Thirty years ago, the Kashtin tornado hit Québec with its Innu-language song, “E Uassiuian.” Its irresistible melody propelled them to great success in the rest of Canada, and even Europe, and 200,000 copies were sold – an unprecedented feat, at the time, for an Indigenous band. This tornado still reverberates in 2019, with “E Uassiuian” becoming the first SOCAN Classic to have risen from the First Nations, with an award presented to the songwriter during the 30th SOCAN Montréal Awards on Sept. 22, 2019, at La Tohu. SOCAN met with Florent Vollant, who explained the context of that era; the impact of the song on the duo he formed with Claude Mackenzie; and the pride the entire Innu community felt because of it.
Photo by Benoit Rousseau