Page 12 - BiTS_03_MARCH_2023

I asked Crystal Shawanda to tell us about her life and career. This is what she told me ………….....

LL: So, I’m an American, and
America historically has and still
does treat their indigenous Native
American people disgracefully.
Like 3rd class citizens, if that. What
was it like growing up indigenous
in Northern Ontario?

CS: That’s a loaded question, so I’ll do
my best to condense the answer! I
think we’ve been dealt some pretty
bad cards in both countries. Growing
up I experienced a lot of racism, my
family are residential school¹
survivors, except one. We had a
cousin who never came home, and
his Mother wasn’t told about his
death till months later, I don’t think
that’s normal. I guess we have more
financial benefits than Indigenous
people in the south, but the racism is
still very abundant in Canada, with
its large number of missing and
murdered women, and all the children graves they are still finding on the property of former
residential schools, the racism has always been there, and still is. There’s a lot of efforts though
to change that, I see it, and I hope it’ll continue at a rapid pace. I’ve always had to work really
hard to exist in mainstream circles on both sides of the border, I always refused to be pushed off
only to the Indigenous circles I already exist in, since my music is mainstream. When I shop in
Canada, I am followed in the stores like I’m going to steal something, in America I don’t get
followed in the stores, I’m just like everyone else in the big melting pot, and rather I get asked
about my beaded jewelry and showered with compliments, at least to my face. Regardless I have
lived and thrived in both countries, I put my blinders on and ignore the racism and hate, as it can
be a distraction to productivity, and instead embrace the amazing people who buy my music and
come to my shows. There’s a lot of good people with good hearts out there, and we find each
other through the messy parts. That’s what’s so great about music, through it we realize we’re
more the same than we are different.

LL: Was your family musical? What type of music and artists were you exposed to growing
up?

CS: My dad was a closet singer and guitar player; he taught me how to play guitar. My Mom and
my brothers sang along with their favourite songs, they would be quick to tell you they can’t sing,
but I grew up hearing them sing in tune and thought that was normal. In our house we listened
to all styles, there was no specific genre, just good music and bad music. My parents listen to
mostly old country music, Hank Williams SR, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton,
but in the basement, they had records from The Beatles, Cream, Cher. My oldest brother listened
to Prince and Tom Petty and a lot of old school blues like Bb King, Muddy Waters, Etta James!