Grand Chief to welcome Grammy Award winning band Portugal. The Man at Osheaga

08/03/2018

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke wishes to inform the community that Grand Chief Joseph Tokwiro Norton has been invited to welcome Grammy award winning band, ‘Portugal. The Man′ to traditional Kanien’kehá:ka Territory when they perform at the Osheaga Music Festival in Montreal tonight.

According to the band′s management, Portugal. The Man is on a journey to honor and speak truthfully about Natives of the United States, Canada, and around the world. The band recently made news when they refused to appear on a network in Australia because the newscast members spoke disparagingly about Aboriginals. Following that, they met with Aboriginal leaders and had a Culture Bearer open their show and remind concert goers to know and appreciate the lands they love and call home is, in fact, Native land.

“I am honored to be invited to welcome ‘Portugal. Ronkwe’ (Portugal. The Man) to our traditional territory in the spirit of reconciliation and the Two-Row Wampum, which is the symbol of peaceful co-existence and respect,” said Grand Chief Norton.

The founders of Portugal. The Man were raised in rural Alaska, with an appreciation of ancient Native traditions of hunting, fishing, gathering, and survival as part of their upbringing. One of the Band′s members, the son of an Iditarod musher, traveled to many villages, and some of their first heroes were Alaska Native mushers.

Portugal. The Man has been together since attending Wasilla High School in Alaska in 2001. They now make Portland, Oregon their base. They have traveled North America and the world, and have made eight albums. ‘Feel it Still’ from their latest album, ‘Woodstock’, won Best Pop Group Song at the 2018 Grammys, and in their award speech, they made a shout-out to Alaska Native kids.