Two awards for Saskatchewan

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The talents and contributions of the late Art Moosomin were recognized in Toronto on Nov. 28 as the fourth annual Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMA) were handed out at SkyDome.

Moosomin, who was from the Mosquito First Nation, spent most of his life singing, having started at the age of eight. He was lead singer of the Mosquito singers, and did much over the years to preserve and promote the tradition of round dance singing, serving both as teacher and inspiration to younger singers.

The CAMA was awarded to Moosomin posthumously for his last album, One More Time, which won the award for best drum song album.

Another Saskatchewan winner was Pamela Whitecalf, who won the award for best album cover design for her work on the self-titled CD from Saskatchewan-based Spirit Whistle. Whitecalf took home the same award last year, when she won for her work on the Whitefish JR's' Cree Man CD.

The big winner of the evening, however, was Faron Johns. The 49-year-old lead singer and songwriter for the Pappy Johns Band was selected as the best male artist at the awards, while the band also received the award in the best duo/group category, and in the best song/single category for their song Blame it on Monday. Band members were also honored, in conjunction with Alec Frasier, for being the best producer/engineer for their CD, also titled Blame it on Monday.

The Pappy Johns Band had received five nominations at the awards show. The only accolade it didn't end up winning was in the best songwriter category, which was captured by Leela Gilday from Yellowknife, who won three awards, including the best female artist.

"I would have been happy with one," said Johns, a Cayuga Native, who was born in Six Nations but now lives in New York State. "It was our first time ever submitting anything to any type of awards show. And we lucked out."

Johns said there wasn't one particular award that he was most proud of.

"As far as I'm concerned they're all equal. They're just like your kids. You're not going to say one is better than the other. You don't. They're all the same."

Gilday doesn't have any problems picking her favorite of the three awards she earned. It was the one she received for best songwriter.

Gilday, a 27-year-old Dene Nation singer, studied classical music at the University of Alberta. But her first full-length CD titled spirit world, solid wood combines rock, jazz and blues elements.

"I didn't hear my voice reflected in the music I was singing (before)," Gilday said. "So songwriting is the most important part of what I do now. Songwriting means so much to me now and that's why I went into this kind of music."

Gilday's CD was also won the award for best folk album.

Alberta's rapping WARPARTY also had a couple of reasons to celebrate on awards night.

WARPARTY's Exclusive Rez was chosen as the best rap or hip hop album. And the band also took home the best music video award for The Reign.

WARPARTY had also won the best rap album at the 2001 awards show.

"It gives us so much more drive that the people support and appreciate what we are doing," said WARPARTY's singer/songwriter Rex Smallboy. "It just makes it that much more fun and worthwhile with all the struggles we've had doing this. It brings it to another level."

WARPARTY was formed back in 1995 but it wasn't until late 1999 that they released their first record.

The band also made some history earlier this year as they were the first Native rappers to have a video played on Much Music.

Smallboy said he didn't know what to expect at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Earlier this year the band had been nominated in two categories at the Prairie Music Awards but they came away empty-handed, a huge surprise to the band.

"I didn't know what to think coming out here," he said. "And I didn't even plan a speech. I just thought whatever happens, happens. But it is important to me, just like the Prairie Music Awards were important to me. It shows some accomplisment and it's got some value to it."

Another group, Bear Creek, also won two awards. The 17-person Ojibway group based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. was honored for having the best contemporary powwow album and also the best traditional powwow album. Both of those awards were for their work titled Live.

The awards night also featured recipients of awards in three special categories.

Winnipeg's David McLeod was presented with a Music Industry Award for his tireless work to promote Native talent on the airwaves. McLeod is the manager and program director at Native Communication.

For the past dozen years McLeod has helped develop a Native Top 30 play list. He's also created a youth program called Rez Nation, that features Native rap and hip hop artists. He also spearheaded the design of a Web site that provides Canadian Native music resources.

"It's just recognition of the work I've been able to do with the staff, with the station, with the network and it says you're doing a good job," McLeod said of his award. "But I also realize that there is so much more to do, which I look forward to."

After being presented with his award, McLeod was asked to remain on stage as the evening's orchestra performed a special tune for him.

Near the midway mark of that performance, McLeod, who was rocking back and forth to the song before, broke out into a full-fledged dance, an act which was an evening highlight for many of those in the audience.

"I kind of heard some distant relatives saying 'You know, Dave, you should be dancing, because that is how you celebrate this award -you dance,'" he said. "It is an honor and something that I needed to celebrate. It felt right and it was good.

"What I did not say in words I hope that in dancing it was something that showed the joy of receiving that award."

Another special accolade was the Lifetime Contribution to Aboriginal Music Award. That award was presented to family members of the late Sidney James Hill, a Mohawk from Six Nations ho died in 2000.

During his career, Hill influenced and inspired numerous guitar players throughout Ontario and New York.

The Keeper of Traditions Award was also presented at the awards ceremony, going to Ontario's Mnjikaning Singers. The group consisted of Lorraine McRae, Irene Snache and the late Shirley Shilling, who died earlier this year.

The Mnjikaning Singers have maintained their long-standing commitment to preserve and nurture the Ojibway language through song. Over the years they performed at countless concerts and even developed a curriculum for a school board in which Ojibway was taught through songs.