INDSPIRE AWARDS
Change is underway
“The winds of change are blowing across Turtle Island.”
That’s how Roberta Jamieson sees it. The former Ontario ombudsman, who’s now the president and CEO of Indspire, a national charitable organization that supports the education of indigenous youth and hands out achievement awards, has been watching Canadians tune into to indigenous issues and culture like never before.
“We’re witnessing an awakening amongst Canadians that I’ve never seen before. I’m thrilled that the winds of change are blowing across Turtle Island,” she said, using the aboriginal name for North America. “I think it’s a year to, yes, acknowledge our difficult history, but also set our sights on our shared path forward.”
One step is bringing the Indspire Awards, formerly known as the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, to the nation’s capital in the year of Canada’s sesquicentennial, along with a national youth conference. Jamieson, who’s perfectly aware that her ancestors have been here for a lot longer than 150 years, calls it a “brilliant opportunity” to come to Ottawa.
The awards gala takes place Friday at the National Arts Centre. Hosted by actor-singer-songwriter Cheri Maracle and TV personality Kyle Nobess, it features a guest performance by the legendary Cree folksinger Buffy Sainte-Marie, as well as hiphop MC Drezus, singer Mariame Hasni, singersongwriter-filmmaker Elisapie, producer/DJ Classic Roots and Amazing Race Canada contestant and former Mrs. Universe Ashley Callingbull.
“I know some of our people are maybe saying this is not a time to celebrate,” Jamieson said in an interview. “For me, I think our people should be celebrating every day the fact that we have survived, the fact that we are resilient and despite everything that our people have been through, we remain a very vibrant, rich part of Canada’s landscape.”
Indeed. In addition to the growing success of indigenous musical acts like A Tribe Called Red, who are nominated for Juno Awards, and Tanya Tagaq, who took home the Polaris Prize in 2014, Jamieson points to the recent work of the Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie as a factor in increasing awareness.
In the months following his diagnosis of incurable brain cancer, Downie devoted himself to his solo project, the Secret Path. The album is illustrated with a graphic novel and animated film, all telling the story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old indigenous boy who ran away from a residential school in Kenora and died trying to get home to his family hundreds of kilometres away.
“I was so moved to see that at this stage in his life and career, he chose to shine the powerful light of his celebrity on indigenous issues,” Jamieson said. “He has opened the door, and really reached yet another segment of Canadian society. Reconciliation is not about saying you’re sorry and feeling guilty and hoping things will get better. It’s about taking steps. It’s about sustained and serious action. It’s about doing what you can from where you are to create a better relationship for the future. I think Gord, by his actions, has done that.”
Also motivated to take action was the Slaight Family Foundation, which recently announced a donation of $12 million to 15 notfor-profit organizations working to improve the well-being of Canada’s indigenous populations. Over the next five years, $2.5 million will support Indspire bursaries for indigenous youths studying arts, culture and language.
Other cultural initiatives springing up across the country include National Arts Centre’s newly created department of indigenous theatre and the Banff Centre’s focus on indigenous artists.
“The students we support tell us that a strong sense of identity is critical to their success, aside from the financial support,” Jamieson says, “and the arts allow us a means to make sure our people have a strong sense of our identity. We are enriched by the tremendous insight of artists. They provoke us into thinking about difficult challenges. They really confront us with both challenges and opportunities, and they provide a way for us to move forward.”
It’s a year to, yes, acknowledge our difficult history, but also set our sights on our shared path forward.