The Coalition for Music Education partners with Cree artist Adrian Sutherland for the 2025 Ancestors Voices program, inspiring students nationwide with Indigenous music and storytelling.
Coalition for Music Education in Canada is proud to announce the 2025 edition of Ancestors Voices: Music and Learning for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a curriculum-based initiative that amplifies Indigenous voices in classrooms across Canada. This year's program features Cree artist Adrian Sutherland and his all-Cree song Kiyash, inviting students from coast to coast to learn about truth, reconciliation, and the power of music as storytelling.
"I'm proud to have been chosen to share my all-Cree song Kiyash with thousands of students and educators across the country, who are using music as a tool for learning," says Sutherland. "As a musician from Attawapiskat, I believe music carries our stories, our language, and our spirit. I hope this song inspires young people to learn and to walk together in love and respect."
Launched to honour the children who never returned home, the survivors, and all others whose lives were impacted by residential schools, Ancestors Voices brings Indigenous artists and their songs into Canadian classrooms each year. Through curriculum-linked lesson plans and activities, the program teaches students about the history of residential schools and the importance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, demonstrates how music serves as a vital tool for storytelling and healing in Indigenous cultures, and shines a spotlight on Indigenous artists and their work. Each year, a new artist is introduced to build a growing library of resources for educators, developed in collaboration with Indigenous artists and knowledge keepers.
In 2024, the program reached over 400 classrooms, engaged more than 83,000 students from Kindergarten through Grade 12, and connected with teachers and educators in every province and territory. The Coalition's vision is to continue expanding this work, ensuring students across Canada gain access to Indigenous voices, songs, and stories that inspire meaningful dialogue about truth and reconciliation.
"Ancestors Voices uses music as a bridge to foster empathy, cultural understanding, and dialogue about truth and reconciliation," says Stacey Sinclair, Executive Director of the Coalition for Music Education. "Our vision is to honour Indigenous voices and knowledge keepers through music and storytelling, while inspiring the next generation with messages of healing, hope, and unity."
Each year, Ancestors Voices partners with a new Indigenous artist to deepen the program's reach and resonance. In 2024, singer-songwriter Julian Taylor was featured with his song S.E.E.D.S. In 2025, with Adrian Sutherland's Kiyash, the program continues to strengthen its national impact by blending education, music, and cultural storytelling.
About Adrian Sutherland
Adrian Sutherland is an extraordinary artist from Attawapiskat on James Bay. His melding of roots, rock, folk, and blues creates a signature sound and style all his own, drawing inspiration from his life, the land, and his Cree language and culture. As one of the only professional musicians who lives in a remote fly-in First Nation, Sutherland carries first-hand insight into many important issues. During this time of reconciliation, he is hopeful for Canadians to walk together in love and respect.
For more information, visit www.adriansutherlandmusic.com
