Six Nations singer to perform at Olympic games

Page 3

Representing Onkwehonwe people, singer Sadie Buck from the Seneca nation of Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and Tonawanda Seneca Territory in New York will perform in the opening ceremonies of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics to be held in February.

Buck was asked by executive producer of the ceremonies, Don Mischer, to be a part of the Native American contingent that will perform the song and dance to welcome the athletes and the world to Utah.

Mischer had heard Buck's voice on the Unity Stomp, a track on Robbie Robertson's CD Contact from the Underworld of Red Boy. Her voice made such an impression on him that when he called, he said, "I've been listening to your voice for over a year." Then he invited her to sing a remix of that same song with Robbie Robertson (from Six Nations as well), Rita Coolidge and Walela (Cherokee) for the ceremonies. Buck will sing lead, as she did on the original CD and Robertson's band will provide musical accompaniment. The Unity Stomp is about four minutes in length.

With more than half the population of the planet expected to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, Buck appeared to be more excited than nervous and is taking her upcoming gig in stride. She has, after all, been performing traditional songs for her entire life.

"I've always been a performer and this is just one stop on the evolution of places I'm supposed to go," she said. Although as the lead singer and artistic director of the Six Nations Women Singers, Buck has been singing Unity Stomp songs for more than 35 years, she must still rehearse and learn the remixed version.

Buck is honored to be a part of the welcome portion of the opening ceremonies. She is thankful for the gift of song that the Creator has given her and believes there is a reason she has been chosen to be there.

She is not sure who chose the Unity Stomp to perform but believes in its appropriateness for the occasion. Unity Stomp is a string of songs created in the 1960s that unified nations of singers so that when they got together to visit, sing and dance, they all could take part by singing the same songs. The purpose of the songs was to promote awareness and unity among nations. Buck's hope is that it will serve that same purpose in Utah on Feb. 8.

The second part of the Native American welcome will consist of the five largest tribes in Utah (Paiute, Ute, Goshute, Shoshone and Navajo) giving a dance performance that is approximately five minutes in length.

Buck leaves her community on Feb. 2 for two days of rehearsals with Robertson, Coolidge and Walela in Los Angeles. She arrives in Salt Lake City on Feb. 4 for three more days of rehearsals before her performance at the opening ceremonies.

Sharing the same stage as the Native contingent and also performing at the opening ceremonies are Sting, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony, the Dixie Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, cellist Yo Yo Ma, a cappella group Eclipse and Utah's Deseret String Band/Bunkhouse Orchestra.