ONTD Original: 10 Indigenous Artists to listen to on July 1st (Part V)
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST | PREVIOUS POSTS ➡ 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Happy July 1st ONTD! Here are 10 more Indigenous Artists and songs to listen to for no particular reason at all other than it being a day ending in y and these humans and songs are amazing! This year I decided to focus on songs that dealt with issues of decolonization as this continues to be a huge issue in Canada.
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this playlist through the years! It's hard to believe I've been updating this playlist for so long. It started as me just wanting some music to listen to while doing course work for an Indigenous History class but has since taken on a life of it's own.
TRIGGER WARNING: Please note that some of these songs may deal with subjects that could potentially be upsetting or triggering such as Residential Schools, MMIWG2S and generational trauma. Please be kind to yourself.
"We Were Here" - Aysanabee
Click to viewAysanabee is Oji-Cree singer-songwriter. This song deals with themes of reconciliation and asks "you say we can reconcile this, what if I can't?" The song is about how despite the loss of their history, stories and memories Indigenous people were always here.
"Open Window" - nêhiyawak
nêhiyawak comes from amiskwaciy in Treaty 6 Territory and is made up of a trio of Indigenous Canadian artists - Kris Harper (vocals, guitars), Marek Tyler (drums), and Matthew Cardinal (synths, bass). Their song Open Window is about "The 60s Scoop," where new policies allowed welfare workers to take Indigenous children from their families and place them in foster care so they would be adopted by white families. The Scoop started in the 50s and lasted until the 80s. Over 20,000 children were forcibly taken from their families. The children were also denied knowledge of their real nationality, history, or family. The song asks "I always wondered what had happened. To those mother tongues that were all kept inside. How did you deal with no appeal? Just an open window."
"Cut my Hair" - Digging Roots
Digging Roots is a husband and wife duo Raven Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish. Their song Cut my Hair is about the children who had their hair forcibly cut when they were put in Residential Schools. In Indigenous culture hair is sacred. School staff cut Indigenous children's hair to strip away their personal and cultural identities and as a way to force European culture on them. It was also used to punish them.
"Land Back" - Alexia
I couldn't find much information about Alexia but she is predominantly a throat singer who has collaborated with several other artists including Riit. Her song Land Back was created in memory of the over 1200 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. "No consent, land back," is repeated throughout the song.
"Colonizer" - Tanya Tagaq
Tanya Tagap is an Inuk throat singer, songwriter, novelist, actor (debut in True Detective Night Country), and visual artist. I could honestly dedicate an entire post to her because she is a literal force of nature. Her song Colonizer was her response to response to the latest reports of more unmarked graves on the grounds of a former residential school in British Columbia. Since 2020 the bodies of over 2000 children have been found in unmarked graves at these former schools. About the song she said "I’m tired of colonisers thinking they are just the ‘norm’ of Canadian society, that they just appeared here as if by magic. Everyone is responsible for the system that is in place right now. Those who benefit from the genocide of indigenous people are still guilty."
"How I Feel" - The Halluci Nation feat. Northern Voice, Shad and Leonard Sumner
Previously known as A Tribe Called Red, The Halluci Nation is an electronic group that blends hip hop, reggae, dance and dubstep with traditional Indigenous music. This song looks back at the Canadian Government's treatment of Indigenous people and says "Well, it's the type of heartbreak that takes more than tears and time to. Stitch up any wounds and heal the scars they leave behind."
"Heal from It" - Jah'kota
Jah'kota is an award-winning rap/hip-hop artist and youth worker. In 2016 he made history by being the first Indigenous artist to drop a rap verse in the Canadian senate. His song Heal from It focuses on generational trauma faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada and what is needed so they can heal. He says his music is inspired by the dream to Indigenize Canada.
"To All MMIW" - Northen Cree
Northern Cree is a powwow and Round Dance drum and singing group based in Maskwacis. They were founded in 1980 by Randy Wood, with brothers Charlie and Earl Wood of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, members originate from the Treaty 6 area. They are regarded as one of the best and most respected powwow groups in the world and have been nominated for 9 Grammys. This song is a dedication to all the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
"The Resistance" - Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Snotty Nose Rez Kids are a hip-hop duo of Haisla rappers Darren "Young D" Metz and Quinton "Yung Trybez" Nyce. Their song The Resistance deals with a lot of issues currently facing Indigenous peoples and asks "If we the same species, why the hell we treated different?" The song references the water crisis, police brutality, the Highway of Tears and many other issues and asks that people rise up against injustice.
"Lost Souls" - Tom Jackson
Tom Jackson is a singer and actor. He wrote Lost Souls as a direct response to the bodies of 25 children found in an unmarked grave at a former Residential School. The song goes from the perspective of the children to that of the government.
"Voices Through Rubble" - The Halluci Nation, Saul Williams, NARCY
BONUS SONG: The most recent song on this list, all royalties from this song will be donated to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund's- Urgent Relief Campaign to help provide shelter, food/formula, urgent medical, and mental healthcare for infants and youth in Gaza.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
apologies if this is rushed, i started a new job and lost track of time for making it and really wanted to get it out today!