'Space for us to be who we are': Cree musician from Maskwacis, Alta., wins first Juno

[Spazito]

Plains Cree musician Joel Wood cracks up his wife as he describes how he emerged from his mother's womb.

"I kind of came out singing — Waahh Yaaahh Hoka hey," Wood says.

Despite a lifetime of performing, Wood was caught off-guard as he danced his way to the stage in Halifax Saturday with his wife, album collaborator and comedian Tonia Jo Hall, to accept his first Juno award for traditional Indigenous artist of the year.

After joking that he only attended the Junos for the food and hadn't prepared a speech, Wood offered an impromptu message to Indigenous youth:

"I want to give a shout out to all those little rez girls and boys back home, who turn over their mom's laundry basket and they jam them powwow songs, sun dance songs, and prayer songs. This is for all of them back home."

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/joel-wood-maskwacis-junos-indigenous-artist-1.7156671

It's great to see we are finally giving more recognition to Canadian Indigenous musicians, it is long overdue, imo.

[Bobstandard]

1. Check 'em out! Pure and soulful

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[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Also indigenous outside of Indigenous: Songwriter (Aysanabee) and Alternative Album (Aysanabee)

Joel Wood won Indigenous Artist of the Year, which is great!

It takes nothing away from him to celebrate Aysanabee winning two major awards in main non-Indigenous categories, a first.

Indigenous musicians are branching out and being wonderfully creative in many genres. It is heartwarming to hear.

[Spazito]

3. I love it!

I love Indigenous culture and artistry and it is long past time Canadians recognize, honour and respect it, imo.

I agree it doesn't take anything away from his award to also recognize Aysanabee's wins as well.