I’m an Acadian Canadian, Eh

By Kodie Trahan-Guay Belleville

the East Coast, living in an Acadian community on Prince Edward Island.

She remembers her summers spent at family gatherings where everyone would dance and sing. They would come together, sit in a big circle with people playing the spoons, harmonicas or accordions and together created music.

“We’d go down for the summer for five weeks and a lot of parties. That’s where I got my love of music. Acadians are big time musicians, or music appreciators.”

Her mother was a music appreciator and would tell Arsenault that the musicians needed someone to clap for them. She never learned an instrument but encouraged Arsenault to learn instruments as well as singing. Arsenault can play the spoons, the piano and the guitar. They were a large family, so often her mother would listen as she did housework - but she always listened.

“I wanted to be at the piano all the time. I would put a chair beside my piano for my mom to come and sit to listen to what I was learning.”

Arsenault was born in Hamilton, Ontario where she attended a French language school before her family moved to northern Ontario. She feels blessed that she was able to attend a French language school in Capreol. Arsenault is fully bilingual. She finds this opens her world up by giving her access to another culture.

“I have two doors that are opened up and I can understand the language, listen to their music, and watch their movies. It’s a broader base.”

Arsenault is passionate about making sure the world learns about Acadian culture. She was inspired after releasing her song “I’m an Acadian Canadian, Eh.” People would come up to her and ask her about being Acadian, they didn’t realize Acadians are real.

Arsenault has partnered with Evva Massey to bring Acadian history to schools the the program Young Imaginations which tours schools in Ontario to bring history to life through the arts. Evva’s first program partnered with Indigenous people to teach students about Indigenous culture. She is now looking to bring Acadian culture to schools. Evva believes that Young Imaginations needs to partner with leaders in the cultures in order to more effectively communicate with students.

Arsenault has spent more than 30 years as a singer/songwriter and is excited to be bringing Acadian culture to school children so they can step inside history and learn through the arts.

“Tell your story, what’s your story? Companies are encouraged to tell their story. This is people telling their stories and how better to share information then you have the authentic artist from each of the cultures telling their stories, sharing their stories. So it’s a different approach using the arts whether it’s painting or dancing or theatre, engaging the children. It’s very interactive”

To hear more, check out the Quinte Arts Council Podcast Makin’ Stuff Up: "The Power of the Voice" available on Amazon, Audible, Youtube and Spotify.

Jeanettearsenault.ca youngimaginations

The Healer

By Greg Cici

How many discovered indigenous children is enough? Is 215 enough? Maybe it's 4118. Mohawk musician and songwriter Jonathan Maracle has wrapped himself in a blanket of culture, heritage, traditions and love of music to educate and ensure his healing message of truth and reconciliation is heard by all.

Maracle was born in Akwasasne, a Mohawk Nation in New York and at twelve years old relocated to Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario. Early years were spent with his best friend Jerry fishing, swimming and exploring the St.

Regis River and Fulton's woods. Being a blue eyed, fair skinned indigenous child, he was bullied by other Indigenous children on the ride to school and Maracle also recalls, “When the bus arrived at school the reverse would take place and the white kids would give me a hard time because I was getting off the Indian bus.”

Those early experiences, as well as a missionary father, forged and wrought his character and life's direction. Maracle notes, “I saw how my father, as an Elder, shared his love and hope with them through his native expression and language and

I feel like I have the privilege and duty to continue the work my father exampled to me for so many years.”

He has continued his father's work through his songwriting, solo performances and band Broken Walls. A prolific songwriter with 14 albums based on his Indigenous culture and traditions, Maracle remarks, “These albums are meant to bring restoration, forgiveness and a general healing to Indigenous people who have or are dealing with bitterness and unforgiveness as a result of the treatment their people have suffered under colonialism and the Doctrine of Discovery.”

After absorbing some prophetic words by Osage Elder John Sanford at the Sacred Assembly in Quebec, Maracle was compelled to write the song “Broken Walls” minutes before he was to hit the stage and sing “Amazing Grace.” Instead he sang his newly minted song and was moved by the reaction. Maracle describes one such reaction from an Indigenous man who said, “I’ve always hated white men for what they’ve done to my people, but today I don’t want to hate them anymore, will you please forgive me?”

The room filled with sobs and cries for forgiveness - a powerful and pivotal moment for Maracle. “The song “Broken Walls” was the beginning of an awakening for me, it showed me that using my cultural expression in songs could be a part of the restoration that needed to take place in the hearts and lives of Indigenous people.”

He isn't just a talented Indigenous musician, he's become a spiritual healer. Broken Walls tours worldwide with over 800 shows since 2000, offering healing music where truth and reconciliation are needed most. His greatest achievement, “After 28 years, I’m still seeing Broken Walls grow.” brokenwalls.com

Through the therapeutic magic of music, Maracle has spent his adult life passionately educating and healing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people while mending the rift between them.

Broken Walls consists of Jonathan Maracle (Mohawk), Bill Pagaran (Tlingit) and Josh Maus (German-Austrian). You can listen to Jonathan Maracle on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube and the website.