Piikanikoan with Ira Provost
Guest curator Ira Provost will explain the significance of his winter count and discuss his songs that are featured in the exhibit in this online presentation.
A winter count is a record or calendar. The Blackfoot people kept a physical record where, at specific periods and intervals of time, images were drawn upon a tanned animal hide. There were many winter counts kept among the people—some personal, some tribal, some practical and some ceremonial.
Ira Provost has been a working musician in Alberta for the past three decades writing, performing and producing various musical projects in multiple genres including Indigenous, folk, rock, country, blues, jazz and experimental. Ira has released two independent contemporary musical albums, Blackfoot Sky (2008) and EverMore (2014). As a working musician, Ira has toured throughout Western Canada and the Northwestern United States performing in almost every municipality. He has also been part of the creation and performance of Indigenous musical theatre. He has won various awards and performed at major music festivals including the Edmonton Folk Fest, North and South Country Fairs.
Outside of music, Ira is the Manager of Piikani Nation Consultation representing the Piikani First Nation in External Government Relations, to facilitate and conduct relationships in Piikani ancestral land development. Ira’s graduate studies have involved the examination of consultation and Indigenous knowledge application in land and land use planning. Ira has also developed innovative technologies for his nation in Traditional Knowledge data capture and meaningful implementation into business development.
The Galt is grateful to the subject-matter experts delivering online content. As local professionals and knowledge experts, these presenters add valuable contributions to the local discourse; however, their ideas are their own. The people featured in the videos and those behind the scenes followed best practices to protect their health and safety.
