Past Polaris Music Prize winner Jeremy Dutcher has shared his debut music video for his Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa single "Mehcinhut."
Shot inside Toronto's Aga Khan Museum, the video shows Dutcher playing piano on stage with dancers choreographed by two-spirit Indigenous dancer and artist Brian Solomon.
Cut scenes to "The Table of Indigenous Excellence" reveal prominent Indigenous figures and activists, such as filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, A Tribe Called Red, fellow Polaris winner Lido Pimienta and more, ushering the video into the song's climax.
Watch the Chandler Levack-directed video below.
On the video, the artist had the following statement to share, making special note to maintain the stylization:
This song calls back
and reaches forward across time.
Concerning indigenous continuation
and what it can mean.
For all those who have gone before
and all those who are yet to come.
'ciw nihkanipasihtit naka weckuwapasihtit.
This video arises through collaborative processes,
and circulates
between death and rebirth.
A beautiful assemblage of people
committed to telling
stories of reclamation and resilience.
Make Indigenous excellence visible.
To witness it in multitudes, is to know that we'll be ok. Thrive.
To see a full table, is to see a collective
speaking of who we are.
Indigenous people are not one thing
we come from many different backgrounds
speak many different languages and ways.
Drawing our circles wide
we make our gathering places
radically inclusive
relying on all gifts and abilities
to make our presence and positions known.
This project is a call to my community
let's show what we've done and can do
let's send a dream into the future
for where we'll go
Collectively
Amplifying diverse indigenous voices
past, present and future
of inspiring artistic visions
Jeremy Dutcher is currently on a North American tour with accompanying orchestral support. Find the tour schedule here.
Shot inside Toronto's Aga Khan Museum, the video shows Dutcher playing piano on stage with dancers choreographed by two-spirit Indigenous dancer and artist Brian Solomon.
Cut scenes to "The Table of Indigenous Excellence" reveal prominent Indigenous figures and activists, such as filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, A Tribe Called Red, fellow Polaris winner Lido Pimienta and more, ushering the video into the song's climax.
Watch the Chandler Levack-directed video below.
On the video, the artist had the following statement to share, making special note to maintain the stylization:
This song calls back
and reaches forward across time.
Concerning indigenous continuation
and what it can mean.
For all those who have gone before
and all those who are yet to come.
'ciw nihkanipasihtit naka weckuwapasihtit.
This video arises through collaborative processes,
and circulates
between death and rebirth.
A beautiful assemblage of people
committed to telling
stories of reclamation and resilience.
Make Indigenous excellence visible.
To witness it in multitudes, is to know that we'll be ok. Thrive.
To see a full table, is to see a collective
speaking of who we are.
Indigenous people are not one thing
we come from many different backgrounds
speak many different languages and ways.
Drawing our circles wide
we make our gathering places
radically inclusive
relying on all gifts and abilities
to make our presence and positions known.
This project is a call to my community
let's show what we've done and can do
let's send a dream into the future
for where we'll go
Collectively
Amplifying diverse indigenous voices
past, present and future
of inspiring artistic visions
Jeremy Dutcher is currently on a North American tour with accompanying orchestral support. Find the tour schedule here.