One of our favourite works by Sherryl - "yôtin" is an exciting journey through the different personalities the wind can have - from a free flowing opening solo to a powerful and loud finale! Sherryl writes: "yôtin (The Wind) was inspired by watching the wind swirl leaves and debris. I reflected on the wind, realizing that it can be gentle, playful, demanding, fierce or biting. Traditional Cree teachings about wind teach that the wind carries prayers and songs to others or the Creator. yôtin (The Wind) honours the wind and the gifts it brings. The minor key evokes the mood of a mysterious wind. The introduction is to be sung legato, taking note of the accents, vocal slides, grace notes, and falls. When the melody comes in, the underlying voices chant vocables which represent gusts of wind, urging us forward to the storm-like finale."
Approachable SATB writing will make this a great fit for your choir - and each of Sherryl's pieces on musica printima comes with an audio pronunciation guide to aid you with the Cree text. ᑭᓯᐑᐯᐦᑲᐦᐊᒼ | KISIWÎPÊHKAHAM ("Splashing the Water Loudly") is a series of music by Sherryl Sewepagaham launched in 2025. Explore her catalogue today!
yôtin was featured as part of 2022's 'Bridge of Dreams' - with video art by Lil'wat artist Sydney Frances Pickering.