A new song from a Timmins-area Indigenous artist is using music to spark a conversation about treaties and reconciliation. For Michael Etherington, the song, ‘We are Treaty People,’ he said, began with a question: What did the original treaty makers envision for future generations? Etherington told CTV News his lyrics grew out of research into the spirit and intent of historic treaties. “The fundamental message is going to the core foundation of people to people and also all our relations,” said Etherington, of Songs 4 Reconciliation. “We want to acknowledge the song’s messages about peace, unity and healing as a country.” ‘We Are Treaty People’ is part of a larger project focused on reconciliation through music and art. Etherington wrote the song, with music composed by his uncle, Vern Cheechoo and its production was funded by Moose Cree First Nation. Etherington said the song is also part of his own healing journey. “At the core, it’s just for reflection,” said Etherington. “No answers. Not trying to force a perspective, but to acknowledge when we say we are treaty people. There are rights and responsibilities that we have to each other.” The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund said music can help people engage with conversations about reconciliation in ways traditional education sometimes cannot. “Artists can bring their own experiences and perspectives to these conversations, in a way that makes it more accessible and easier to understand and connect to,” said Sarah Midanik, the fund’s president and CEO. Midanik pointed to Gord Downie’s work sharing the story of Chanie Wenjack through The Secret Path as an example of how art can help people connect with difficult conversations. ‘We Are Treaty People’ will be released Wednesday as part of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
