When Teagan Littlechief sings in front of thousands of fans at SundayB次元官网网址檚 Grey Cup game, sheB次元官网网址檒l be thinking about CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Indigenous youth.
Littlechief, who is from White Bear First Nation on Treaty 4 territory in southeastern Saskatchewan, says she was often the only Indigenous person on stage when she first started performing.
B次元官网网址淢y thing is being able to show society that First Nations people are just as talented as any other race. IB次元官网网址檝e always wanted our First Nations people out there to flaunt what weB次元官网网址檝e got and show society what we have to offer,B次元官网网址� the 35-year-old said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
B次元官网网址淚 hope that what IB次元官网网址檓 able to do is maybe break a barrier down for our youth.B次元官网网址�
Littlechief is to perform O Canada in three languages B次元官网网址� English, French and Cree B次元官网网址� at the Canadian Football LeagueB次元官网网址檚 championship game in Regina between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts.
Only fluent in English, Littlechief has been leaning on a Cree teacher and French friend to help her practice the national anthem in the other languages.
B次元官网网址淢y Cree teacher today was giving me the lowdown of pronunciations and what would sound better with what words.B次元官网网址�
Littlechief said she believes she may be the first to sing the anthem at a Grey Cup in Cree. Juno award winner Susan Aglukark, who blends Inuit folk music traditions with country songwriting, sang the anthem for the 1998 Grey Cup in Winnipeg.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e always trying to bring recognition in everything that we do now, and IB次元官网网址檓 over the moon. IB次元官网网址檓 happy that people are starting to recognize First Nations,B次元官网网址� said Littlechief.
Littlechief, who also works as an addictions counsellor and youth worker, has her own singing accolades to brag about.
She was named the Indigenous Artist of the Year at the 2022 Saskatchewan Country Music Awards. She took home the title of SaskatchewanB次元官网网址檚 Next Big Thing from the Pure Country radio station in Regina and performed at this yearB次元官网网址檚 Country Thunder Music Festival.
She has also performed O Canada at games for the CFLB次元官网网址檚 Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Western Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Regina Pats.
Littlechief said has been in love with music since she was a child, when her brother would put headphones on her and sheB次元官网网址檇 dance herself to sleep, but said the road to success hasnB次元官网网址檛 been easy.
She has struggled with alcohol addiction since high school, she said, and dabbled with heavy drugs.
B次元官网网址淚 always dreamt that when I had my first child B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檇 raise them in a substance-abuse-free home, and thatB次元官网网址檚 not the life that he got,B次元官网网址� Littlechief said of her 11-year-old son, Gabriel.
B次元官网网址淭he first two years of his life he was having to deal with an alcoholic mom, who ditched him all the time.B次元官网网址�
Littlechief said she went on her last bender in 2017. At the time, the boy was sick at home and without his mom.
B次元官网网址淭hat day, I decided that was it. It was probably the hardest, hardest adventure B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 going to call it an adventure B次元官网网址� because I missed out on so much of my sonB次元官网网址檚 life, and now IB次元官网网址檓 slowly able to make up for it.B次元官网网址�
Her singing has taken off since sheB次元官网网址檚 been sober. But most importantly, she said, it has brought her and her son closer together.
They often go on road trips together for her shows, she said, and heB次元官网网址檚 been her main support, along with her mother and stepfather.
B次元官网网址�(Gabriel) is super excited. HeB次元官网网址檚 always saying my momB次元官网网址檚 singing the anthem and he says, B次元官网网址楳om, the kids at school know me.B次元官网网址� Littlechief said of her upcoming Grey Cup performance.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been practising, practising, practising. My son is actually getting tired of me singing it all the time. HeB次元官网网址檚 like, B次元官网网址楳om the anthem is stuck in my head now.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
While sheB次元官网网址檚 feeling some nerves, Littlechief said she reminds herself of why sheB次元官网网址檚 taking the stage on Sunday.
B次元官网网址淚 just want to be able to show the youth I work with that dreams are possible when you work hard and you put in effort in on all the things you want to do.
B次元官网网址淎nd change happens. Beautiful things happen.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擬ickey Djuric, The Canadian Press
