Reclaiming sound: How Indigeneity informs creative practice

Indigenous playwright, writer and media personality, Falen Johnson (opens in new window) , came up against a unique challenge during the production of her podcast, ‘The Secret Life of Canada (external link, opens in new window) ’ for CBC – she could not locate many traditional Indigenous media files in the countless soundbanks found online. On one occasion, Johnson was unable to find the precise sound of a traditional Indigenous rattle. Undeterred, she played the rattle and recorded the noise herself.

It’s this slow, meticulous work of reclaiming sounds that most interests Johnson.

Johnson, a Mohawk and Tuscarora (Bear Clan) from Six Nations Grand River Territory, is a multi-talented writer, podcaster, and radio host who was recently shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award in the category of English-language drama for her dark comedy play Two Indians. As of September 2021, she is also the Allan Slaight (opens in new window)  Broadcaster in Residence at the university’s radio institute bearing the same name, within RTA School of Media.

In the role, Johnson holds virtual office hours and invites students to speak with her for feedback on a variety of topics associated with professional broadcasting. She has advised students about projects on the go, chatted with alumni about creating podcasts, and played the role of ambassador for prospective students eager to learn more about the city and its culture.

In her profession, Johnson focuses primarily on working with sounds to create narratives and tell stories. This led to her recently joining RTA Visiting Researcher and host Stacey Copeland for a panel discussion entitled Indigeneity and Sound: A Roundtable, hosted by RTA School of Media. The event invited prominent Indigenous media producers, sound artists and thinkers to explore how Indigenous knowledge and practices inform their creative practice and invited consideration of the many of the ethical, and creative challenges and opportunities within the Sonic Arts (including broadcast, music, and new media) for Indigenous creators.

Indigeneity and Sound

Panelists included Falen Johnson, Ian Cusson (external link, opens in new window) , a Canadian composer of art song, opera and orchestral work, and Cassidy Villebrun-Buracas (external link, opens in new window) , an award-winning Dehcho Dene and Cree-Metis Podcaster (external link, opens in new window)  and Radio Producer based on the traditional, and unceded territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples (Victoria, BC).

Each spoke about their own personal relationship with creativity and the role identity plays in the creation of sound and the sonic arts.

For Johnson, there’s significant responsibility in the ethics of the creation and dissemination of cultural products such as podcasts. She thinks often of the highly stylized photos of Indigenous people common in the early 20th century and the level of “truth” in the images, which was often a product of the whims of the photographer.

“There’s a parallel between [that idea] and making a product, making sound, making art. We put a snapshot of identity out in the world. What’s our responsibility?” If you don’t hold your ground in your own integrity as an Indigenous creator, you risk putting something out there into the world that will last,” she said. “And I think that is really scary for many Indigenous creators.”

Students can book time with Falen through the Broadcaster in Residence calendar here (external link, opens in new window) .

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