Celebrating the best of Canadian music the 48th annual JUNO Awards were held in this weekend in London, Ontario. Amongst an evening full of Shawn Mendes, Arkells and an induction of Corey Hart into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, was one particularly proud moment for Atlantic Canadians: Jeremy Dutcher taking home the 2019 JUNO Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year.
Dutcher’s album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa had already won him the 2018 Polaris Prize, along with five East Coast Music Award nominations (we’ll see how those turn out in May), not to mention landing him a spot at the top of The East’s list of the Best Music of 2018.
After Juno winner Jeremy Dutcher's acceptance speech for Indigenous album of the year was cut off, the Arkells invited him back on stage to cap the night. His passionate speech on reconciliation was delivered in English and Wolastoqey. https://t.co/zAuXNPrMqT pic.twitter.com/A8aMgc94Al
— CBC News (@CBCNews) March 17, 2019
“This means so much to me. I hope to continue to share and use this platform to tell truth. We can all do better. Reconciliation. There we go. That’s it,” said Dutcher, accepting his award before being played off. “Thank you so much.”
Max Kerman of Arkells was having none of it, giving up their time at the podium as Group of the Year to allow Dutcher a chance to finish his speech.
“There’s been so much wisdom shared on the stage tonight, but our friend Jeremy didn’t get a chance to finish, so he’s going to finish the night as he should. Jeremy, come on let’s go. And don’t cut off the fuck — don’t start the music,” said Kerman. ‘He’s gonna go as long as he wants, ok?”
“This is what holding space looks like,” said Dutcher in response.
“Thank you. As I was saying. Réconciliation. Reconciliation is a lofty goal. It’s a dream. And it doesn’t happen in a year. It takes time. It takes stories. It takes shared experience. It takes music. I have hope. I have to. That we can come to right relations with each other. You know? And at least if we’re not in the same book, we’re on the same page. It’s if we’re not on the same page, at least we’re in the same book. I should get my anecdotes right. I just want to say this: Nihkaniyayon ktpitahatomonen. Ciw weckuwapasihit nit leyic (When you lead us, you need to think of all of us. For the ones yet born, may that be the truth). Thank you.
“It doesn’t happen in a year. It takes time. It takes stories. It takes shared experience. It takes music. I have hope.”
You can read Dutcher’s speech in full here.
Dutcher was one of only a handful of artists to represent Atlantic Canada to be nominated for JUNO Award this year.
Splash’N Boots, featuring Alan Doyle, won in the category of Children’s Album of the Year.
The Trews’ album Civilianaires lost Rock Album of the Year to Arkells.
Vishtèn’s album Horizons lost Traditional Roots Album of the Year to Pharis and Jason Romero.
Myles Goodwyn’s album Myles Goodwyn and Friends of the Blue lost to Colin James.
Andrew Hines who produced Nova Scotia rapper Classified’s video “Powerless” lost Video of the Year to Ali Eisner for Bahamas’s video “No Depression.”
Both Geordan Moore (aka Quarrelsome Yeti) and Simon Dupuis were both nominated for Album Artwork of the Year for their respective work on Joshua Van Tassel’s Crossworlds and Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire’s Viens Avec Moi, but lost to Mike Milosh artwork for Rhye’s BLOOD.