“A healthy ecosystem is a multitude of life forces. So love yourself. Be fulfilled in your meadow flower-ness, your mossiness, your grassiness, your rockiness, your wild animal-ness. We are all related.”
Cheryl L’Hirondelle shares Cree songs and teachings on strength, pride, and interdependence. Through song and speech, L’Hirondelle also affirms the rootedness of languages in the territories from which they emerge: her transmission eloquently shows the inseparability of culture and environment.
“Artists-in-Presidents” is initiated by Constance Hockaday, curated by Christine Shaw, and commissioned by The Blackwood (University of Toronto Mississauga). Podcast production by Vocal Fry.
Transmissions are released every Friday from August 6–December 17, 2021. To view the portrait gallery, access ASL videos and transcripts, and for additional information about the project, visit www.artistsinpresidents.com and www.blackwoodgallery.ca.
Cheryl L’Hirondelle (Cree/Halfbreed; German/Polish) is an interdisciplinary artist, singer/songwriter and critical thinker whose family roots are from Papaschase First Nation, amiskwaciy wâskahikan (Edmonton, AB) and Kikino Metis Settlement, AB. Her work investigates and articulates a dynamism of nêhiyawin (Cree worldview) in contemporary time-place, incorporating Indigenous language(s), audio, video, VR, olfactory, sewn objects, music, and audience/user participation to create immersive environments towards “radical inclusion.” As a songwriter, L’Hirondelle’s focus is on both sharing nêhiyawêwin (Cree language) and Indigenous and contemporary song-forms, and personal narrative songwriting as methodologies toward survivance.
Song Credits: “okâwîmâw,” © 2016 Miyoh Music/SOCAN. Melody: Cheryl L'Hirondelle and Ursula Johnson. Lyrics: Cheryl L'Hirondelle and Joseph Naytowhow. “waniska,” traditional Cree morning song. Courtesy the artist.
Photo: Tenille Campbell
