit music and modern production.
Unlike Kelly’s debut album, Isuma, which was more folksy, her new album is influenced by contemporary pop, EDM, and hip-hop. Kelly sings and raps in both English and Inuktitut, seamlessly blending the two languages with her powerful, insightful, and politically-relevant lyrics. Her goal is to make the music speak to both Inuit and Qallunaat (“southerners”).
Besides her busy schedule as a recording and performing artist, Kelly teaches songwriting, does motivational speaking, and helps organize Nunavut Hitmakerz, a project which aims to give underprivileged youth opportunities to learn creative expression and technical skills. She is also currently completing her degree in Native Studies at NVIT in British Columbia, and hopes to become a lawyer through the new Nunavut-based law program.
What is throat singing?
Throat singing is a game for women.Two women stand. They face each other.Then they hold each other’s arms.One singer is the leader.She makes sounds by breathing in.She makes sounds by breathing out.She uses her voice, too.The leader starts to repeat sounds.The other woman follows with sounds.The first woman to stop is the loser.She starts to laugh. Then it is over.How long is a throat song?Throat songs are one to three minutes long.Sometimes the singers move their feet.They move left and right.This is like a dance.Nelson’s new singing:Nelson does throat singing, too.But he uses it with hip hop music.He calls his new singing “throat boxing”.He mixes throat singing with “beat boxing”.Beat boxing uses the throat, too.In beat boxing, singers make sounds like drums and other musical instruments.They use their mouths, lips, tongues and voices to do this.The artist speaks in time with these sounds.
Louie D
Artist, songwriter, radio/event host, and now CEO of an Artist Development firm located in Charlotte NC. After almost a 2 1/2 year break from music due to 2 major surgeries. Louie D found himself utilizing his time off to learn more about the music business and even learned more about himself along the way. With new goals bring new interest. Now as CEO, you no longer think about yourself as an artist you begin to think about more ways to help expand your company, but as a true emcee you can only stay away but so long. Resurrection is the new single from (Self-titled album) displaying the transition of artistry and entrepreneurship. (Due to release 2016)
The Carolina’s have a new face on the hip hop scene. From opening shows with some of today’s influential hip hop artist such as Pit bull, The Clipse, Lil Boosie, Pastor Troy, Yo Gotti, and Future just to name a few. Although being able to experience these moments feel like a dream come true to most, it was only a stepping stone for more to come. Louie D began his music career as a battle Emcee carrying on another moniker as “D. Eagle”. He began entering rap battles traveling state to state, winning cash prizes, bragging rights and more. That moment really set the bar high for his music career but good things always end. Music started to change and the game started to changed with the advancements of technology as well.
Calvin Vollrath
Calvin’s love for music began at an early age when he used to mimic his father Art "Lefty" Vollrath with two butter knives. His father developed his own reputation as a great fiddler and passed on the family tradition. Calvin was raised on the Don Messer’s Jubilee and at the age of 8, received his first fiddle. It was soon apparent Calvin was a natural. At 13, he entered his first fiddle contest and at the age of 17, he was already winning the Championship class. Calvin was twice crowned the Grand North American Old Tyme Fiddle Champion.
Calvin is a musical prodigy. To date, he has composed near 700 tunes, many of which have become standard contest and dance tunes across North America & Europe. His influence in the fiddle world is very evident. He has to his credit, 69 of his own albums, numerous music books of his original compositions and an instructional DVD. Calvin was commissioned to compose 5 fiddle tunes for the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 Opening Ceremonies to represent the various styles of fiddling our country has to offer. He also wrote the theme for the international fiddle convention "Fiddles of the World", held in Halifax NS in July 1999. When Calvin writes a tune for an individual, a place or an event, he has an uncanny sense of capturing their personality or expressing its atmosphere.
Calvin is very active in the teaching aspect of fiddle music and is touted by the Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society as one of the driving forces behind the revitalization of fiddle music. Calvin has taught at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Camp in Ottawa since its inception in 1996. In 2007, he started his own camp in northeast Alberta, aptly named “Camp Calvin”. He also teaches at numerous workshops throughout Canada and the United States. In August 2005, Calvin received the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship, in recognition and appreciation of his outstanding contribution to Old Time Fiddling.
First Nations singer and storyteller Jerry Alfred helps to preserve First Nations language and traditions. Jerry is the Northern Tutchone (too-SHOWnee) "Keeper of the Songs." He lives in Pelly Crossing, a village in central Yukon, 300 kilometres north of Whitehorse. He was born in the nearby community of Mayo.
Jerry managed to keep his Tutchone language despite many years spent in a residential school. Like his father before him, Jerry was named a Song Keeper at birth. A Song Keeper collects songs and sings them at potlatches and other First Nations ceremonial occasions. A self-taught guitarist, Jerry combines modern guitar techniques and the traditional music of his people. His 1994 recording, "Etsi Shon" (EET-seeshown) or "Grandfather Song" helps to keep his language and the spirit of his people alive.