Ta’kaiya Blaney

Ta’kaiya Blaney

Youth – First Nations (2020)

Tla’amin First Nation, BC

“You have a voice, be heard. You have a gift, share it.”

Activist, actor, and singer-songwriter Ta’Kaiya Blaney began her activism at the age of 10, when she took aim at the oil company Enbridge with her song and music video “Shallow Waters.”  When she was 13, Ta’Kaiya became the youngest person ever to have intervened at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.  She urged the Forum to create an Indigenous Children’s Fund to “ensure the survival and well-being of we, the Indigenous children and youth, now and for the generations to come.”   She has spoken at United Nations conferences, environmental events, and in classrooms across Canada and internationally.

Ta’Kaiya is also an award-winning actress, having appeared in numerous short films, music videos, and animated shows; in 2018, she won a Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Female for her portrayal of the protagonist Ella in the critically-acclaimed film Kayak to Klemtu.  Tai’Kaiya uses her many talents to complement her activism as she travels across Canada and around the world to effect change as a youth ambassador who believes that the recognition of Indigenous rights is vital to the health of the planet.