Eastern Owl are Safe at Home in the Unknown
CBC Communications | Posted: March 19, 2021 5:59 PM | Last Updated: March 31, 2021
New track for The Story and the Song examines the pandemic through the lens of motherhood
Newfoundland and Labrador's Eastern Owl are an Indigenous-led all-women group who between them have 8 children. Their kids are very much part of their inspiration, routine and how they function as a band. It's little wonder they chose to approach the theme of The Unknown through the lens of motherhood.
Safe at Home, the new track they wrote for The Story and the Song–The Unknown, examines their collective struggle in finding ways to communicate with their children as they navigate life in a pandemic.
The newest member of the Eastern Owl family is only two months young, and the deeply moving lyrics reflect how such a young child has no way of knowing about a pandemic that has ravaged the world outside his bubble.
Days are dark, there is a light inside you, when nights are long, no worries in your mind. You don't feel the weight we carry for you, you don't see the world through tired eyes.- Eastern Owl, from Safe at Home
Jenelle Duval eloquently describes all of the emotion neatly packed into the song:
"This song speaks to the challenges we're facing as Indigenous women and mothers. There are mothers that have come before us and mothers that will come after us. They are our ancestors, and we are very fortunate to know that they are always walking beside us. Part of our collective experience as Eastern Owl has been acknowledging the fact that we are very fortunate to have our ancestors with us as we face the unknown."
Joining Eastern Owl on the Story and the Song – The Unknown are: Joce Reyome, Morgan Toney, Phil Churchill featuring Geraldine Hollett (from The Once), Quote the Raven with special guests, Reeny Smith and Amelia Curran.