Identity is experienced differently by everybody.
A single unifying factor may have wildly differing impacts upon art produced by those who share it.
TREATY 7 SESSIONS is a 5-part, weekly, documentary and live performance video series featuring artists from the Treaty 7 Territory exploring local perspectives on Indigeneity in music.
Filmed in Mohkinstsis (Calgary) by CJSW volunteers and local music artists, Rich Sparvier (DJ BLKFT) and Spencer Burgess (Spencer Jo), the stories are handled with care and informed perspectives.
Episode 5: After the Prophet
Siksika Nation hardcore band After The Prophet is a band of 5 friends who are doing what they love – making music and getting up on stage. They take their music career professionally but at the same time, they love to party hard, drink beers, and give the crowd the immense energy they deserve. Their journey together and their successes over the years have taken them through the pain of shared grief after losing a band member and helped them heal and turn it into something beautiful – music.
www.facebook.com/AfterTheProphet
Episode 4: MomBod
MomBod is a punk-infused trio, reminiscent of the feminist Riot Grrrl era suffused with grunge and psychedelic sound, and, as the band name implies, all three members are mothers. A little bit noisy, a little bit soft, a little bit wild… kinda like their kids. Mandy, Amberlea and Silvana of Lethbridge punk band MomBod share their experiences as musicians, mothers, allies and Indigenous creatives.
Episode 3: Willy Big Bull
Born in Wenatchee, Washington, country singer-songwriter Willy Big Bull has always loved music. In the sweet spot of Lethbridge, Willy Big Bull is a mainstay at folk clubs and bars, performing music that reflects on his family’s legacy and doing things his own way.
Episode 2: Spring Chief Brothers
In this short documentary, Tony and Brett Lee Spring Chief open up about their music, where they draw inspiration from, and how growing up on Siksika Nation has influenced their creativity. Performing alongside other inspiring indigenous artists such as T-Rhyme & Antoine Edwards Jr., hip hop is definitely a passion for the Spring Chief Brothers. It’s always been an outlet for them, where they can share their deepest thoughts and feelings. The type of music they write about is their personal experiences – the good, bad and the ugly – everything from anxiety to broken hearts.
www.soundcloud.com/brett-lee-springchief
Episode 1: Wyatt C. Louis
Wyatt C. Louis is a nêhiyaw folk singer-songwriter based in Moh’kinstsís Treaty 7 Territory (also known as Calgary, AB). He has made an impact on the eclectic city with songs built from soaring melodies, railroad-like fingerpicking and quiet, haunting vocals and lyrical phrasing. Dark, rustic tales meld folk and soulful blues to tell tales of love, loss and the journey home. They’re beautiful, subtle creations that juxtapose emotions, striking imagery and experiences that charm and envelop listeners. The sweet and intimate EP On a Journey for the Long Run (2017), had earned him airplay on CBC, CKUA and campus radio across Canada.