LEOVILLE 鈥� Twenty-three years after graduating from Grade 12 at Leoville School, First Nation musician and storyteller Jason Chamakese returned to share his gifts with the students and staff of his old school.
This was part of a tour of five communities with singer and drummer Robert Gladue from Waterhen Lake, sponsored by the Wapati Regional Library. Jason and Robert also visited Tisdale, Carrot River, Prince Albert and Spiritwood to share First Nations鈥� culture with students and adults through music and story telling.
聽Stories and music are a way of sharing positive messages that are universal, says Chamakese, who draws on Cree and other First Nations traditions to 鈥渃reate awareness and establish pathways for dialogue.鈥� He doesn鈥檛 like the concept of tolerance between races, which he thinks implies 鈥渏ust putting up with each other,鈥� but rather acceptance. Being able to look at each other with healthy respect, and begin the dialogue that brings peace and understanding.
Chamakese鈥檚 own experience was challenging. He says he got along well with people, and wasn鈥檛 subjected to a lot of 鈥渋n your face鈥� racism at Leoville School, but this was partly due to his outgoing nature. There were invisible barriers, such as funnelling First Nation students into alternate academic choices when they might well have succeeded in the regular stream with a little more help and support. As well, there was a degree of social isolation, especially for First Nation students who weren鈥檛 as socially confident as he was.
鈥淚 could cross through that invisible line, but others couldn鈥檛, and many of them didn鈥檛 finish school.鈥�
That鈥檚 part of what motivates Chamakese to use traditional music with modern relevance. He and singer Gladue move easily between traditional stories and songs, and original pieces that include topics all young people encounter, like Facebook drama and cyber-bullying.
Both these artists have spent years learning their respective arts, and are committed to keeping Cree language, stories and music alive, as well as honouring other First Nation traditions, such as flute playing. The flute was not a Cree instrument originally, but plays a large role among First Nations of the Dakotas.
Chamakese calls what he does, 鈥渢aking small steps towards mutual respect.鈥�
For Ron Craswell, board member with the Wapiti Regional Library, this has to do with the nature of young people. 鈥淲hat they learn through entertainment, they remember.鈥�
Chamakese has been studying and playing the flute for 17 years, and has been nominated for a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award. Gladue is a 26-year-old singer and drummer from Waterhen Lake First Nation, who sings both modern and traditional songs.
