After exciting audiences throughout the Cree Nation and beyond since June, the Eeyou-Innu Rock Band will be taking their passionate show to Toronto for an Indigenous music showcase January 31 at the Imperial Pub. The Mistissini-based band will headline the “Music is Medicine” event alongside special guests David Meawasige and Kevin Schofield (aka The Tennessee Cree).
While it will be their first performance in Canada’s largest city, the group’s quickly growing confidence makes them believe they’re ready for any stage. With four lead singers blending rock, gospel and Indigenous music in both Cree and Innu, they bring a unique presence to every show they play.
Last winter’s Big Rock Music Festival planted the seeds for the band’s formation, with some of the biggest names in Cree and Innu music converging for three memorable days in Mistissini. Multi-instrumentalist Paul Napash was playing with Cree Rising in the festival’s house band and beginning a teaching residency in the Mikw Chiyâm school arts program.
“Cree Rising lead singer Brian Fireman actually brought everyone together,” Napash recalled about his late bandmate. “He asked everyone to be part of something big, like a music community. That’s when I became friends with Rachel and Patrick – it started from there.”
Rachel Neeposh and Patrick Petawabano had joined forces with visions for something bigger, connecting with Big Rock co-organizer Baby-Jane Kistabish Nadon as their manager in June. Napash came on board, prompting a move to Mistissini, followed shortly by Innu singer-songwriter Gilbert Pietacho on bass, who had played Big Rock with his folk-rock group Innutin.
Waswanipi Day last June 7 was Eeyou-Innu Rock Band’s first gig, followed by Indigenous Peoples Day shows in both Chibougamau and Mistissini a few weeks later. They have played about a dozen more since then, including Chisasibi’s Malaisi Festival and the Youth Council’s urban tour in Ottawa, Val-d’Or and Mingan.
Although a power outage cut short their New Year’s Eve show in Mistissini, they braved snowstorms for recent performances in Waswanipi and Eastmain. It was during a pit stop at the Route du Nord’s Km 381 for the latter show that they made the group call to confirm the Toronto show.
“Some connection I have in Toronto tagged me on a post,” explained Napash. “I reacted and the promoter reached out to me. I told him more about the band and he connected with our manager. It was a 15-minute phone call and we decided to go for it.”
Winnipeg-raised Indigenous musician and promoter Damian Krypt of Gothic Arcadia Media Group is the event organizer. He believes in the healing effects of bringing people together.
“My goal is to let people know they’re not alone,” Krypt told the Nation. “Music was my medicine – it kind of saved my life. I love rock’n’roll music you can really connect to. Not only will Indigenous people want to show up but also non-Indigenous. I’d like to try to connect communities to spread understanding of who we are.”
Ottawa-based musician Kevin Schofield plans to bring a violinist and vocalist from his seven-piece band. Equally adept at Johnny Cash covers as traditional powwow music, his 2022 album was 30 years in the making. Originally from Moose Factory, he earned his nickname Tennessee Cree from a two-year stint in Nashville after a painful divorce.
“All my honky-tonk dreams came true,” Schofield said. “I’d wake up, put on my Elvis suit, grab my guitar and head downtown. I realized I’m just as good as any cowboy. When I’m the Tennessee Cree I could call the girls little darlings. If it was just me, they’d stab me with their violin bows.”
With growing interest in his music from back home, Schofield returned to Canada about 16 years ago to reunite with his son and has since become a familiar busker on Ottawa’s streets. A residential school survivor, he has played gigs supporting other survivors and describes his band’s dynamics as sensual and primal.
Napash, who attended school in Ottawa for years, said he jammed with Schofield just a few weeks ago. He’s excited about potential opportunities arising from the exposure in Toronto. The Eeyou-Innu Rock Band has been practicing almost every second day, composing new music and working on demos.
“Our next goal is to have our own studio here in Mistissini to record the first album,” said manager Kistabish Nadon. “We’ll record in Mingan in 2025. I’ve been working every day, promoting, searching for gigs, looking into building a studio, talking with different producers about recording the first album.”
Despite her busy schedule with the Cree Health Board’s Nishiiyuu department, Kistabish Nadon accompanies the band to nearly every gig and is their most enthusiastic supporter. A longtime friend of Neeposh and Petawabano, she believes the band’s promotion of language and culture is both healing and empowering.
“We believe in our dream and it’s coming true,” said Kistabish Nadon. “It’s amazing how everything has been working out since June. So far, I’m the only manager in Eeyou Istchee. I’m looking forward to adding other regional artists, eventually working only as a manager in the music industry.”
With a growing number of Cree music festivals and resources for artists, there are opportunities throughout the industry. Petawabano noted there are jobs in lighting and road crews that didn’t exist when he was younger.
“I wanted to experience the road 10 years ago, but couldn’t have that experience,” Petawabano said. “I’ve somehow gotten to that world and it’s something I want to give back to other musicians, not to experience the hard times so they’ll know they won’t be alone.”
Having played guitar around the region for nearly 20 years, Petawabano took a step back in 2019 but credits his late mentor Brian Fireman for reigniting his love of the road. During one of his frequent meditations between travels, he had a vision of having Kistabish Nadon as their manager, though “it took her a while to cave in,” he said.
“I always visualized myself in a group where we can all be ourselves completely, where there’s no limits to our talents,” said Petawabano. “Where we can be free and untouchable. That’s how it feels in this group. Back then I used to dread going on stage – now I’m so excited before it starts.”