Brian MacDonald

For over 40 years, Brian MacDonald has been instrumental in preserving and revitalizing the Cree language, ensuring that multiple generations of Indigenous youth have been reclaiming their cultural heritage. A day school survivor, MacDonald trained as a Cree language teacher in James Smith Cree Nation and then taught nêhiyawêwin at two day schools; in 1989, he obtained a B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program.

In 1978, MacDonald began to sing and record Cree songs. In 1980, he and a group of students recorded 13 songs which are still used today as a foundational resource: his groundbreaking Cree Songbook, which garnered him an Indigenous Achievement Award at the 2022 Saskatchewan Music Awards. The Songbook is used in Cree education nationwide, from elementary to post-secondary classes.

Dreaming of a day when there would be a Cree immersion program in Onion Lake, MacDonald began to work on curriculum development in the late 1990s and, from 1999-2002, became the Director of Education in Onion Lake. In 2005, he co-founded the Kihew Waciston Cree Immersion School with local leadership, educating the next generation and focusing on language retention, spoken language, and Cree identity. He ultimately became the school’s principal and continues to serve the community as a cultural advisor.