Lorena Navarro, 2024 Indigenous Music Residency, Photo by Rita Taylor
Mâwacihitowinihk Nikamowak is Plains Cree for "they sing at the gathering (place)," referring to Sacred Guardian Buffalo Mountain, where Banff Centre campus resides. Over three weeks, the participants in Mâwacihitowinihk Nikamowak: Indigenous Music Residency have been creating new songs in their final stages of development, preparing them for their final recordings and to meet the world. Now, Bow Valley audiences can be among the first to hear them as finished, polished pieces.
Two free concerts inside Banff Centre's Margaret Greenham Theatre will showcase the participants—some of the brightest talents in Indigenous music from around the world—as well as the faculty members guiding their path.
Logan Staats (seen above) was a participant earlier this year in Toga da wôhnagabi: Music Creation Residency 2026, where he blew audiences away with his soulful lyrics and deep, searching vocals (which won him the inaugural season of CTV's The Launch). Jason Manitowabi is a leading audio engineer for artists like Crystal Shawanda and Snotty Nose Rez Kidz, as well as programmer for the Wiikwemkoong Arts and Music Festival. Jah'kota fuses rap and hip-hop with empowering messages of self-determination, wellness, and positive relationships, earning him nominations from Indigenous Music Awards, Native American Music Awards, SaskMusic Awards, and the Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Awards. And Aysanabee, performer to a sold-out Jenny Belzberg Theatre at Banff Centre in 2025, returns to a more intimate stage with his JUNO Award-winning style of indie folk, alt rock, and electronica.
We welcome you to join these intimate nights of stories and song, free and open to all.
About Faculty
Logan Staats
Logan Staats hails from Six Nations of the Grand River and has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s cultural tastemakers, a land defender and one of our premiere storytellers. As an artist, he pairs gritty and compelling songwriting with raw, authentic and high energy performances that electrify the audience. Weaving his way through the sounds of Folk, Rock, Roots and Americana music, Staats powerful voice has become a fan favorite across the country, and around the world.
Jason Manitowabi
Aanii Kina Waya! Jason Manitowabi ndizhnakaaz. I am an Odawa Man of the 3 Fires Confederacy and a lifelong artist. I am a father of 3 beautiful daughters and I thank the creator everyday for these amazing gifts.
I am currently on the Wiikwemkoong Anishinabe Aadziwin Nakiigamig team as the Cultural Events Coordinator. My initial tasks include coordinating our Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival as well lead the Wiikwemkoong Arts and Music Festival where I create platforms and stages for our local emerging artists to share with professional and established artists.
I am excited for this opportunity and have spent the past 30 years working in various areas and sectors, acquiring many skills along the way. I attended Trebas Institute, Toronto Campus, in 2007 and studied Recorded Music Production, Audio engineering and DJ Arts. I then returned home to work for Debajehmujig Theatre Group where I was involved in various exciting music productions and recording projects and of course sound design for theatre. I look forward to learning and embracing the challenges that this position brings and continue to enjoy working for my community! As one only a handful of Indigenous presenters of an Indigenous Festival, I feel privileged to work with many prominent and established producers across various fields, including many musicians including Crystal Shawanda, Logan Staats, Aysanabee, Stella Standingbear, Snotty Nose Rez Kidz, Derek Miller, Ernest Monias, and many others! I also have had tremendous opportunities to work in creating content as a media consultant and producer in translation through digital Media arts, working with folks like Jennifer Podemski and Alanis King.
Miigwetch!
Jah’kota
Jah’kota is an Afro-Indigenous artist /entrepreneur and humanitarian who believes in serving the greater good of the community. His father is from Kingston Jamaica and his mother is Nakota Assiniboine, signatories to Treaty 4. He was born and raised in Winnipeg and now lives full time in Ocean Man First Nation in Saskatchewan.
Jah'kota has had two songs reach number one on the Indigenous music countdown and has been nominated for multiple awards including the Indigenous Music Awards 2019, the Native American Music Awards 2024, SaskMusic Awards 2025, and the Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Awards 2025.
Justin “Jahkota” Holness uses music as a way to amplify the message of self-determination and to empower the welfare of people and the planet.
Aysanabee
Aysanabee is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer songwriter currently based in Toronto. He is Oji-Cree, Sucker Clan of the Sandy Lake First Nation a remote fly-in community in the far reaches of Northwestern Ontario.
On Mar 23, 2024, Aysanabee made history as the first ever Indigenous Artist to win the JUNO Awards for Alternative Album of the Year and the coveted Songwriter of the year, for Here and Now. Aysanabee won his third and fourth JUNO Awards on Mar 28, 2026 in both of his nominated categories Alternative Artist of the Year and Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year for Edge of The Earth.
Aysanabee has performed over 400 shows on major stages and festivals and venues across Canada and globally including Ottawa Bluesfest, Osheaga, Montréal Jazzfest, Tönder Music Festival, AmericanaFest UK, Wake the Giant, The Great Escape, Reeperbahan and more.