Welta'q —the closest equivalent in Mi'kmaq to the English word “music”—literally translates as “it sounds good,” and this CD looks good too, with a beautiful cover image, clear track listing on the outside, and a sturdy sixty-four-page pamphlet of notes by producer Janice Esther Tulk. Mi'kmaq, meaning “friends”—a name acquired sometime after European contact—are the largest group of First Nations in the Maritimes. (Mi'kmaq is the plural noun, Mi'kmaw the adjective in the orthography used here.) Mi'kmaq communities are located throughout their traditional territories, which span parts of five Canadian provinces and the state of Maine. The Mi'kmaq language is maintained, and traditional cultural practices such as dancing continue, despite several centuries of oppression. Mi'kmaq and the other member nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy—an alliance dating from the late seventeenth century—are considered a distinct culture group also called Wabanaki. (Variant spellings due to the different orthographies currently in use include Wabenaki, as used in the notes.) This compilation will resonate throughout the Northeast because recordings from other Wabanaki nations can be compared to it. Archival materials from this cultural area are far-flung and thus not easily available; therefore Welta'q sets a commendable standard to follow.
The CD contains twenty-four tracks, all selected from archives in Canada. The earliest dates from 1956 and the latest from 2008. Earlier recordings exist of Mi'kmaw songs, notably those made by Frank Speck between 1905 and 1911 and by William Hubbs Mechling in 1911. Most of Speck's recordings are of such poor quality that they would not be candidates for public release. Mechling's are generally good and have been remastered for use in various exhibits by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, where they are housed. By focusing on the later twentieth century, Welta'q bridges the tremendous changes in recording technologies—and methodologies—to the present day. The notes acknowledge that the original recordings are of varying quality, and none was intended for commercial release; yet bringing the existence of these resources to public attention is worthwhile in itself, and the presentation here is superb. Performers include “superstars” (Lee Cremo, Sarah Denny), and the legendary collector Helen Creighton is also represented. Other well-known Mi'kmaq musicians are listed in the discography.
The recordings included on the CD were selected in consultation with Mi'kmaq communities, also following best practices for contacting subjects and their descendents. The accompanying booklet responds, in addition, to the requests of music educators. Obviously several layers of intersecting concerns shaped this collection, and if a more overtly “historical” arrangement were desired, for example, by including some of the earliest recordings, it might not be possible given the producer's appropriately high standards.
The selections that are included provide an excellent overview of the important genres of Mi'kmaw song. We find traditional dance songs, religious chants, a lullaby, a modern love song, intertribals, and even a story about the power of music. The liner notes are comprehensive enough to provide an introduction to Mi'kmaq culture. Included are a clear map of Mi'kmaq territory; photographs of singers, dancers, and instruments; an explanation of the orthography used to transcribe the language; and several paragraphs discussing each track. There is also an excellent selective bibliography and list of other recordings and films.
Several tracks show the interaction of Mi'kmaw musical style with styles of the Europeans who settled in their territories. Representative are three fiddle tunes (tracks 12–14) and a pop song adaptation played on harmonica (track 15); but the process is most obvious in the religious songs, exemplified here by the Protestant hymn “(I Have a Father in the) Promised Land,” a Catholic Kyrie, “Ave Maria,” and a French Christmas cantique, all translated into Mi'kmaq. More complicated is the Mi'kmaq “national anthem” (track 9) composed in a grandiose French style for the 1910 tricentennial anniversary of Chief Membertou's baptism. This selection has distinct French and Mi'kmaq lyrics (provided); the notes explain that it is now used as a Flag Song—an intertribal genre. Even more interesting is the conversion of “God Save the Queen” into a Marian hymn (track 8), for which full lyrics are provided. Multiple interpretations of these examples are offered, true to the inclusive nature of this project.
Track 20 is a contemporary version of a Snake Dance Song recorded by Frank Speck and thus documents the process of reclaiming songs from archival recordings. Singers in several Wabanaki communities are involved in such work, which is a profound and complex process; it is good to acknowledge it here.
Another important achievement is the gathering of Koju'a dance songs from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. This genre is culture-specific, with a distinct rhythmic style that is recognized and imitated by neighboring First Nations as the “Micmac Dance.” The first example (track 1) is played on fiddle and sung by Lee Cremo, demonstrating how stylistic features can be maintained despite the “transposition of a song to fiddle.” Cremo, an internationally recognized fiddling champion from Eskasoni in Cape Breton, is the perfect exponent. This track is complemented by track 13, an Irish fiddle tune that is diddled (sung).
In addition to clearly written notes rich with contextual and historical details, the extensive liner notes contain “skeletal” transcriptions to exemplify the features of each song. These are chart-like summaries, yet they demonstrate essential elements, including modal structure and the distinctive rhythms of the dance songs and tunes. The transcriptions would be more comprehensible to general readers if the phrases were laid out on separate staves, rather than run together, so that their parallels and differences are visually reinforced; but this layout would require more space in an already long booklet.
The story about Mi'kumwesu, who enchants and transforms children with his flute playing, is told in Mi'kmaq on track 5 and in English on track 7; they are separated here by a modern flute piece, although, judging from the background noises, the two tellings may have been recorded in the same session. The layout of the Mi'kmaq transcription and translation are very difficult to follow because there are almost no paragraph divisions. This run-on appearance does not reflect the nuances of the storyteller's pacing and seems needlessly off-putting, especially if the CD is intended for educational settings. However, the transcription of track 7's English-language version is laid out in standard paragraphs, not following the oral phrasing but easily comprehended.
Welta'q is more than a superb collection of significant archival recordings; it is a multimedia learning tool that respects the Mi'kmaw traditions represented. Materials here will appeal to all levels, from primary school teachers covering folk dances to graduate students studying cultural dynamics. This disc makes an important contribution to the available recordings of Native American oral traditions from the Maritimes, an area whose rich, distinctive, and continuous Native traditions have been underrepresented.
