Chloé Sainte-Marie or the poetry of Innu native language: Nitshisseniten E Tshissenitamin

Born in Saint-Eugène-de-Granthan (Québec) in 1962, Chloé Sainte-Marie, from her real name Marie-Aline Joyal, is a singer and actress. For the past 18 years, Chloé Sainte-Marie supports her husband Gilles Carle (1928-2009) who was suffering from Parkinson disease. Gilles Carle died from the disease in last November. Gilles Carle was a famous French Canadian director, screenwriter and painter.

Chloé Sainte-Marie appeared in several French movies, made-in-Quebec: La Guêpe (1986), La Postière (1992), Pouding Chômeur (1996) and Gilles Carle ou l’indomptable imaginaire (2005). She marked her singing debut with L’Emploi de mon temps (1993), which had been followed by Je pleure, tu pleures (1999), Je marche à toi (2002), Parle-moi (2005) and Nitshisseniten E Tshissenitamin (Je sais que tu sais) (2009). Her latest album had been produced by Réjean Bouchard.

For the last couple of years, Chloé Sainte-Marie had sing in French and in several native languages. Chloé Sainte-Marie sang in Mohawk, Inuktitut and Innu. Chloé Sainte-Marie had a long time relationship with the respect of language and tradition of the aboriginal culture. Her husband, Gilles Carle was himself an Algonquin born in Maniwaki.

Innu is a native language that is currently speaks by less than 10 000 people worldwide. Innu is a native language speaker by Indians living in Quebec,Newfoundland and Labrador. The vast majority of Innus live in theCôte-Nord and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. The Innu nation had several communities: Ekuanitshit, Essipit, Mani-Utenam, Mashteuiatsh, Matimekush, Natashkuan, Pakuashipu, Pessamit, Sheshashit, Uashat, Uanamenshipu and Uthimassit, just to name a few.

Sainte-Marie learned to speak Innu with Joséphine Bacon, an Innu native from Betsiamites. Joséphine Bacon is a poet, filmmaker and storyteller born in 1947. In 2009, she published a poetry book: Bâtons à message/Tshissinuatshitakana. It took 9 months for Chloé Sainte-Marie to learn Innu. She practice 4 to 6 hours per day. But the results are spectacular. Chloé Sainte-Mariepresentation of Quebec’s native music cultures is impressive.

In her latest album Nitshisseniten E Tshissenitamin (I know that you know), Chloé Sainte-Marie sing 16 songs in Innu: Mamitunenitamun; Ekun kanipua kie; Ninanatuapaten; Mishtashipu; Nimushum; Shatshitun; Nuitsheuakan (Ka natuut); Nuitsheuakan; Papeikutshishikua; Eshpish tshishiku; Ui tipenitam; Ka papeikutesht; Tanite ma um tshe tiaku; Mani-utenam and Iame. Nitshisseniten e tshissenitamin.

It’s not the first time that the singer preset native songs to her public. Previously, she had sung in Mohawk and Inuktitut a couple of songs in her previous album, but it’s the first time eve she presents a whole album in native language. In Nitshisseniten E Tshissenitamin, Chloé Sainte-Marie sings the text of Innu poet and musician Philippe McKenzie. Pinip McKenzie is his name in Innu language. Philippe McKenzie is a great promoter of Innu oral tradition. Among Philippe McKenzie favorite themes, we find the exploitation of the forest by white people, the Innu language and the lost of a territory and the lost, also, of the Innu heritage. But Innu culture lives through Chloé Sainte-Marie voice and it’s a real pleasure to hear her sings Innu songs of Philippe McKenzie. Philippe McKenzie filmography include La Postière (1992) with Gilles Carle and Le Dernier Glacier with Robert Gravel.

Chloé Sainte-Marie currently presents several concerts for Nitshisseniten E Tshissenitamin. On February 10, 12 and 27, 2010, she’ll first present her concert in Montreal at the Gésu. Chloé Sainte-Marie will also perform in Portes-lès-Valences (France) and in Pully (Suisse) for the Pully-Lavaux à l’Heure du Québec Festival.

Menutakuaki aimun, apu nita nipumakak. Tshika petamuat. nikan tshe takushiniht.

When a language is being offered, she never died. Those who will come will hear her.

Joséphine Bacon, Bâtons à message/Tshissinuatshitakana, Mémoire d’encrier, 2009.