Anskoonamakew lii Shansoon—Andrea Menard

This compilation of prayer and community songs is called Anskoonamakew lii Shansoon, which means Giveaway Songs. Andrea Menard spent a year meeting and working with various Elders and Language Keepers across the Métis Homeland to create 12 new Michif language songs.

As the Métis were a traveling people, the Michif language is a "traveling" language. Most Métis were multi-lingual and communicated with the various peoples who lived in and near the communities and trade routes. These songs reflect the diversity and ways in which Michif has been influenced across the Homeland.

Andrea wrote this collection of Michif songs to preserve the language and to gift the next generation of speakers with a learning resource that becomes another teaching tool while honouring those who retained the language. As Andrea says, “A giveaway is a powerful statement of trust. To trust in Creator. To trust in reciprocity. To trust that good actions flow back to you in good way. I trust that these twelve giveaway songs will travel out in a good way for the betterment of our people.” Andrea also honours Elders Tom McCallum and Verna DeMontigny for providing the name for this collection of twelve Michif language songs. A heartfelt, kishchi maarsii to all of the Elders and Language Keepers for their generous contributions.

This album was created with the support of the Gabriel Dumont Institute and the Canada Council for the Arts.

For more information about the album and language keepers, visit Andrea Menard's website: https://andreamenard.com/michifalbum

Michif Language Keepers
Graham Andrews
Marjorie Beaucage
Maureen Belanger
Jules Chartrand
Paul Chartrand
Verna DeMontigny
Tom McCallum