Prince Albert's Donny Parenteau performs at the first-ever Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Awards on Nov. 12, 2023. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

HISTORY MAKING AWARDS

‘Music is powerful’: First-ever Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Awards wraps up a success

Nov 13, 2023 | 11:32 AM

After years of dreaming, wishing, planning and preparing, Indigenous musicians in Saskatchewan finally had their moment in the spotlight.

The first-ever Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Awards took the stage at the EA Rawlinson Centre for the Arts in Prince Albert on Sunday celebrating the best First Nations and Metis artists in the province.

The ceremony began with a performance from award-winning Indigenous singer-songwriter Teagan Littlechief, who also presented the night’s first honour.

A total of 10 awards were handed out at the inaugural event starting with the Emerging Artist Award, which this year went to Brindan, who was lost for words after his name was called.

Brindan receives the Emerging Artist of the Year Award. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

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Longtime gospel singer Yvonne St. Germaine took the stage next to present the Gospel Recording of the Year Award. Sundance and Sunshine Brass from the Pasqua First Nation took that prize.

Speaking to paNOW after the moment, Sundance noted winning the award was ‘tremendously awesome.’

“This is one of my very first awards I’ve ever received so I’m very thankful,” he said. “I can’t wait to look back 20, 30 years from now and say ‘hey, I was a part of the very first one in 2023.”

Sundance Brass performs at a pre-show banquet at the EA Rawlinson Centre. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

Next up was the Song of the Year category with five artists up for that honour: Shawn Adams, Nige B, JJ Lavallee, Donny Corrigal, and Jarrid Lee.

Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne presented that award to Metis Country performer Shawn Adams.

Fellow country artist Jarrid Lee was the next award winner, nabbing the Country/Roots Person of the Year Award.

Nige B, a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band was a big winner Sunday night, claiming two awards for Instrumentalist of the Year and Rock/Heavy Metal/Rap Person of the Year.

By far the greatest honour of the evening went to Lawrence Joseph, the first-ever recipient of the Willard Ahenakew Award.

Before presenting the award to Joseph, Ahenakew’s son, Lee spoke to the crowd about what it meant to have a lifetime achievement award named in honour of his father, who was unable to attend the ceremony in person.

Surrounded by his family, Joseph was humbled by the award and what it meant to him to be a champion for Indigenous musicians but also to use music to help those overcome substance abuse. He was congratulated with the night’s only standing ovation.

Lawrence Joseph accepts the Willard Ahenakew Award. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

Joseph spent decades as a musician but also served on Prince Albert’s city council and was once Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN).

Following a performance by the Strong Sisters from Black Lake First Nation, the Female and Male Artist of the Year awards were next on the docket.

Falynn Baptiste of Red Pheasant Cree Nation won the award and thanked her community and all her supporters for helping her reach this pinnacle of her career.

Falynn Baptiste accepts the Female Artist of the Year Award. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

The Male Artist of the Year trophy went to JJ Lavallee who in his acceptance speech thanked the province of Saskatchewan for making him feel at home. Lavallee is originally from Manitoba but said he’s looking forward to continuing his music career in Saskatchewan.

“I called Saskatchewan home over a year now and it’s been wonderful. I’m just looking forward to seeing what more Saskatchewan has to offer,” he said.

He added that he was a bit surprised to win the award given the amount of talent that was nominated.

Finally, it was time for the last award, The Fan Choice Entertainer of the Year. Five artists were up this prestigious honour: Donny Corrigal, Jarid Lee, Nige B, Berk Jodoin, Rebecca Strong, Glen Strong, Melodie Gliem.

Donny Corrigal was announced the winner and said after the event that being nominated was worthy enough.

“There was just so much talent here. SIMA did a great job of putting together this whole show.”

Donny Corrigal wins the Fan Choice Entertainer of the Year Award. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

The show would not have been possible without the work of the board of the Saskatchean Indigenous Music Association (SIMA).

Talks of an awards ceremony first came to light about two years ago from president Donny Parenteau. From there the vision grew into what transpired on Sunday night.

However, as Donny and other board members mentioned that evening, this awards show is just the beginning as they anticipate greater events will happen in the future.

“We made history tonight as the first,” said Yvonne St. Germaine who sits on the board. “These nominees are going to look back and know where their start came from and to be a part of that, there’s no words.”

“It’s going to attract more younger artists, more people in those northern communities,” added Lavallee. “Now they see that ‘there’s something for me to aspire to and something to push my music towards.”

Sundance Brass agreed with the feeling that the awards show will grow each year, noting that music made a huge difference in his life, and it has the power to do that for countless Indigenous people in Saskatchewan.

“Music is very powerful. It’s a very powerful force not to be reckoned with,” he said. “Music speaks to many levels of people, all ages and to be able to come out and have awards like this with the music industry is so wonderful.”

Plans are already in motion for the 2024 Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Awards with many of the nominated and winning artists this year also in line for a Saskatchewan Music Award. That ceremony is set to take place Dec. 2 at the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com