Elsa Jayne Ruck (31, Singer-songwriter, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation)

‘Music is so powerful. Whether it’s instrumental, or singing about somebody else’s story; whether it is healing, or exciting people into action. It is fundamental in moving things forward. This is something that I can do.’

Two things were always a part of Elsa Jayne Ruck: one was music, the other her Indigenous heritage.

As a young girl, she played piano with passion. In the schoolyard, she would proudly share stories of attending powwows with her family. Eventually Elsa Jayne discovered the strength of the combination.

After attending Briercrest College in Saskatchewan to study music, Elsa Jayne returned to Kitchener with greater confidence to pursue music full-time. Alongside her musical journey was the one she would embark on rediscovering her family’s heritage. “We would always celebrate Aboriginal Day and powwow, but these were fragments of our culture. There was no recognition for where they came from,” she says. “It’s a strange thing. I’ve always been connected to our culture, but we’re just returning to the roots of our First Nation now.”

Her identity as an Anishinaabe woman grew along with her songwriting. “What is important is that I’m an Indigenous person singing about things that are real to me. I sing about my dad’s childhood on the reserve, I sing about nature, I focus on the idea that everything is connected. My music allows me to connect to other Indigenous people. Even if they are from different nations and backgrounds, they feel like family. We’re all in this together.”

Her songs are infused with a purpose. “I don’t think your life can really stay the same once you acknowledge and accept this part of you. The most obvious way that being Indigenous affects me is justice. I want to be a part of making things right again, and bringing back our traditions and cultures in a progressive way, with my music.”

Elsa Jayne sees it as an opportunity to share her own vulnerabilities, but also as a way to represent her people. Her song entitled “Civilized” reflects on the trauma of residential schools. “When I started writing this song I shared a little clip of it, and firstand second-generation survivors said ‘please finish this song and represent us.’ It brought me to tears. It gave me a purpose. Although I hadn’t experienced the trauma of residential school myself, they gave me their blessing to represent this story. I always dedicate it to the survivors. It’s a hard song to perform each time, but I think this song — and a lot of other songs that artists are putting out right now — are very healing. They talk about the hurt that we’ve experienced as a people, and the culture that we’ve lost.”

Elsa Jayne’s agenda is a humble one. “I think what’s most important is that the culture is represented, and the stories are being talked about. Rather than a message, the fact that they are existing is the important thing.”

“Civilized” ends with hope. Its final lines: “They couldn’t steal our hope and they couldn’t steal our future”