'Let's have a whole different world,' says Buffy Sainte-Marie in message to Sask. women
Creator of women's self-defence group tracked down musician to record empowering message
Buffy Sainte-Marie had a message that packed a punch when she came to Saskatchewan for the Regina Folk Festival this week: "Let's have a whole different world."
The Saskatchewan-born acclaimed musician and activist recorded a message with Shana Pasapa, a Nakota woman who runs the Power Our Women self-defence program in Regina.
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Pasapa tracked her down because she wanted to record a message from Sainte-Marie to empower the women in her self-defence program.
After bugging a friend who is related to Sainte-Marie, Pasapa was able to catch the artist in her vehicle in between errands.
Pasapa said they spoke briefly about self-defence, empowerment and missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada.
Then she recorded the musician's message through the window of her car.
"Physical training of any kind is about more than just looking good and being able to defend yourself," Sainte-Marie told Pasapa in the message.
"It has to do with the things inside, with your mind, with becoming observant so that you see what's going on around you.
"Becoming aware of the world around you and really kind of building a confidence that you can handle what's going to come your way and be smart enough to stay away from compromising situations."
Sainte-Marie urged women to stay away from the "dark alleys" presented by alcohol, drugs, bullying and abuse.
Pasapa said she has a long-held respect for Sainte-Marie, having grown up listening to her music with her own mother. Now Pasapa's son has started to admire Sainte-Marie.
"I know that she's an activist and her voice is very strong, her mind is very strong, she speaks her mind about the issues that Indigenous people are going through, the government, the world," said Pasapa.
"She has a different view that is really refreshing."
Pasapa said she felt empowered hearing the musician speak about something she believes in so strongly.
She topped off the weekend by going to Sainte-Marie's headlining show at the Regina Folk Festival Sunday night.
Sainte-Marie said during the show that the title track from her latest album, Power In the Blood, refers to the power women hold in life because they are life-givers.
She said the song is both an affirmation of the importance of women in society and a call to action for women to discover their own strength.
Pasapa said the Power Our Women program was also about finding strength.
"[It is] really empowering others to see their own power," said Pasapa.
"It's just knowing that women have a power already."