Voices on the Radio

Voices on the Radio

INCA received funding from the Inspirit Foundation to learn from Indigenous language community radio hosts about their work and the training supports they need to mentor the next generation of broadcasters. Here are some of the many inspiring people we've been talking with.

Lana Littlechief
97.7 FM MÔSWA / The Moose
Moose Mountains

"I love sharing who we are as a people."

by INCA staff

“I’m very blessed to be able to record these Elders, to hear our languages being spoken again,” says Lana Littlechief. “It does something to your spirit inside. It makes me feel like maybe this is why I got better [from cancer] so that I could do this for our people, so our kids could hear that language and want to speak it someday.”

Lana Littlechief has been on the air on “97.7 FM The Moose–serving the beautiful Moose Mountains” for almost 20 years. When she talks, her passion for training and inspiring youth and recording Elders speaking their languages is impossible to miss.

The Moose broadcasts to White Bear, Carlyle, Arcola, Pheasant Rump, Ocean Man and Kenosee Lake, and has a livestream link at www.themoosefm.com.

In 2000, the president of White Bear Oil and Gas asked Littlechief to research how to start a radio station. They wanted “to use some of that money to produce something that could help the community into the future,” says Littlechief.

The only Indigenous radio she found was Missinipi (MBC) in La Ronge, so she contacted them for advice.

In April 2001, White Bear Children’s Charity was incorporated. “We always wanted to give back to the youth,” says Littlechief. “That is what our radio station was created for, so that we could make our youth proud of being First Nations and give them something to look forward to.”

In October 2001, they got a CRTC licence for a Type B Native station. It took a year to set up their tower, renovate studio space, purchase equipment and train DJs.

Unfortunately, the DJs left for higher paying jobs; so, in January 2003, Lana took her place behind the microphone.

One of their license requirements was broadcasting in Indigenous languages.

“At first the elders wouldn’t record,” says Littlechief. “They were so scared…. They still had that fear in them. Until some that are my father’s age, they were the ones who started recording.”

Littlechief also recorded language classes at the school and to this day, every Monday morning, Littlechief plays a prayer: “Oh Great Spirit, whose Voice I hear in the Wind,” which was recorded in the early 2000s by children in grades one and two.

The people on White Bear speak three different languages–Nakoda, Plains Cree and Saulteaux, and a few speak Dakota. “What is so important to me is to have those languages recorded from the speakers that are here, so we can pick up those tools someday.”

Littlechief works with Nakoda Language Keeper Sara McArthur and Plains Cree Elder Nora Kakakeway. Sadly, the community recently lost Saulteaux Language Keeper Margaret Rose Cote.

The station is in the Kakakaway Learning Centre. Operating costs are covered through public service announcements, advertising and sponsorship. Littlechief also applies for grants.

“There’s not a lot of money in First Nations radio,” she says. “It’s a struggle; but it’s worth it. I love my job. I love recording Elders. I love talking to the people. I love sharing who we are as a people.”

Littlechief has trained announcers who went on to study language at university, sing powwow, and two are White Bear band councillors. “I don’t think this would have happened if the radio station didn’t reintroduce the traditions back to our kids.”

Littlechief worked with youth broadcasters at White Bear Education Complex to record safety messages and the seven grandfather teachings. High school students can do their work experience program with her. “I get them to do my bullying commercials, safety commercials, after school commercials, and station IDs.”

The 20th anniversary of the station was in 2022. Littlechief is already applying for grants for another “Moose Fest.”

The first one was held at Hotel Beach at the White Bear Lake Resort in 2017 to celebrate 15 years. It featured Teagan Littlechief and Dale Mac–both from White Bear.

“I think [we can] make our First Nations youth feel so proud of who they are,” she says. “As an Indigenous broadcaster, if I can open up the hearts and spirits of our people somewhere, that would make my journey in life whole again.”

“We have a voice on the radio,” says Littlechief. “Now I see such a resurgence that it makes me feel good.”

Pauline Clarke
CIRL 97.7 FM
Southend

Local radio on the Internet helps communities stay connected

BY INCA Staff

No matter where you live, community radio can take you home.

That’s what Pauline Clarke discovered when the station she set up in her northern community started streaming local programs on the Internet.

Clarke studied journalism at the First Nations University of Canada. In 2000, she completed the Indigenous Communication Arts (INCA) Summer Institute and did an internship at MBC in La Ronge.

She was shy to go on the radio at first, but when an announcer didn’t show up for his shift, and she was the only Cree speaker available, she had no choice.

That experience inspired her to set up CIRL 97.7 FM in Southend, Saskatchewan– 222 km north of La Ronge, accessible only by gravel road, on the southern tip of Reindeer Lake.

