Thanks to my friend, writer Danielle Baker, for sharing this beautiful rendition of the Beatles’ classic Blackbird, in Mi’kmaq, recorded by students at Allison Bernard Memorial High School in Eskasoni, Cape Breton, to bring awareness to the fact that 2019 has been declared the International Year of Indigenous Languages by the United Nations.

The aim of the declaration is to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of Indigenous languages across the world, to establish a link between language, development, peace, and reconciliation.

Emma Stevens, this beautiful singer, recently Emma Stevens sang the Mi’kmaq Honour Song at the First Session of the UN-Habitat Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Program on May 27, 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya, speaking about the Red Dress Movement in Canada (MMIW).

Go, little sister. Use your voice!

Credits:

Songwriter: Paul McCartney

Translation: Katani Julian and Albert “Golydada”Julian

Music Production: Carter Chiasson Audio

Production: Jamie Foulds (Soundpark Studios)

Video Production: Matthew Ingraham and Multimedia 12 students from ABMHS Project

Lead/Music Teacher: Carter Chiasson

Pu’tliskiej – Kime’sk //

LYRICS: Pu’tliskiej wapinintoq Kina’masi telayja’timk tel pitawsin eskimatimu’sipnek nike’ mnja’sin Pu’tliskiej wapinintoq Ewlapin nike’ nmiteke tel pkitawsin eskimatimu’sipnek nike’ seya’sin Pu’tliskiej…layja’si ta’n wasatek poqnitpa’qiktuk Pu’tliskiej…layja’si ta’n wasatek poqnitpa’qiktuk Pu’tliskiej wapinintoq Kina’masi telayja’timk tel pitawsin eskimatimu’sipnek nike’ mnja’sin eskimatimu’sipnek nike’ mnja’sin eskimatimu’sipnek nike’ mnja’sin ——————————————————– Boo-dull-ees-kee-edge wobbin-in-toq Kee-na-ma-see dell-I-jaw-dimk dell-bit-ow-sin ess-gum-mud-dum-oo-sup-neg nike’ mn-jaw-sin Boo-dull-ees-kee-edge wobbin-in-toq ew-la-bin nike’ num-mid-deh-geh dell-bit-ow-sin ess-gum-mud-dum-oo-sup-neg say-ya-sin Boo-dull-ees-kee-edge, lie-jaw-see don wassa-deg poq-nit-ba’q-ik-tuk Boo-dull-ees-kee-edge, lie-jaw-see don wassa-deg poq-nit-ba’q-ik-tuk Boo-dull-ees-kee-edge wobbin-in-toq Kee-na-ma-see dell-I-jaw-dimk dell-bit-ow-sin ess-gum-mud-dum-oo-sup-neg nike’ mn-jaw-sin ess-gum-mud-dum-oo-sup-neg nike’ mn-jaw-sin ess-gum-mud-dum-oo-sup-neg nike’ mn-jaw-sin