A recording is forthcoming - you can hear more of Jessica's music first!

Sparvier-Well's 'Cognitive Dissonance' is a unique two-in-one piece - Jonathon Adams' solo line, "nimiyo-ayân" is written in their language for their performance only, and can be performed with or without musica intima; 'Cognitive Dissonance' can be performed on its own by musica intima. The texts for musica intima's part are drawn from the texts of posters advertising free land to settlers in the early twentieth century; and while the posters have changed, Sparvier-Wells points out the process is still ongoing in Canada. The score includes Sparvier-Wells' list of works cited:

Albanski, Łukasz. “The Last Best West: A Canadian Myth of Success.” Ad Americam, vol. 15, 30 Dec. 2014, pp. 91–102.

Daschuk, James W. Clearing the Plains Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Indigenous Life. University of Regina Press, 2019.

Hughes, Lotte. The No-Nonsense Guide to Indigenous Peoples. Between the Lines, 2014.

Kulchyski, Peter Keith. Aboriginal Rights Are Not Human Rights: In Defence of Indigenous Struggles. Arbeiter Ring Publishing, 2013.

Sharp, Paul F. Whoop-up Country: The Canadian-American West, 1865-1885. University of Oklahoma Press, 1960.

You cannot accept our truths.
You do not deserve our joy - our stories - us.

nimiyo-ayân
ni-ka sôhki-pâhpin

I am my own ancestor

My people have thrived, this is my land!

Clear the land! Clear the land! Clear the land!

nimiyo-ayân nimiywêyihtên

The last best west homes for millions, free!

160 acre farms in the west for free!

The white star rail line calls women!

Call the Canadian National Railway’s “Colonization Service” and ask for it.

The land is free

My grandfather worked hard on his free land, he worked hard

My grandmother was paid to come here, they worked hard, oh so hard.

Easy to reach, nothing to fear, protected by the government.

ta ayâyân ôta
êkawiyya mêta wâ kâ mok
Strength flows through blood
ancestral sakihitowin weave me forward

I am my own ancestor, settler

I worked hard on my free land

I said sorry

I won’t give it back.

"Cognitive Dissonance" was commissioned by musica intima with the generous support of the SOCAN Foundation.

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