February 8, 2020
Indigenous teen sings anthem in Cree for Oilers
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As CTV Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg reports, a Samson Cree Nation teen sang 'O Canada' in Cree and English for Saturday's Oilers game
EDMONTON -- Singing Canada's national anthem in English and Cree at the Edmonton Oilers game on Saturday was an "amazing and breathtaking" moment for an Alberta teen.
Kiya Bruno, a 14-year-old from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, was asked by the NHL team to perform as part of the celebration of the 20th Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, hosted by Yellowknife.
"There was a lot of people in the crowd and at the end they started singing along and I heard people cheering as well," Bruno told CTV News Edmonton.
"That was cool."
Bruno is no stranger to large stadiums: In June, she was asked to take her Cree version of "O Canada" to Rogers Centre for a Blue Jays game.
READ MORE: Edmonton's Kiya Bruno bringing her version of 'O Canada' to the big leagues
It was how the Oilers learned of the young singer, said Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club spokesperson Shawn May.
"We saw that Kiya Bruno sang the anthem for the Blue Jays on Canada Day last year in an English/Cree rendition. So we reached out to them to provide us with her contact info," May explained.
"She is from Samson Cree Nation (south of Westaskiwin) so she’s considered a local in a way."
Bruno said she was shocked when her mom first received the request, as she had never imagined singing for her NHL pick, but quickly excited.
"I'm glad I was able to represent Indigenous peoples across Treaty 6 territory, and just people who speak Cree in general and other Indigenous people."
According to May, Bruno's rendition was the first time the anthem was sung in Cree at Rogers Place.
Samson Cree Nation is about 90 kilometres south of Edmonton.
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