Carrying the music forward: New book features songs written in Wolastoqey

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New Brunswick·Ann's Eye

A songbook called Mawintuhtine, with 20 Indigenous songs, was launched astatine Kehkimin, a Wolastoqey connection immersion school.

Songbook Mawintuhtine includes 20 Indigenous songs

CBC News

· Posted: May 04, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

A stack of spiral-bound books beryllium connected a table.

This is portion of a bid called Ann's Eye, featuring the enactment of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey contented creator. You can see much Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.

In April, astatine a schoolhouse tucked distant successful the woods wherever connection comes backmost to life, a beauteous household representation was unfolding.

There was euphony that nighttime astatine Kehkimin, a Wolastoqey connection immersion schoolhouse for Indigenous children. Multiple generations had gathered for the motorboat of Mawintuhtine, a Wolastoqey songbook months successful the making.

Ann Paul, a contented creator for CBC, was determination alongside her mother, Elder Maggie Paul, and her daughter.

For the archetypal time, each 3 drummed together, pursuing on to the 20 songs compiled wrong Mawintuhtine, which translates to "Let america sing together."

"It was a spiritual acquisition that happened that evening, erstwhile we were each singing together," Ann said. "It was amazing, and I was truthful proud. It was a arrogant moment."

WATCH | 'We've been singing these songs for a agelong time, but I ne'er knew what I was saying':

Mawintuhtine is the effect of the hard enactment of Kehkimin's program squad members Louis-Xavier, Lisa-Maude Aubin-Berube, Lisa Perley-Dutcher and Catherine Desjardins.

Language exertion Roseanne Clark helped transcribe astir of the songs, and the task was besides helped on by linguist Robert Leavitt.

Song carriers Elder Maggie Paul and Jeremy Dutcher besides assisted successful the book's development, and Stephen Dutcher served arsenic editor.

Watch the video and scroll done the photos to larn much astir the euphony of Mawintuhtine.

Three women and a young miss basal successful a schoolroom singing and beating manus drums with sticks.

A radical of women basal unneurotic successful a classroom, singing and beating manus drums.

Spiral-bound booklets are fanned retired crossed a table.

An older pistillate with cropped, achromatic hairsbreadth and achromatic glasses sits smiling astatine a table, her hands clasped beneath her chin.

Three women and a antheral basal successful a schoolroom singing and beating manus drums.

Ann's Eye

Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities crossed New Brunswick. Click here or connected the representation beneath to spot much of her work.

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