Cultural appropriation argument 'brings us back a few steps,' says Indigenous Music Awards head

The woman who runs the Manito Ahbee festival said she doesn't believecultural appropriation is possible within the Indigenous community, after a group of Inuit artists pulled out of the Indigenous Music Awards earlier this week,citing concerns about what they described as the cultural appropriation of throat singing.

"If you're asking me as a pipe carrier," whether cultural appropriation is possible in the Indigenous community,"the answer is no," said Lisa Meeches.

"Creator and spirit don't understand that kind of language and that kind of rhetoric," said Meeches, who is Anishinaabe and is the executive director of theManitoAhbeefestival, which oversees the Indigenous Music Awards held in Winnipeg every year.

In a Wednesday phone interview withIsmaila Alfa, host of CBC Radio's Up To Speed, Meeches said that she applauds the group of Inuit artists, including Tanya Tagaq, Kelly Fraser and PIQSIQ, for having the strength to stand their ground.

But she questioned their useof social media to address their concerns about cultural appropriation.

At the heart of the issue is Nehiyaw (Cree) singer Connie LeGrande, who performs asCikwes. Shewas nominated in the"best folk album" category of the Indigenous Music Awards,but is being accused of appropriating Inuit style throat singing in her music.

"This thing about Connie is that she was given the songs by an Inuit family," said Meeches.

"She performed [throat singing] at [APTN's] Aboriginal Day live in Edmonton," Meeches said.

"By her belief, she did receive the proper teachings," she said, though "later on thatfamily, or that individual, said it was wrong to teach her that."

In a 2015 Facebook post which was recently reposted by another user, LeGrandewrote that she was "fascinated with Inuit throat singing" and"I decide[d] to teach myself by listening to Tanya [Tagaq's] music."

LeGrandehas not responded to a request for comment.

Meeches said after a series of meetings and consultations with the IMA's board and their elders committee, the decision was made to let Cikwes's nomination stand in the best folk category.

"We've always been inclusive with regard to how we should move forward as a festival, and so it's very disappointing how this collective is using social media as a platform when we've always been attentive to their needs," said Meeches.

If people are interested in working or having throat singing in part of their collaboration? Hire us. Hire us. Hire us- Tiffany Ayalik

There are currently no Inuit representatives on Manito Ahbee's board of directors. Meechessaid the board reached out to the Manitoba Inuit Association last year for someone to join the board, but didn't receive a response.

Rachel Dutton, executive director of the Manitoba Inuit Association, said thatisnot accurate.

"Lisa Meeches did not contact us," said Dutton.

"It's inaccurate to say that there was a reach-out to the organization with the ask of us to sit on the IMAs."

Despite the emergency meetings and the decision to let the nomination for Cikwes's album stand, Meechessaid she hopes there will be a peaceful resolution with the Inuit artists, who refer to themselves as theArnaqquasaaq Collective.

"We realized that there are many hurt people in this discussion, but we've been wanting non-Indigenous people to play a part in learning and discovering who we are through reconciliation acts, and this does not bode well for that discussion," said Meeches.

"And so it brings us back a few steps."

'It's up to Inuit to decide'

Tiffany Ayalik, who makes up the Yellowknifethroat singing duoPIQSIQwith her sisterKayley Mackay,believes in collaborating and sharing cultural songs with other Indigenous communities.

However, she thinks Meeches's view on appropriation is problematic.

"The language that was used in that statement by Lisa is already quite pan-Indigenizing and is very much from a First Nations point of view," said Ayalik.

"When we look at the specifics of Inuit culture, there are many Inuit who don't actually have, in our traditional spirituality, a single, singular, creative force like a creator," said Ayalik.

Shedoesn't agree with imposing those beliefs on other Indigenous nations who may not share them.

"When things like that are spouted back to us, like 'spirit' and 'creator,'that's also assuming that we'd have the same set of spiritual practices, which we don't."

Ayalik also offered a different take onwhere LeGrande learned how to throat sing.

According to Ayalik,two people were asked to perform throat singing at an artists' demonstration being hosted by the federal government. When one of the throat singers had to drop out,LeGrande was taught the very basics of throat singingand performed that day.

"[It was] not for the purpose of giving her permission to then go and take something that isn'thers and make an album, and put it on iTunes, and have it for sale," said Ayalik.

"She's also taking money for this practice, when she isn't part of that culture, therefore taking up space at festivals, taking the space away from Inuit."

With a smaller population, less access to resourcesand fewer opportunities, Ayalik argues that Inuit are even further marginalized among other Indigenous groups.

"And this isjust a furthering of that reality, that we are underrepresented even within Indigenous circles and communities, and especially in the music industry," said Ayalik.

"So if people are interested in working or having throat singing in part of their collaboration? Hire us. Hire us. Hire us."

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