High school students from Onion Lake Cree Nation have starred in a new music video promoting healthy coping strategies.
The video is for the song Young & Happy, which was written by Onion Lake students who completed a workshop with N’We Jinan, a non-profit video production team and mobile recording studio. The video was completed as part of a music project created by Onion Lake RCMP Community Program Officer, Laili Yazdani.
“The song discusses issues that are identified by the youth and healthy coping strategies to deal with them, which is a really positive message,” says Yazdani. “Their goal was to inspire the youth in their community and youth at large. Social media has a very big impact, and so does music because it has an emotional connection. Young & Happy shares stories of courage, strength and hope.”
The video has been viewed over 100,000 times online.
“Life is a mystery and sometimes you got to take chances to find out who you really are,” said Cinarah Wolfe, who is featured in the video. “I was scared and insecure. The video helped a lot. Now I can dream without being scared to become them.”
The project received funding from the Wicihitowin Foundation and the RCMP Foundation, and was delivered in partnership with the Ekweskeet Healing Lodge.
“I felt like I belong. With the people I’m surrounded with and the music, it felt like finally people will recognize we are talented,” says Jaeli Bruno, who was also in the video. “I just absolutely felt like myself and completely free.”
The music project kicked off this past July and also involved a traditional drum-making workshop and auditions.
The students have been asked to perform live three times in Onion Lake and are planning to travel to the Canadian Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg next year in April for N’We Jinan’s Youth Festival.
(PHOTO: Jaeli Bruno, Leila Pahtayken, Cinarah Wolfe, Hazel Waskewitch, Chelsye Naistus and Sky Morningchild, who were featured in the video. Photo courtesy of Onion Lake RCMP.)