nôtinikêw (I Went to War)

Composer Andrew Balfour and acclaimed chamber choir Dead of Winter, under the direction of Mel Braun, present nôtinikêw (I went to war), a powerful work honouring the Indigenous soldiers of the 107th Timber Wolf (Winnipeg) Battalion who served during the First World War. Blending music, storytelling, and ceremony, nôtinikêw explores sacrifice, trauma, remembrance, and the enduring strength of community while illuminating a largely overlooked chapter of Canadian history. 

nôtinikêw follows the journey of a young Indigenous soldier from enlistment to the battlefield and ultimately toward healing. The 107th Battalion was formed in 1915 under the leadership of Glenlyon Campbell, a Saskatchewan settler fluent in Cree and Ojibwe who recruited First Nations hunters from Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. Serving on the Western Front as engineers, trench builders, ammunition carriers, and snipers, these soldiers demonstrated extraordinary skill and resilience. Yet many returned home to face discrimination and were denied benefits and recognition afforded to white veterans. 

Andrew Balfour is a self-taught Cree composer/conductor/singer/sound designer with a large body of choral, instrumental, electro-acoustic and orchestral work. Andrew specializes in creating ‘concept concerts’, many influenced by his love of Baroque and early music and infused with Indigenous subject matter and collaboration. Vocal ensemble Dead of Winter was founded in 1996 by composer Balfour. Known for innovative programming, the group weaves together early music, original compositions, and powerful cross-cultural storytelling, directed by conductor Mel Braun, with artistic co-direction by Andrew Balfour.