Otonabee Singers

The Otonabee Singers

Summary

The Otonabee Singers were formed in the 1970’s of First Nation Students that attended Trent University and Sir Sanford Fleming College. The first students were made up of students that came from Rama, Christian Island, Moosonee, Onieda, Alderville, Cape Croker, Walpole Island, Sarnia, Wiki, West Bay and Pine Ridge. After forming the Otonabee Singers traveled the Pow Wow circuit in both Canada and the United States and were soon placing in many competition Pow Wow’s. This continued into the 80’s where other members joined and we continued to take top competition prizes at Pow Wow’s. This then spawned and generated many young singers and new drums forming. Hundreds of singers exist because of the Otonabee Singers, this now includes new generations that have gone on with their own Drum Groups and carry on the pow wow songs and teachings.

History of Otonabee Singers

In 1974 the Otonabee Singers was formed at Trent University, on the banks of the Otonabee River. The original drum came from Yakima, Washington and was a gift to the Native Studies students attending Trent University. Most of the native students who attended Trent were not from Ontario, so many were far from home during the school year. The drum became a unifying force for the students and helped to ease some of the home sickness. One of the first guest instructors to show the students the way of the drum was the late Teofilo Lucero who lived in Detroit but was originally from Taos Pueblo, Arizona. He encouraged us to travel to different powwows in the Great Lakes area. We did just that and attended many powwows, picking up pointers from the "pros". After school had finished Cedric Isaac and Pat Redmond continued to sing at powwows and added some new recruits from Walpole Island. The drum branched off and became The Otonabee Singers plus the Otonabee Juniors, both from Walpole Island. This eventually became the Walpole Island singers and the Walpole Island Jrs. Everyone remained close friends but went their separate ways.

The 1980s

In 1981, the Otonabee Singers were revived by a group of friends in Peterborough, some of which were students at Trent University. These singers included John Snake Sr.(lead), Mark Lavallee, Chris Pheasant, Bruce Smoke, Bruce Butler, Dexter Blackbird, Dwayne Manitowabi, Jamie Simcoe, Jeff McDonald, Lance White, Pat Redmond and Allan Manitowabi. The Otonabee Singers were unique at the time as they developed their own style and sound unlike most other singing groups around Ontario. The group was very fortunate to have teachers like Ben Bearskin Sr., Eddie Benton Banai, Ben Bearskin Jr., Arthur (Butch) Elliott, Art Solomon and Lance White. These teachers were influential in providing the group with the proper drum etiquette and protocol that is associated with the Powwow (Helushka) Society. They were also instrumental in supplying the group with appropriate songs which in turn enabled the Otonabee Singers to have a new set of songs every year. The group only sang those songs which were either made by the group, given to the group or traded with other drum groups, which was in accordance with appropriate drum etiquette.

Throughout the 1980’s, the Otonabee Singers did very well around the Great Lakes area, singing in drum competitions, singing at traditional powwows as host drum, singing at various conferences and workshops. During this time there were other singers who either joined the group or helped out at a number of powwows. These singers were Joe (Ponchie) Plain, Roland Jocko, Steven Peltier, Cliff Summers, Lester Mianskum, Eric Johnston, Paul White, Cliff Deleary, and Dale Doxtator. In 1989, the group were directed to feast the drum and have a give-away to give back to the people for all the good fortune the drum had bestowed on the group. It was decided to host the give-away at Wikwemikong powwow as we had a number of singers from this community and we all felt comfortable in this community. Each member of the group spent a year in preparation for the give-away, collecting and making various crafts, beadwork, drumsticks, and blankets etc. The group also donated a cow to the Wikwemikong powwow committee for the daily feasts and a horse was given to Ben Bearskin Sr. in respect for all his good knowledge and assistance in Otonabee’s growth. At the end of the give-away, it was announced that the Otonabee name and group would eventually retire the group’s name as each member were moving on in life with their careers, families and paths.

Near the late eighties and early nineties, Otonabee went through a transition where the sons of John Snake and Mark Lavallee began to really flourish around the drum. These boys(Meegwans Snake, Matthew Lavallee, Tyler Lavallee & Aaron Lavallee) started to come into their own which positively altered the sound of Otonabee. Eventually, the Otonabee name and group were retired in the early nineties as everyone went on their separate ways and lives. This was not the end of Otonabee as much as the beginning of new groups that resulted from the Otonabee Singers. Some drum groups that are a result of Otonabee’s legacy are Snake Island, Rice Lake, Smoketrail, Chippewa Travellers, Nawash Jrs., NWD, Snake Island Jrs., Iron Bear, to name just a few. The Otonabee Singers are honoured to have had such a long history in the Great Lakes Powwow society and to have had so many positive influences in their lives which in turn has affected a great many singers, dancers and families throughout this way of life.

REFERENCES:

Pat Redmond, Walpole Island, 2008Mark Lavallee, Cape Croker, 2008John A. Snake, Rama, 2008James Simcoe, Rama, 2008