National Indigenous Peoples Day

Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day! Artwork by Jordan Stranger SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2024 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY | 13 "I received so much feedback from people who told me how emotional they were just watching," Head says. "They were very proud. And one person told me, 'You're not only representing Opaskwayak Cree Nation, but you're representing all Crees across Canada and into the United States.'" In that sense, Head's music has had a healing impact on her community. It's also had a healing impact on her, from not only a language perspective but also from a personal perspective. Head suffered the loss of her brother, Chris, and dedicated her fourth and most recent full-length album to him. Released in September 2023, Head's album is about loss and finding happiness again. It's titled Waniska, which means to rise up or awaken in the Cree language. "I went through a lot of struggles and challenges and wrote some of the songs about what I was going through at the time," Head says. "But my life turned, and I had some amazing experiences. So, it's an album of struggling and then life becoming okay again." As Head works on her next album, which she anticipates will be released in July 2024, she also looks forward to taking the stage with the next generation of Indigenous music artists. Head, who has showcased her talents at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall, will return to Carnegie Hall this December with five Indigenous youths. "When I performed there last year, I brought along three Indigenous youths, and the maestro was so excited," says Head. "To be able to bring more with me this time—to expose them to classical music, Carnegie Hall, and New York—it's incredible. It's going to be life-changing for them." Standing on the world-renowned stage, performing with choirs around the world while amplifying the voices of up-and-coming Indigenous singers, is a thought that brings tears to Head's eyes. "I couldn't stop crying when I found out," Head says. "It's a big deal. Not too many people can say they sang at Carnegie Hall. These youths are future stars. That's what I see." Head is hosting a fundraising gala at Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg on September 7, 2024, to support the New York trip. She'll perform with another local talent, opera singer Margot Harding, and the youths who will accompany her to New York. > continued from page 12 PHOTO SUPPLIED IT'S A BIG DEAL. NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THEY SANG AT CARNEGIE HALL. " – Rhonda Head "

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