FALYNN BAPTISTE
My mother says I came into the world a songbird, humming and singing to myself when I was a little girl. My late nôkum (grandmother) and nôhtawiy (father) were gifted with song, thus music has always been a part of my life. I was blessed to have been raised on Red Pheasant First Nation among a very large family, rooted in my nêhiyaw culture, traditions and language. I am also proud to be Mêtis and come from an equally large family with strong roots from Cumberland House, SK. My late mosom’s (grandfathers), nokum’s (grandmothers), my parents and their siblings were first language Cree speakers. Along with language, prayer and spirituality were instilled in us. My late grandparents made connections between their Cree spiritual teachings and the teachings of the Catholic church. One teaching did not replace the other, instead the two ways of praying walked side by side in harmony and respect. As such, we regularly went to church. At an early age, I began singing church songs that had been translated to the the Cree language. One of my first large audience performances was of “Amazing Grace” in Cree at the age of 14. I went on to do many performances over the years where people have requested songs sung in Cree, often hymns such as Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art.
As an educator I have witnessed the growing absence of Cree language speakers among the younger generations and wondered if the the loss of language has contributed to the loss of identity among our Indigenous youth. Motivated by the importance of preserving the language, I recorded a two song Christmas demo of “O Holy Night” and “What Child is This” translated into Cree in 2012. In 2014, I released an additional two songs, “Silent Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful”, also translated into Cree. I am both humbled and grateful for the overwhelming positive response from listeners across Canada and the United States. It is the voices of support and encouragement that has inspired me to continue recording contemporary music in the Cree language.
SHAYNE LAZAROWICH
Shayne Lazarowich wields a voice of raw intensity and performs with the passion of folk and country heroes of legend – honesty and the intimacy from the heart of the Canadian prairies. Shayne is a self-taught singer and musician. He has played multiple stages across the province and beyond, as a solo performer and as part of multiple successful groups. In 2011, Shayne co-founded the Prince Albert-based band, All Mighty Voice. AMV released its debut EP and quickly became a household name in Saskatchewan. With the support of Rawlco Radio, SaskMusic and Creative Saskatchewan, the band recorded, released and independently toured their first full-length album, All for One. Along with Saskatchewan’s finest emerging and accomplished artists, the band’s singles “Movin’ On” and “What I Hold” appeared on SaskMusic’s “In Tune 2013” and “In Tune 2014” Compilation CDs. AMV is a three-time winner of Rawlco Radio “Best of the Best” band in Prince Albert, and two-time regional finalist in CBC’s Searchlight competition. The band has released three albums to date and toured extensively, with notable performances at JunoFest 2013 in Regina, Canadian Music Week 2015 in Toronto, and the Canadian Winter Games 2015 in Prince George.
Shayne Lazarowich has shared the stage with groups as diverse as The Strumbellas, Tim Hicks, Wide Mouth Mason, Romi Mayes, Madeline Merlo, and the Dead South. He has performed on multiple stages with AMV, as well as with The Untamed, The Northern Air (with Dara Schindelka), and as a solo artist. He is currently based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Outside of Canada, Shayne has also lived and performed in Taiwan, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and the Philippines.
Heritage Festival of Saskatoon 