Learn how to sing 'Nikamo' in Cree by Burnstick

According to the 2016 census, more than 70 Indigenous languages are spoken in Canada. Under UNESCO'S endangered language criteria, however, more than two-thirds of these languages are considered endangered. 

CBC Music's Canadian Music Class Challenge is continuing our annual initiative to address this issue by encouraging music classes across the country to learn Indigenous languages through music. 

This year, students will be encouraged to learn and record a video of themselves performing the beautiful Cree song "Nikamo" by Burnstick, a husband-and-wife duo from Manitoba made up of Plains Cree guitarist and singer Jason Burnstick and francophone-Métis singer-songwriter Nadia Gaudet.

The cool thing about the Cree language is that it's very poetic.- Jason Burnstick

"'Nikamo' means to sing, to sing out," explains Burnstick. "This is a song about celebrating our mom and our dad and telling them that we are here and we love them. It's really about giving thanks to all that they've given you."

Burnstick spoke some Cree as a child, but his language was lost after being apprehended by Manitoba's Child and Family Services. Now, as an adult, he's learning Cree again, and using his language in song.

"I still have a long way to go, but I'm definitely taking the road there," Burnstick told Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild. "The cool thing about the Cree language is that it's very poetic."

In a special instructional video filmed in the Portage La Prairie Regional Library, Burnstick and Gaudet play through the song and coach Cree pronunciation, assisted by phonetic captions. Watch the video below.

Please see below for printable sheet music and lyrics.

"Nikamo" is one of more than 20 songs in this year's Canadian Music Class Challenge. The annual event invites music classes in public schools, community programs and private schools to learn one of the Canadian songs on the list and record a performance of it. Entries are then submitted to CBC Music and posted publicly for everyone to enjoy. Presented in association with MusiCounts, the music education arm of the Juno Awards, the Canadian Music Class Challenge has given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in music instruments as prizes to classes across the country. 

One of the prizes this year will be awarded to the best performance of "Nikamo." Read more about our full list of prizes here. Please email us at [email protected] for a copy of the lyrics and sheet music.

If your music class or classes perform "Nikamo" by Burnstick, you should enter in the age-appropriate categories 1-8, or the Community / Private School category 9. However, all submissions of this song will also qualify for the Indigenous Language Prize.

To find out how to participate in this year's Canadian Music Class Challenge, you can read more here or subscribe to our music teacher newsletter below.

This project was partially funded by the Library Partnership Program.