Joanne Shenandoah facts for kids

Joanne Lynn Shenandoah (June 23, 1957 – November 22, 2021) was an amazing Native American singer, songwriter, and musician from the United States. She was a member of the Oneida Indian Nation, specifically from the Wolf clan, in New York. Her music was special because it mixed old traditional tunes with new sounds. Her songs often talked about nature, the lives of women, and the rich culture of the Iroquois people.

Joanne recorded more than 15 albums and won many awards. She even received an honorary music degree from Syracuse University in 2002. In 2005, she won a Grammy Award for her part in the album Sacred Ground: A Tribute to Mother Earth, which featured many different artists.

Joanne Shenandoah's Early Life and Learning

Joanne Lynn Shenandoah was born on June 23, 1957, in Syracuse, New York. Her mother, Maisie Shenandoah, was the Wolf Clan Mother of the Oneida Indian Nation. Her father, Clifford Shenandoah, was an Onondaga Nation chief from the Beaver clan. Both the Oneida and Onondaga Nations are part of the Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois Confederacy).

Joanne had four sisters: Wanda, Vicky, Diane (her twin), and Danielle, plus a brother named Jerry. The Oneida people have a special family system called matrilineal. This means children are considered part of their mother's clan. So, Joanne and her siblings were all part of their mother's Wolf clan. Through her father's family, she was a direct descendant of Skenandoa, an important Oneida "pine tree chief."

Joanne grew up on the Oneida Reservation near Oneida, New York. She learned many traditional songs and musical styles there. She also learned to play many instruments, like the piano, guitar, flute, and cello. She was given the name Tekaliwhakwah, which means "she sings." Later, she attended Andrews University and Montgomery College.

Joanne Shenandoah's Musical Journey

Joanne Shenandoah began performing music in the Syracuse, New York, area. She made 23 recordings in total. Her first solo album came out in 1989. She wrote her own music and created a unique style. She mixed traditional sounds with modern instruments and sang in English, Mohawk, and other Iroquois languages. Besides her solo work, she also performed with other musicians and contributed to group albums.

Even though she lived near Syracuse, she traveled a lot for her performances. She performed all over the United States and in other countries. In 2011, Joanne and her daughter Leah sang on the title track of an album called Path to Zero with Jim Morrison. This album also featured famous artists like Sting, Bono, Sinéad O'Connor, and Robert Downey, Jr..

In 2012, Joanne was invited to Rome, Italy. She performed an original song at St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican. This was for the celebration of Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Roman Catholic saint. Joanne performed at many famous places and events, including The White House, Carnegie Hall, five Presidential Inaugurations, Madison Square Garden, and Woodstock '94. Her songs were also featured in the TV show Northern Exposure.

Awards and Achievements

Joanne Shenandoah was a Grammy Award winner. She received more Native American Music Awards (14) than any other Native artist. In total, she won over 40 music awards! She also received many Indie Awards and Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYS). She was given the Rigoberta Menchú – Highest award at the Native Film Festival in Montreal, Canada. This was for her music in the documentary film Our Land Our Life.

In 2012, Joanne was honored with the Atlas Award. This award recognized her important work with the climate change movement, both in the US and around the world.

Joanne Shenandoah's Family Life

Joanne Shenandoah's family was deeply involved in Haudenosaunee culture. She married Doug George-Kanentiio, an Akwesasne Mohawk man. He helped start the Native American Journalists Association and is a published author.

Joanne was also one of the first board members of the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge. This organization works together with Syracuse University.

Joanne Shenandoah passed away on November 22, 2021, in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 64.

Discography

• Joanne Shenandoah (1989)
• Once in a Red Moon (1994)
• Loving Ways (2005)
• Life Blood (1995)
• Matriarch: Iroquois Women's Songs (1996)
• All Spirits Sing (1997)
• Orenda (1998)
• Peacemaker's Journey (2000)
• Warrior In Two Worlds (2000)
• Eagle Cries (2001)
• Covenant (2003)
• Skywoman (2005)
• Sisters: Oneida Iroquois Hymns (2003) (with Maisie Shenandoah and Liz Robert)

As a Contributor to Other Albums

• How the West Was Lost, Vol. 2 (1995) (with Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai)
• Contact from the Underworld of Red Boy (1998) (with Robbie Robertson)
• Heart of the World (1999) (with Mary Youngblood)
• Feed the Fire (2004) (with Mary Youngblood)
• Tony Hymas Oyaté (with Tony Hymas Oyaté)