Video available all weekend July 23rd-25th
RENE MESHAKE is an Anishinaabe Elder, performing and media artist, award-winning author, pipigwan flute player, and storyteller.
Rene celebrates his Anishinaabe heritage with improvised music, and the language and cadence of bilingual Anishinaabe/English poetry accompanied by the traditional pipigwan flute. His spoken-word/flute improvisations create a strong, expressive, and entertaining presentation for an ever-increasing audience.
Pipigwewin Flute Story
To give Non-Indigenous viewers an essence of the story, this is the translation.
The Funky Elder is seated on a piano bench. He greets and invites his guests in. He takes off his mask and begins His story.
How are you? Come in. OK.
Rene Meshakigizhig is my name. Mizay Ling Clan. I’m from Longlac #58 and Aroland, Ontario.
Again, Southern Thunders are the names of my flutes. 1, 2, 3.
Aya’aak dash, some 215 children that perished, I will remember. I wear this Honour Shirt in their memory. The call of my flute will bring the 215 children home.
Then, I sing Abii-da-somo-se-wadj which means they are walking towards us.
The rest of the music, I improvise. Miigwetch, thank you.