Clarke got help from veteran broadcaster and mentor Robert Merasty, who helped found Missinipi radio in 1983 and is now the Cree/Michif broadcaster in Ile a la Crosse.

Merasty helped her set up a non-profit called Reindeer Lake Communications, apply to the CRTC for a radio license, and find money to hire an engineering firm that installed their tower and transmitter.

The CIRL signal travels about 20 kilometers out from the tower and reaches everyone in the community of 1,100 people. Many community members live and work outside the community, mostly in Prince Albert and Saskatoon.

Clarke goes on the air for four hours every weekday, plus evening BINGOs once a week. When she’s not on the air, she switches it to MBC’s programming from La Ronge.

About 10 years ago she realized that they had enough local programming to set up a live stream on the Internet. Their streaming service lets her see everyone who logs on.

Overnight their listening audience grew to include community members located all over Saskatchewan and as far away as Halifax, Las Vegas and Alaska.

Clarke says listening to the CIRL livestream gives people “a feeling of being at home.”

Everyone’s favourite show is the request hour, but she also does local news, weather and sports in Cree and English (for nurses, teachers and RCMP).

With their station streamed live on the Internet, people living away can participate in pledge drives to help community members experiencing iillness or loss.”In that way, they can show their support, even though they’re far away,” says Clarke.

During COVID, streaming radio helped people get news from home. “We had very important updates and they could tune in from wherever they were…because everything that happens here affects them as well,” said Clarke.

Reindeer Communication Society has a Facebook page with over 2,200 followers and a link to their live stream.

Robert Merasty
CLIX FM
Île à la Crosse

Pandemic highlights importance of Indigenous community radio

Photo by Brook Favel

By INCA Staff

Robert Merasty got his start in radio 40 years ago, doing Cree and Michif broadcasts for trappers and fishermen in northern Saskatchewan, and he was one of the founders of MBC in 1983; but, he had to learn new skills to keep his community informed during the pandemic.

Homes across northern Saskatchewan have one thing in common–the radio is always on. During the pandemic, radio announcers provided updates, translated medical information, addressed misinformation, and helped Elders stay happy and safe.

Merasty works at CILX in his home community of Île à la Crosse, a Métis village with about 1,500 people, 700 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon. CILX is one of 70 community radio stations on the Missinipi (MBC) network, which broadcast in Cree, Michif and Dene.

Merasty remembers one day early in the pandemic, the sunlight was hitting his microphone and he realized that he spits when he talks. Now he cleans all the equipment in the studio before he leaves. 

Interviews have to be done over the phone, so he can’t read body language. And he can’t videotape the interviews for programs that were  posted on the ICSI cable channel, Facebook and YouTube. “That was the best part of this whole job,” he said.

Merasty joined the community’s emergency response team.  Every morning at 11, he takes off his headphones and plays music while he gets updates from the team of medical experts and community leaders.  “I explain them all in English, Cree and Michif.” 

Merasty responds to misinformation respectfully. “I say, ‘Ignore those comments and go to a proper source, like the Saskatchewan Health Authority or the clinic and don’t listen to people that are unreliable sources’.”

In Île à la Crosse, most Elders have limited English, so they need information in their languages. 

“If you understand English it’s okay,” said 86-year-old Eliza Aubichon, who is a Kokum to everyone in  Île à la Crosse. “But if you don’t understand English, then it’s no use to talk to somebody when they don’t understand.” 

Even though Merasty is fluent in Cree, Michif and English, translating COVID terms is challenging. First he Googles, then, “We talk to Elders to get them to explain what they think…and how they would explain it.” 

“Robert knows what to say,” said Elder Aubichon. “No matter if he makes a little bit mistakes now and then. That don’t matter. He repeats himself again and he tells us.” 

Hearing Merasty on radio is reassuring for Elders whose children and grandchildren haven’t been able to visit. “They get lonely and (when) we hear somebody talk Cree, we’re happy. It wakes us up,” said Elder Aubichon.

In many communities, the radio stations held fund-raisers to help families affected by COVID. Merasty remembers that in one auction, a jar of home-made jam sold for $50.  

As he closes in on his 70th birthday, Merasty wants to hand his microphone to someone who can keep speaking their language on radio. “Language played a major role for me doing what I love to do.” 

Pandemic expressions in Cree

Social distancing: wāyawīskawik (walk around people); wāskahtīw (walk around); wāskāskaw (walk around someone)

Wash your hands: kwayask kisīpēkinicihcē (wash your hands correctly); kinwēsīs mīna kisīpēkinicihcē (wash your hands a little longer)

Wear a mask: ākwanahahkwīpiso

Isolate: kipahoso, piyakwapi (sit on your own); ta-kī-kipahosoyan (you should isolate yourself)

Cree spellings provided by FNUniv professor Solomon Ratt