The Prairie region in Canada includes the three western provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Indigenous peoples in this region include Métis, First Nations represented by several main nations, namely; Cree, Blood, Ojibway and Blackfoot, Dakota, Lakota, Slave, Chippewayan, Beaver and Sarcee(1).
Saskatchewan Piapot First Nation singer Buffy Sainte-Marie is a music icon in Canada. Buffy’s career began through her activism through folk music in the 1960s. A career spanning more than four decades has won her international recognition, stardom and countless awards. Buffy is also a famous television figure who was featured on the children’s program Sesame Street for five years. Order of Canada, Juno Award winner and Juno Hall of Fame and even an Academy Award are just a small sampling of the accolades she has been awarded. In 1998, her peers honoured her with the National Aboriginal Achievement Lifetime Achievement Award(17).
In 2003 his peers honoured John Arcand as the recipient of the Arts and Culture Aboriginal Achievement Award(18). John has devoted his music career to ensure his Metis fiddle music passed down from grandfather and father would be secured and retained for current and future generations. He was one of the founders of the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp and began the John Arcand Fiddle Fest to show pride in his vibrant Metis heritage.
The Manitoba Aboriginal Music Hall of Fame held the inaugural award ceremony in conjunction with the JUNOFEST at the historic Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg. The purpose of the Aboriginal Music hall of fame is to raise the profile of accomplished Aboriginal musicians and chronicle their careers for all future generations and to recognize their outstanding contributions made to enrich the musical landscape of Manitoba(19).
2006 marked the beginning of the annual Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards hosted in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The logo and award presented to recipients in a variety of categories is a figure holding a bird with outstretched wings swirling into the likeness of a feather and represents the emerging Aboriginal artist and symbolizes the rise in excellence and achievement that come from years of practice and performing(20).
This article is a non-comprehensive and living document that provides an overview of artistic activities in the region. It will be revised as necessary as part of our ongoing process of continuous updates.
1) http://www.aboriginalcanada.com/firstnation/dirfnab.htm
17) http://www.naaf.ca/html/b_saintemarie_e.html
18) http://www.naaf.ca/html/j_arcand_e.html
19) http://www.ncifm.com/music_hall_of_fame/
20) http://www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/history