Local Youth Leading By Musical Example
Written by Jeremy Zafran on 7 December 2022
Four 11th graders from Kahnawake have had their original song and video go viral. Lola Rosa Mcquaid, Teneiethe Phoenix Lahache, Wasiontha Katelyne Cross and Mercadies Deer who wrote and performed the song called ‘They Fly,’ that represents who they are as Indigenous students who attend a school in Chateauguay.
Mercadies Deer on the meaning behind the song.
“You can work through it and even if there are disadvantages for you that you can force through it and be able to do anything you want if you’re determined.”
Wasiontha Katelyne Cross on what it means to her:
“The song to me is about community and how community comes together to create something beautiful.”
Teneiethe Phoenix Lahache says their song has an important message especially for fellow youth:
“For me the song means, no matter how many problems you may face, no matter who you are you can always get passed it, you can always get over those troubles.”
They all wrote their own lyrics. For Wasiontha Katelyne Cross it was a chance to help them move on to the next chapter in their lives:
“Personally, I think it was just a pretty cool thing to do, we are all in Grade 11 and we all wanted to go out of school with a boom, so we just decided to do it. It was also a chance for us to explore our native heritage.”
(To view the song and video via YouTube: shorturl.at/aju14 )
