Welta’q – “It Sounds Good”

Welta’q—“It Sounds Good”: Historic Recordings of the Mi’kmaq (2009) features:

• 24 tracks showcasing the vibrant musical life of the Mi’kmaw people in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Québec
• traditional Mi’kmaw songs; songs by the first Mi’kmaw powwow drum group; fiddle tunes and folksongs; hymns and anthems; a lullaby; and the story of Mi’kmwesu, the flute-playing trickster
• important archival recordings from institutions across Canada and field recordings from private research collections
• artwork by Mi’kmaw artist Jerry Evans
• 60-page accompanying booklet with textual and musical transcriptions of the songs; translations of Mi’kmaw texts; extensive notes contextualizing each selection; and discussion of Mi’kmaw musical instruments and dance styles

Produced by ethnomusicologist Dr. Janice Esther Tulk, this CD helps to disseminate, promote, and recognize Mi’kmaw culture within Newfoundland and Labrador and the Atlantic Provinces, while providing culturally sensitive content for use in classrooms, recognizing the many cultures of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Welta’qSample Tracks

 Jukwa’lu’k Kwe’ji’ju’ow
Sarah Denny

 Wizard of the Forest (narration)
Michael William Francis

 Kyrie
Chorale Micmac

View the full tracklist

Praise for Welta’q

“An invaluable teaching tool . . . The collection is beautifully edited.”
—Canadian Journal of Native Studies
“A careful and meticulous work that is a model of how sound recordings can function effectively as illuminating and informative ethnographic texts.”
—MUSICultures
“Welta’q is more than a superb collection of significant archival recordings; it is a multimedia learning tool that respects the Mi’kmaw traditions represented.”
—Journal of the Society for American Music
“A compelling collection that highlights and articulates historic practices of collecting and representing Mi’kmaw culture while weaving those practices around recent creative processes of maintaining and reaffirming Mi’kmaw identity through music.”
—Ethnomusicology

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