EDMONTON—Electronic music group A Tribe Called Red has pulled out of the Indigenous Music Awards after organizers refused to revoke a nomination for a Cree artist accused of cultural appropriation.

Edmonton-based Connie LeGrande, who performs as Cikwes, includes throat singing on her new album called ISKO which is nominated for best folk album at the music awards taking place on May 17.

Inuit artists had urged LeGrande and the Indigenous Music Awards organizers to pull her from the nominations because the sounds she makes are Inuit cultural practice. When they were refused, five Inuit artists, including Polaris Prize-winning throat singer Tanya Tagaq boycotted the awards.

On Saturday, A Tribe Called Red posted on their Facebook page that they were pulling out of the award show “in solidarity” with their Inuit sisters. The band is nominated for Best Radio Single at the awards.

“We support the requested changes in policy brought forward by the throat singing community. We feel that the Inuit community also deserves an apology because of the harmful attitude and opinions expressed by the management of the Indigenous Music Awards,” the message read.

The band declined further comment “in order to give space to the Inuit women who are leading this protest.”

LeGrande has refused to withdraw from the award show claiming that what she does is not Inuit throat singing.

“I have went on and put my own expression and my own sounds because I don’t know their sounds,” she told Star last week.

The Indigenous Music Awards released a statement on April 2 saying they talked to their internal committee, an Elders’ committee, Inuit representatives and their Board of Governors and decided LeGrande’s nomination will stand.

“Her nomination is in the best folk album category, and not in the best Inuit, Indigenous language or Francophone album category,” the statement said.

“We don’t presume to agree or disagree on this matter at this time, as it requires great reflection, ceremony and discussions on how we move forward in a good way … We have been taught that our gifts from the Creator should be honoured and that we do not ‘own’ what is gifted to us, but that it is our responsibility to share those gifts.”

with files from Omar Mosleh

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