Ninikamawinan: Songs of Our People

When you consider the juggernaut of American colonisation and the effect it has had on Native Americans, it's amazing that any of their culture, let alone music, has remained intact. But tribes still abound in North America and Canada that stay true to their deep-rooted approach to life and oral musical tradition, using drum, rattle and voice, mostly in unison and octaves. The Iskwew Singers (pronounced Is-kway-yo and meaning ‘woman’ in Cree) add something else to this approach: minutes into the first song, ‘Yaweh, their call and response suddenly breaks into glorious thrilling harmony. The simplicity of the backing enables the voices to soar. ‘Hiy Hiy’ in particular benefits from drum and rattle accompaniment; ‘Waniskâ’ is a joyful social song celebrating the beauty of life; and ‘Sakâwihlk is a classic driving powwow song. On the title-track, tribal Cree elder Mary Anne Palmer intones soulfully.

Based in Vancouver, the women who make up the group – Sandy Scofield, Andrea Menard and Fara Palmer – all compose individually but perform together as a true ensemble. The strength of this lovingly crafted album comes from their shared Cree/Metis roots and desire to preserve their culture.