Morning Star River

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The Singers

Eddy Robinson is a 29year old Ojibway/Cree born and raised in Toronto originating from Garden River First Nation. Eddy is a member traditionally of the Crane Clan, which is a leadership clan for the Ojibway people. Eddy Robinson has been clean and sober for the last ten years and believes in the value of his native culture and heritage. Singing traditional native music has been Eddy's passion for the past 15 years and has taken him to places he would have not otherwise gone, singing has also helped him turn his life around. Singing has helped him with one of his lifetime achievements in Albuquerque New Mexico when he attended the Gathering of Nations Pow wow when he won the World Championship singing contest with Bear Creek. Eddy like many other Native people grew up in poverty here in Toronto and through singing has given him the inspiration and motivation to pursue producing his music in the form of a CD. Eddy has also recorded with Buffy Ste Marie, as well as a compilation CD of various artists titled Dancing On John Wayne's Head when he used to sing with EagleHeart.

Will Robinson is a 22-year old Ojibway born and raised in Toronto originating from Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste Marie. Like his brother Eddy singing has encouraged Will to turn his life around away from alcohol and drugs and pursue singing as a childhood dream. Will has worked in various native organizations with Toronto's impoverished community as a front line worker. Being barely out his teens working with people in poverty coming from poverty himself has given Will an understanding firsthand of what it means to struggle. Now proud father of one Will has a motivation to make something of his life with a music he has loved since childhood.

Theo McGregor is a 23-year old Ojibway, born on Manitoulin Island and a member of the Wikwemikong First Nation. Theo is of the Bear clan; his spirit name is Waabaakwit, which means Grey Cloud. Theo has lived on Manitoulin Island for thirteen years before moving to Sudbury at the age of eighteen. Theo found his culture at the age of nineteen after moving to Toronto. He was looking for a job at The Native Canadian Centre and he crossed the path of his culture and the drum. As soon as he sat down at the drum once he was hooked. Five years Theo has been actively involved with the drum and his culture. Every time Theo is away from the drum it calls to him through songs, because of being true to his heart great and powerful things are beginning to happen with MorningStar River.

Jonah Robinson is a 23-year-old Native, born and raised in the city of Toronto. Jonah grew up without a real father figure in his life. Jonah was always getting into trouble with the law as a youth, and ended up getting kicked out of every place that he lived. When his welcome had ran out, he moved out west in `97 to live with his mother in Portland, Oregon. Upon moving to Portland Jonah fell into the wrong crowd and continued his destructive behaviour and ended up in prison for two and a half years. It was the first time in Jonah's life that he was totally on his own. As a seventeen-year old boy Jonah being alone was the scariest thing that he had to face, but it helped him get involved with Native culture. Prison was the first time Jonah ever sang or participated at a pow-wow. Before that Jonah didn't know much about his Native heritage. Singing has helped him make a lot of friends that he wouldn't have met otherwise. Singing has taken Jonah places in his life he would have never been able to afford to go coming from a poverty stricken home.

Gabe Gaudet is a 19-year-old Cree/Ojibway raised in Toronto originating from James Bay, Moose Factory and Wikwemikong. Gabe is an accomplished singer and composer of Pow wow music. Gabe has grown up and has remained very involved with the Native community like his family. Gabe believes that being part of the native community is how he wants to show Native youth the contributions you can make, as well as his passion to strive for a difference. Gabe has known and sang with the singers of MorningStar River since a very young age, as well as through the mutual friendships of other singing groups.

DJ McGregor is a 29-year-old father of three with another child on the way. He has studied at Trent University for three years and has worked with the Aboriginal Community in many communities within Ontario. He is a very active community individual when it comes to gatherings and celebrations. DJ has been singing for the past 12 years for the love of the creator and all of creation. The Drum has been an integral aspect of his life; it has shown him a path of life, which includes respect, honesty, humility, and kindness for all of Creation.

Ian Akiwenzie is 32 years of age and from neeyaashiingaaming First Nation. He has been dancing and singing since the age of four...pow-wow lifestyle has been the greater portion of his life. Ian currently dances grass, chicken and traditional. Ian also used to dance fancy in his much younger years...Ian says he loves all styles of singing but there's nothing he enjoys more then to sit at the drum and kick out a good oldstyle (northern) song. Ian has been singing with various drums for the past six years but has always sang with Eddy Robinson's group MorningStar River and previously Tall Pines. Ian has two sons Nation and Waasnoode and by example their daddy is showing them how one can live their life drug and alcohol free.

Ryan McMahon is 26 years old. He was born and raised in Fort Frances Ontario. He is from the Treaty 3 Nation and his reserve is Couchiching First Nation. Ryan graduated in 1998 from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Theatre. He studied at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and he recently graduated from the Second City of Toronto Conservatory. A member of the Bear Clan, Ryan works with youth to try and heal the youth community in Toronto through the Arts. Ryan is continuously learning from his peers in Morning Star River and is happy to demonstrate to youth everywhere the importance of making positive contributions to the health and vitality of Anishinabe people. Ryan is a two time National Aboriginal Achievement Award Scholarship winner, and was recognized by the Treaty 3 Nation with a Youth Leadership Award in 2002. Ryan is a member of Tonto's Nephews Sketch/Improv Comedy troupe and he feels that laughter is the best medicine he can offer. Ryan is preparing to be a father and he dedicates all of his work to his partner Maryann Flett and his daughter Ella Jean.

Thanks to Mike Tegosh, John Syrette, Rodney Stanger and Vydel Sands for their vocal contribution to the CD. Meewgetch.

MorningStar River is available for workshops, facilitation, consultations, demonstrations, planning, co-ordinating, dancing as well as a resource for those seeking singers, dancers, speakers and presenters. MorningStar River, even though they are so young as a drum group have hosted and co-hosted various pow-wow's, gatherings and workshops this past year.