Web Trailer
Tuscarora songwriter Jennifer Kreisberg paddles along the Grand River and wonders why the Tuscarora made this place their new home, when they originated from thousands of miles away in North Carolina.
Tuscarora singer and composer Jennifer Kreisberg is an Emmy nominated composer that comes from four generations of Seven Singing Sisters. She is known for her fierce traditional vocals and has sung with the Native Women’s Trio ULALI for 28 years. Her song Have Hope, won a Genie Award, a Native American Music Award, and two Independent Music Awards. In this episode, Jennifer sets out to write a song about the dispersal of the Skaru:rę (Tuscarora) populations following the Tuscarora War of 1710, when thousands from the Tuscarora tribe left their land because of war, slavery and colonialism and re-settled in New York and Ontario. What has kept the Tuscarora connected across miles of land is song.
Throughout the episode, Jennifer visits with artists in Six Nations to better understand the tradition and journey of Skaru:rę songs. She speaks with artist and educator Brenda Hill and historian Duane Brayboy to learn more about the history of the Tuscarora and how many were kidnapped into slavery as a means to pull them off the land.
In discussions with Sadie Buck and the other Six Nations Women’s Singers, we learn that song is integral to maintaining culture, sociality and maintaining traditions. Despite being adopted into Six Nations, the Skaru:rę people were able to maintain their history through song and teach it to future generations. Jennifer explains, “Thank the good land for music. It saved my life and it has saved that connection, and is one of the only things my people in North Carolina really have intact and never lost. We lost almost everything else, except that self identity and the music.
Tuscarora songwriter Jennifer Kreisberg paddles along the Grand River and wonders why the Tuscarora made this place their new home, when they originated from thousands of miles away in North Carolina.
Watch the music video for Jennifer Kreisberg’s song Amplify. This music video was edited by Francis Laliberte.
Songwriter Jennifer Kreisberg is accompanied by her studio engineer Harry Knazen, as they walk through the songwriting and studio recording process for Amplify.
SKARU:RĘ & SONG was recorded at Appollo Studios.
Apollo Studios has operations throughout North America and Europe. They boast a roster of
some of the best musical and technical talent in the world and they win big shiny global
awards.
Address: 314 Dundas Street West
Toronto ON M5T 1G5
Website: www.apollostudios.com
Song producer: Jennifer Kreisberg
Filming locations Six Nations of the Grand River, Kana:ta Vaillage Brantford