Laura Niquay
Laura Niquay is an Atikamekw artist from Wemotaci (a community in Quebec, Canada). Her work spans many genres including indie, pop rock, folk, and grunge. Niquay sings in her native language Atikamekw in an attempt to help preserve the language.
Album: Waska Matisiwin
The songs begins with what sounds like the slow crunching of leaves beneath someone’s feet. We then hear the howl of a wolf which seems to trigger the person to run faster, and then the drums begin and Niquay’s voice strikes through accompanied by the electric guitar. Niquay describes that she was “born to be a messenger,” and in Moteskano she sings about the importance of one’s origins and connecting with, and learning from, your elders. “Moteskano (Les sentiers de nos ancêtres)” translates to “the path of our ancestors” and the name of the album, “Waska Matisiwin,” means “circle of life.”
In Pole to Pole we discussed the importance of language and revitalization as many indigenous languages are endangered. Language also plays a key role in connecting people through time and preserving history, and Niquay by singing in Atikamekw, works to connect the next generation to their ancestors and preserve the history of the language. Niquay describes that she tries to learn new words that have been forgotten by most and include them in her songs in an attempt to bring them back. For instance, in Moteskano, part of the chorus is “Nikinako ketcikinako” which means “taking our shoes off and putting our shoes back on.” Niquay remarks that today this phrase isn’t used to express that sentiment. She also works with elders and “techno-linguists” to ensure that the words she uses are correct, and she pays particular attention to how she pronounces them in the songs.
Some of the lyrics of Moteskano:
I used Google Translate to translate the French into English to help give some insight into what Laura Niquay sings about in Moteskano, but note that the whole song is not present, only a section is pictured above.
When speaking about the importance of her singing in Atikamekw she says, “What’s more, our Nation has three distinct communities that all speak Atikamekw slightly differently. I have nephews and nieces who live in the city, and who are slowly losing the use of our language, and this affects me a lot. It’s important for me to sing properly in our language.”
Sources:
Renaud, Philippe. “LAURA NIQUAY: THE MESSENGER.” W&M Words and Music, April 27, 2021. https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/laura-niquay-the-messenger/.
Rose, Francesca. “MUSIC YOU SHOULD KNOW: THE ENERGY AND EMOTION OF LAURA NIQUAY’S ‘WASKA MATISIWIN.’” Atwood Magazine, October 26, 2022. https://atwoodmagazine.com/lnwm-laura-niquay-waska-matisiwin-album-review/.
Nikamowin, 2021. https://nikamowin.com/en/node/3205.
Nikamowin, n.d. https://nikamowin.com/en/artist/laura-niquay.
I thought that your post about Laura Niquay was super interesting and informative. I especially liked learning more about Niquay’s efforts to preserve her native language, Atikamekw. It’s so important that indigenous languages are preserved, as they often can convey ideas or traditions that are impossible to convey in other languages.
There were lots of comparisons to be drawn between Laura Niqua and the artist I wrote about, Elle Márjá Eira. Both women feel strongly about their indigenous roots, and use their music to bring awareness to aspects of their identity. Eira focuses less on language and more on joik, but the same sentiment is present.
I love how Laura Niquay works closely with elders and techno-linguists to make sure she is speaking her language correctly. It’s also really cool how she incorporates less commonly used words into her songs.
Thanks for translating this into English! One thing that strikes me about the lyrics is the focus on the past and ancestors. It is a contrast to pop songs that emphasize youth and the future; here, Niquay encourages following the footsteps of the past.
I understand that braids are important for the Wemotaci, and I I liked the visual of moccasins that all tie back to preservation and generation of Niquay’s culture. I’m curious though what those jeweled masks represented.
I love how the music video for “Moteskano” tells a story. The video begins with the sound of crunching leaves, which I agree could be symbolic of Laura wanting to follow in her ancestor’s footsteps. Like my artist, Jayli Wolf, Laura Niquay finds ancestral connection important to preserve a cultural identity.
Also, I love that you do a deep dive into analyzing Laura’s lyrics. I found it interesting that Laura wanted to use indigenous phrases that are not commonly used today. Her method of integrating these phrases into modern media is genius, as this integration will keep the phrases from dying out.
While Laura Niquay and Jayli Wolf have different backgrounds, they share a desire to strengthen indigenous culture and share their indigenous stories. It would be interesting to hear these two artists collaborate!