First Cree song I ever learned- “Ninestosin” by Winston Wuttunee

When I first started going to school in Hall Lake, Sally Ross School. I was introduced to the song, “Ninestosin.” The teacher played it on his guitar and I loved the song. The whole class would eventually learn and sing along. I was 10 years old at the time and I already used to hear Winston Wuttunee from the radio at home. Some family members had tapes of his performances.

There were some students who sang along perfectly and those who just mumbled the words. Cree was already losing its grip on our fellow Cree people, but songs like this were bringing it back in a way. Students would ask what certain words mean it would increase a bit of interest to learn Cree, at least a few words at a time.

There are many Cree songs available on YouTube today, and even Winston Wuttunee has his own YouTube channel and website (shared at bottom of this page).

I had the opportunity to see Winston Wuttunee when he was an MC for the Fine Arts Festival in the mid-nineties in Prince Albert, SK. I was there to enter a short story and a bow and arrow I made (I won 1st for the short story and came in third for the bow and arrow). Anyway, I was able to get a picture of him backstage with his cowboy hat on. Unfortunately, I lost the picture many years ago, it would have been nice to share it with you.

ninēstosin – I am tired

http://www.winstonwuttunee.ca/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu4umnqZJLD38LjI4obp_iA

https://itwewina.altlab.app/word/n%C3%AAstosiw/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_Albert_Saskatchewan_in_fall_01.JPG

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