nôtinikêw: No. 5, I Went to War

Composer Andrew Balfour and acclaimed chamber choir Dead of Winter, under the direction of Mel Braun, present the single “nôtinikêw: No. 5, I Went to War,” from Balfour’s forthcoming album nôtinikêw (I went to war). Built around words attributed to an anonymous Indigenous veteran, the movement reflects on the sacrifice of Indigenous soldiers who served during the First World War and the injustice many faced upon returning home. Repeated declarations of “I went to war,” together with Cree words and counting, evoke the experience of the battlefield before leading to the veteran’s powerful appeal for recognition and the restoration of the Sun Dance. The single offers a glimpse into the larger work’s exploration of war, trauma, remembrance, and the enduring strength of Indigenous community and ceremony, with the full album to follow later this fall.