Youth4Youth Canada was recently featured on CTV’s Your Morning Ottawa, where co-founders Sarina & Taliah Lyons shared their story and gave a powerful performance of Métis jigging live on air. Akina Olhman closed out the episode with a discussion and performance of Fancy Shawl.
Youth4Youth Canada (our parent organization) is an Indigenous, female, youth-led organization based in Ottawa. Through our Kisac cultural workshops, we provide Indigenous youth with opportunities to reconnect with their culture, identity, and community. The workshops are free and include traditional cooking, baking, arts, dancing, and land-based learning. So far, we have reached more than 8,000 young people in the Ottawa area.
When host Will Aiello asked what inspired the creation of the organization, Sarina explained that many Indigenous youth have grown up without access to their culture due to the impacts of residential schools, adoption, and other barriers. Youth4Youth Canada was founded to help bridge that gap and support youth in reclaiming their cultural roots as part of reconciliation.
As part of the appearance, Taliah introduced viewers to Métis jigging, a dance that blends First Nations, French, Irish, and Scottish steps. She explained that jigging is a vital part of Métis identity and that their performance would reflect influences from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
The first segment wrapped up with Sarina and Taliah taking over the airwaves to showcase their Métis jigging performance, bringing both energy and culture to the national stage. Akina followed up with the closing performance.
This appearance highlights Youth4Youth Canada’s mission: uplifting Indigenous youth through culture, community, and creativity.
