A young First Nations man has used his own experiences with racial injustices to create a new piece of music, which has earned national recognition and the opportunity for a scholarship.
“I’ve gained inspiration to write based on what I have seen as a child growing up on the reserve,” 18-year-old Bryce Watt said July 6 over the phone from the God’s Lake First Nation in Northern Manitoba.
Watt, who recently graduated from Winnipeg’s Technical Vocational High School (Tech Voc), and who splits his time living in Winnipeg and in God’s Lake, worked during the past school year to create a piece of music through the Your Voice is Power program.
Your Voice is Power was introduced in schools across Canada this past school year, and combines lessons in music with lessons in computer science and computer coding, in a way that helps teach Indigenous students and other students to remix their own musical creations from existing songs, while also learning computer technology and coding skills.
Students who took part in the program were asked to submit entries into a national contest, and Watt’s entry, which he said includes his own lyrics, drumming and powwow styles of music, and samples of music from prominent Indigenous artists, is now one of two from across the country to be awarded a grand prize, and he has also been awarded a $5,000 post-secondary scholarship.
The song was created by Watt to illustrate how he said racial injustices are affecting Indigenous children and families in Canada, and in his home community of God’s Lake, where he said he has seen many children ripped from their families because of the child welfare system.
“I just put together what I think sounded good to me, and it really turned into a powwow sound, so I added some lyrics just based on my own personal experiences,” he said.
Watt said he never could have imagined when he entered the contest that he could end up as a grand prize winner.
“It was pretty exhilarating, and it made me feel motivated and more motivated than I have felt in a long time,” he said. “It was an incredible feeling.”
Watt said he now plans to continue studying at Tech Voc, as they offer post-grade 12 skills and trades programs, and he hopes to work towards a career as an electrician.
And the story has another Winnipeg connection, as a teacher is one of the educators who helped to create and administer the Your Voice is Power program nationwide last school year.
Christine M’Lot of Winnipeg is a descendant of the Swan Lake First Nation and teaches high school at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, and she is one of the educators that has worked to bring Your Voice is Power to Canada, and specifically to bring Indigenous perspectives to the program.
The program, which was launched by Amazon Canada in February, wanted to give Indigenous students and students from underserved populations more opportunities and more inspiration to learn skills in computer technology and computer science.
“Indigenous communities are underrepresented in the field of technology and in computer science, so we wanted to inspire Indigenous students to be interested in careers in coding and technology,” M’Lot said.
She said she was thrilled when she found out that a fellow Manitoban was selected as one of two grand prize winners in a program she helped to create.
“It feels amazing,” M’Lot said. “I was able to meet Bryce when the program was happening, and they could not have chosen a more deserving student.
“I watched him while he learned, and he absorbed, and he asked questions, and through all of it he created something really beautiful.”
- Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the government of Canada.
