The Saskatchewan Music Conference will be featuring Falynn Baptiste who will be singing The Canadian anthem sung in a trilingual English/Plains Cree/French version.
This is a leading example of how music can be inclusive and can be a tool of education.
In honor of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Day, the SMEA office was closed to reflect and observe what our organization can do towards Reconciliation within our province and beyond. Our guiding principle is to provide music excellence in our province, one of the most beautiful things about music is how it is inclusive, and it can be used to educate.
As a Cree language educator and advocate for Cree language preservation and revitalization, Baptiste noticed an absence of accessible, contemporary music written/sang in the Cree language.
Falynn Baptiste will also be hosting a session titled "Walking Together" at the 2022 Saskatchewan Music Conference.
For more information on Falynn, please visit her website and listen to her version of The Canadian anthem performed in Plains Cree (y-dialect), a bilingual English/Plains Cree version and a trilingual English/Plains Cree/French. These songs are available for purchase through her website. Falynn will also be hosting a session at the Saskatchewan Music Conference titled “Walking Together”. In the session Falynn will share her journey as a Cree language educator and advocate for Cree language preservation and revitalization, Baptiste noticed an absence of accessible, contemporary music written/sang in the Cree language. Having gone back to the University of Saskatchewan after 8 years of teaching a variety of subject areas, Baptiste felt a responsibility to join the many people across Turtle Island who dedicated their lives to the development of Cree (Indigenous) language education. Baptiste considers herself beyond blessed to have been raised by first language Cree speakers, as it provided much needed connection and a foundation that strengthened her own journey of reclaiming her language. Reconnecting to her language allowed Baptiste to reconnect to her identity, something she had told herself she needed to hide and eventually disconnect from in order to be accepted in mainstream society. Her early negative experiences with racism and lack of embrace of her Indigeneity by her non-Indigenous peers and encounters contributed to the disconnect that began at the early age of 12. In 2018, Baptiste was part of the second wave of graduates for the Indigenous Languages Certificate program facilitated through the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan. It was at this point, that she felt the need to combine her love language with her love of singing. Baptiste began formal vocal training at the age of 10 years old and has been a performing artist since the age of 12. In 2020, Baptiste recorded and released her first Contemporary Cree Language album titled "A Cree Christmas". For more information on this session and more please visit www.saskmusic.ca for full details!
Music is always the answer.
Music is inclusive and has the power to connect everyone.
I would encourage you to come to the conference and hear this live rendition in person. I would encourage the use of this version to be shared within your sphere of influence and may the gift of music continue to teach us all how to move forward in the spirit of reconciliation throughout our daily lives.
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