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We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

A Journey to Freedom

by Cheryl L'Hirondelle and friends

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    for purchasing this song, you'll also receive a karaoke version of the song and a double-sided pdf of the cover (as if you'd purchased a hard copy!)
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1.
A Journey to Freedom 03:01
lyrics
Vocables way-ha-ya-hey X2 way-ha-ya-way-ya way-ha-ya-way-ya way-ha-ya / way-yo-hey-hey-ya-hey-yo Verse 1 Life is a story No journey is easy I’ll be the wolf who cries Protecting what is mine X2 Verse 2 Struggling to keep my sobriety finding my voice through spirit when will I hear your voice again X2 VOCABLES Verse 3 Beyond the scars buried deep within Oh Indian Princess look within yourself and see what creator sees see what creator sees Verse 4 Power to heal wisdom to know I feel empowered and I choose to change X2 VOCABLES Verse 5 Being an Indian makes me feel proud nothing in these walls they won’t break me down X2 Verse 6 Grateful to be alive waking up knowing I’m on a journey to freedom a new beginning X2 VOCABLES
2.
A Journey to Freedom (karaoke) 03:01
lyrics
Vocables way-ha-ya-hey X2 way-ha-ya-way-ya way-ha-ya-way-ya way-ha-ya / way-yo-hey-hey-ya-hey-yo Verse 1 Life is a story No journey is easy I’ll be the wolf who cries Protecting what is mine X2 Verse 2 Struggling to keep my sobriety finding my voice through spirit when will I hear your voice again X2 VOCABLES Verse 3 Beyond the scars buried deep within Oh Indian Princess look within yourself and see what creator sees see what creator sees Verse 4 Power to heal wisdom to know I feel empowered and I choose to change X2 VOCABLES Verse 5 Being an Indian makes me feel proud nothing in these walls they won’t break me down X2 Verse 6 Grateful to be alive waking up knowing I’m on a journey to freedom a new beginning X2 VOCABLES

about

Why the Caged Bird Sings is a participatory and community-engaged, five-day singing, songwriting & recording workshop that involves small groups of incarcerated women, men or detained your along with their literacy educators and/or cultural programmers in federal prisons, provincial correctional centres and youth detention facilities in the land now known as canada.
The song lyrics created by the participants are strung together to create a narrative, using consensus as a way to create equity so that everyone's voice is heard and validated. The songs are uplifting and positive in theme and are meant to become a repeatable mantra that belongs to all the participants who co-wrote the song--extending out to the greater community--so that everyone can join in. At the root of every song lyric is the use of metaphor. This helps to poetically focus the lyrics both thematically and in how the song is constructed.
The resulting uplifting song is one that does not ignore the struggles or hardships that any of the participants have individually or collectively endured, but instead looks forward to be a useful way of affirming one's future and potential.
The songs are meant to be 'freedom songs--not to be confused with those from the civil rights movement. In Cree language, 'freedom' is akin to having self-control and self-determination, so from a creative point-of-view, it is self-expression, or 'freedom' that these songs lyrically and melodically declare.
Once recorded, mixed and mastered, the songs are released as singles and shared with the co-writers, programs staff and all project partners. Proceeds from sales are shared with all co-writers.
THE PRICE POINT OF THIS SINGLE REFLECTS THE MINIMUM WAGE AN INMATE RECEIVES PER DAY - PLEASE ENJOY & SING ALONG!

credits

released September 17, 2020

©2019 SOCAN/Miyoh Music

Lyrics by: Kendall Whitstone, Jessica Smith, Faron Longman, Alexis Arcand, Janelle Umpherville, Janelle Montgrand and Carla Johnson
Music by Cheryl L'Hirondelle, Joseph Naytowhow and Glenn Ens

Cover art by Lil Bear

Song collaboratively composed & women’s voices recorded live, June 2019 at Pine Grove Correctional Centre, SK.
• vocals, sâkawêw (howls) êkwa ka cistâwêhtâkosihk (leles): all lyricists
• big powwow drum: Cheryl L’Hirondelle
• Instrument arrangements and programming: Glenn Engs
• song arranged by Cheryl L'Hirondelle & Glenn Ens
• co-produced by Cheryl L’Hirondelle and Glenn Ens
• Mastered by Glenn Ens, Audio Art Recording, Saskatoon SK
Huge gratitude to:
Judy McNaughton (Artistic Director - Common Weal Community Arts) and Carla Johnson (Teacher Therapist - Pine Grove Correctional Centre).

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