Now playing: Nyēn Nzhän – An Indigenous Songwriting Celebration

New documentary about First Nations languages in song premieres on Northwestel Community TV

In 2019, the Adäka Cultural Festival introduced an exciting new feature. They called it the Nyēn Nzhän Indigenous Songwriting Celebration.

Festival organizers included the new event to spotlight Yukon’s many Indigenous languages. Organizers invited storytellers and songwriters to share songs using their First Nations language. Then, professional musicians joined in to help develop songs for the festival.

The documentary crew goes behind-the-scenes during the leadup to the festival in Whitehorse. Featured artists share their stories and languages and rehearse songs for the festival. It caps off with stunning live performances captured during a one-night-only concert.

_{Jessie Peter of Ross River performs in the Kaska language during a live concert at the Adäka Cultural Festival in Whitehorse, YT.}

Adäka producer Katie Johnson appears in the new documentary. Johnson says the new songwriting celebration highlights and honours First Nation languages.

“When we were first envisioning this celebration, I wanted to change the (festival) model so we were honouring the speakers, the singers, the performers, and bringing their songs forward. My hope is that Adäka will always be a platform for these types of initiatives. I’m inspired to learn my language and I want to make sure that my daughter is too.”

The documentary features live performances from Indigenous Music Awards nominees Diyet and the Love Soldiers, Jennifer Froehling and Dennis Shorty, and more.

_{Indigenous Music Award nominee Dennis Shorty was a musical mentor for the songwriting celebration. Shorty and partner Jennifer Fröehling worked with Jessie Peter to bring her songs to the Adäka Cultura Festival stage.}

Nyēn Nzhän – An Indigenous Songwriting Celebration is available now. See it on Northwestel Community TV channel 209 in Whitehorse and Yellowknife.