Akat Piwas is the only Labrador elder still singing in the Mushuau Innu dialect. Now 79, Piwas belongs to the generation of Mushuau Innu who were born in tents and raised on the land, before--as adults--being moved into houses in Davis Inlet, a village that would be plagued by poverty, shoddy housing and substance abuse. The tribe relocated to the Innu community of Natuashish in 2002. Piwas is old enough to remember life before settlers, schools and government. She lived through the tumult that besieged her people as they all tried to come to grips with a completely foreign way of life.
For thousands of years, before making contact with European settlers, the Mushuau Innu lived nomadically, moving with the seasons across Labrador, following the caribou and other animals to hunt. The traditional way of life of the tribe changed dramatically in the 1960s when they were forced off the land and onto a reserve. When the Newfoundland government decided to shepherd the Innu into community living, the Catholic Church played a key role. The church had a profound impact on the first generation of Innu adults who moved into the community in 1967.
Unfortunately, church and tradition didn't coexist easily. Most priests discouraged the old ways: drumming ceremonies, the shaking tent, even speaking the language. The Innu way of life was torn asunder. Traditions were lost, people were left adrift. For Piwas, the Catholic faith was one thing that didn't change. Like most First Nations converts to Christianity, Piwas was quite capable of moving between two religious systems on a situational basis, drawing from each those prayers, beliefs, and songs that satisfied the needs of the particular time. The church, and its music, helped her navigate the change. For Piwas, it's a source of strength. Today, she is the only elder who can sing hymns in her dialect. Though some of the old ways have been lost to time, Piwas and others are working to preserve what's left.
For thousands of years, before making contact with European settlers, the Mushuau Innu lived nomadically, moving with the seasons across Labrador, following the caribou and other animals to hunt. The traditional way of life of the tribe changed dramatically in the 1960s when they were forced off the land and onto a reserve. When the Newfoundland government decided to shepherd the Innu into community living, the Catholic Church played a key role. The church had a profound impact on the first generation of Innu adults who moved into the community in 1967.
Unfortunately, church and tradition didn't coexist easily. Most priests discouraged the old ways: drumming ceremonies, the shaking tent, even speaking the language. The Innu way of life was torn asunder. Traditions were lost, people were left adrift. For Piwas, the Catholic faith was one thing that didn't change. Like most First Nations converts to Christianity, Piwas was quite capable of moving between two religious systems on a situational basis, drawing from each those prayers, beliefs, and songs that satisfied the needs of the particular time. The church, and its music, helped her navigate the change. For Piwas, it's a source of strength. Today, she is the only elder who can sing hymns in her dialect. Though some of the old ways have been lost to time, Piwas and others are working to preserve what's left.
Photo of Akat Piwas by CBC News.
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