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The 2010 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards
They light up the stage, bring music into our hearts, and enrich Canadian culture with their exceptional contributions to the world of performing arts. Each year since 1992, a handful of outstanding Canadian artists and arts volunteers have been honoured with Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for achievements in the fields of theatre, film, dance, broadcasting and music. CBC Digital Archives salutes the winners for 2010: Bryan Adams, Yanick Nézet-Séguin, Édouard Lock, Mohammed and Yulanda Faris, Robin Phillips, Walter Homburger, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Françoise Faucher.
(Note: There were no suitable archival clips available for the Farises or Faucher in CBC's English archives.)
Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'It's not hate, it's serious'
Broadcast Date: Oct. 28, 1966
The song My Country 'Tis of Thy People You're Dying helped gain Buffy Sainte-Marie her reputation as a powerful protest singer. It describes a history in which North American Indians have been tricked, evicted, robbed and wiped out by conquerors who now censor the history books. "A powerful statement, but some might feel there's too much hate in it," remarks a CBC-TV host after Sainte-Marie performs a heartfelt rendition of the song. "Hate. Not much," she responds in this 1966 clip. "There's only as much brutality in the song as there's brutality in the facts. The words in the song aren't made up."
At the top of the clip, Sainte-Marie also plays her song Little Wheel Spin and Spin.
Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'It's not hate, it's serious'
• Buffy (Beverly) Sainte-Marie was born in 1941 on the Piapot First Nation near Regina. Orphaned as a baby, she was adopted into an American family and grew up in Maine and Massachusetts. Later, she returned to the Piapot reserve and re-established ties with her Cree relatives.• In the early 1960s she attended the University of Massachusetts to pursue a degree in philosophy (and later earned a PhD in fine arts there in 1983). At the same time, she was winning attention in folk music circles for her guitar playing and protest songs. In 1964 she released her first album, It's My Way, and was named Best New Artist by Billboard magazine. Among her earliest hits was the antiwar song Universal Soldier, which was also recorded by 1960s star Donovan and became a well-known peace anthem.
• In the late 1960s Sainte-Marie set up her own foundation to help aboriginal students attend law school. A profile from the Globe and Mail on March 16, 1970 said she was then supporting three students at UCLA.
Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'It's not hate, it's serious'
Medium: Television
Program: TBA
Broadcast Date: Oct. 28, 1966
Guest(s): Buffy Sainte-Marie
Host: John O'Leary
Duration: 14:32
Last updated:
April 20, 2010
A number of years ago we travelled to Toronto(Massey Hall) to participate in a Funds Raiser for the Dudley George Legal Services and the book release entitled,"OneDeadIndian" by Toronto Star columnist Peter Edwards. Buffy performed that evening and did a wonderful job. We have read since then that Buffy has earned a Doctorate(Ph.D.)and also wrote the lyrics for a couple of songs that Elvis Prseley made famous "a few years ago". Canadians should be very proud of Buffy Sainte- Marie. We're very fortunate to have her.
Submitted by: Mr. Blair M. Phillips