A Harmonious Melody Uniting Inuit, Maori, and Quebecers Through Whale Songs
Oktoecho, a Canadian music collective, has embarked on an exciting new project, "Song to the Whales", in collaboration with the Australian collective Corrina Bonshek & Collaborators. This international intercultural musical project unites artists from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, including Inuit, Maori, and Aboriginal musicians, around the theme of whales and the ocean.
The project, co-directed and composed by Corrina Bonshek (Australia) and Katia Makdissi-Warren (Canada), is a unique blend of traditional Indigenous songs and storytelling from these cultures, contemporary music, and natural sounds. It aims to celebrate the symbolic and spiritual significance of whales while promoting awareness about ocean conservation.
Prominent Indigenous vocalists such as Maori singer Whaia Sonic Weaver, Aboriginal storyteller Uncle Bunna Lawrie, Inuit throat singers Nina Segalowitz and Lydia Etok, who are also co-artistic directors of Oktoecho, are participating in the project. The performances are immersive sensory experiences, designed to evoke a ritual connection to the ocean and the life it sustains.
"Song to the Whales" has a spiritual dimension linked to nature, which is sacred among Aboriginals, Inuits, and First Nations people. The upcoming performances, scheduled for Montreal, Niagara Parks, New York, and Australia during 2025-2026, are part of Indigenous cultural festivals and events that emphasize the presence and voices of First Peoples.
The collaboration builds on the work done on two previous shows, "Song to the Earth" and "Song to the Ocean". Oktoecho's bassist, Étienne Lafrance, and Katia Makdissi-Warren have been working on replicating whale sounds on the bass for years. The collective has also rearranged several older compositions and recreated the sounds of the sea for the "Song to the Whales" performance.
Katia Makdissi-Warren, the director and founder of Oktoecho, recently returned from a week-long stay in Nunavik where she exchanged with young students. She discovered throat singing at the age of 12 or 13 on Radio-Canada. Corrina Bonshek explores the music of her country's indigenous peoples from a Western musical perspective.
The collaboration with Australian artists for the "Song to the Whales" performance began after a performance at the CINARS, the Montreal biennial of the performing arts. Lydia Etok, an Inuit singer from the community of Kangiqsualujjuaq, assisted Katia Makdssi-Warren during her stay in Nunavik.
The Maori singer Whaia will collaborate with Oktoecho in the "Song to the Whales" performance, as she has a special connection with whales. Oktoecho's co-artistic director, Nina Segalowitz, is an Inuvialuit singer who collaborated with Katia Makdssi-Warren in the early stages of Oktoecho.
The theme of unity is central to the "Song to the Whales" performance, including the connection between Inuits, Maoris, and the audience. Oktoecho's latest album, "Transcestral", released in 2022, blends contemporary music, Inuit throat singing, and Sufi music. The "Song to the Whales" project receives support from cultural and arts institutions in Canada and Australia, highlighting its importance as both an artistic collaboration and a cross-cultural Indigenous environmental message.
In summary, "Song to the Whales" is a powerful collaboration that brings together Inuit, Maori, and Western musicians to create a unique intercultural work centered on whales, fostering cultural exchange and raising ecological awareness through music and performance. The upcoming performances aim to raise awareness about the importance of nature and its preservation.
The project, "Song to the Whales," merges traditional Indigenous music and storytelling from various cultures with contemporary music, creating a rich tapestry of sound that espouses both cultural diversity and environmental consciousness.
The performances, showcasing the voices of Inuit, Maori, Aboriginal, and Western musicians, emphasize a shared spiritual connection to the ocean and the life it sustains, promoting the preservation of nature.
