Akina Shirt (born January 18, 1994) is a First Nations singer known for her performances in the

Cree language Cree ( ; also known as Cree–Montagnais language, Montagnais–Naskapi language, Naskapi) is a dialect continuum of Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 86,475 people across Canada in 2021, from the Northwest Territories to Alberta to ...

. She has sung in Victoria School's Mixed Jazz Choir, the prestigious Kokopelli Choir, Shaftesbury High School choir and the Sacred Heart Church of First People's Choir.

Performances

Shirt gained fame by singing " O Canada" in Cree at a

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

game between the

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...

and the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...

on February 3, 2007. This was the first time in Canadian history that the national anthem had been performed in an aboriginal language at a major league sporting event."Edmonton girl makes hockey history, singing anthem in Cree"

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, December 3, 2007. She was also interviewed on

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's '' As it Happens'' the night before the game, and sang the anthem on the show as well. Shirt also recorded a five-song CD for Alberta Education in 2006 as part of their new social studies curriculum, launched in June 2007. She has performed at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary as well as other venues.

References

External links

Akina Shirt
1994 births Living people 21st-century Canadian women singers 21st-century First Nations musicians 21st-century First Nations women Musicians from Edmonton Cree women singers Canadian child singers Cree language Singers from Alberta {{Canada-singer-stub