Canada’s Queen of R&B and our March VIBE cover star, Jully Black, inspired an important conversation back in February when she made a subtle – but incredibly important – change to Canada’s national anthem when performing at the NBA All-Star game. For those (somehow) in the dark, the Juno Award-winner now famously swapped the words “O Canada! Our home and native land!” with “O Canada! Our home on native land” to acknowledge that Indigenous peoples lived on the land before the European settlers. The subtle swap has not gone unrecognized.
On Monday, Black was celebrated by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). Black attended the opening of the AFN Special Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa, where she was honoured with a blanketing ceremony and an eagle feather.
In her remarks, National Chief RoseAnne Archibald described Black as “a truth-teller” and a powerful conversation starter. “She shifted consciousness in that moment on a huge international stage, simply for singing the truth,” said Archibald. “Today there’s a legitimate discussion about changing that word in our national anthem permanently, so meegwetch to Jully.” Archibald thanked Black for the change in Algonquin.
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An emotional Black expressed her gratitude. “I didn’t realize that my action would garner such a response,” she said. “On behalf of the Black community, I say we are one. We’re better together.”
After the presentation of the blanket and feather, Black delivered a powerful performance of her rendition of O Canada, prompting joyous cheers from the crowd.