oskenonton-portraitChief Oskenonton in his Native American language sings, and chants along with drumming expressing his attachment with Mother Nature. Several songs are continually repeated as in pow-wow. [60 min. and packaged in a collector case]

Chief Oskenonton 1888-1955 was born in Chaghnawaga, Quebec, Canada. He was the son and grandson of the great chief’s from the Mohawk tribe of the Bear Clan. After his boyhood on the Reservation and educated in the schools in Toronto, Canada he traveled to New York City to develop his technique of voice and refinement of tone.

He was soon hosting a weekly radio program and recording on the Columbia Record label. In 1915 he was compared to his friend Enrico Caruso. Oskenonton the opera singer crossed the Atlantic Ocean 35 times and appeared throughout Europe in concerts and preformed before the Crowned Heads. In 1927 he sang and preformed to an audience of 45,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl, California.

chief-oskenonton-170During the 1930’s and 1940’s he appeared on the Lily Dale, New York platform--the spiritualist community in Western New York. Oskenonton was a natural healer and held wigwam circles at Lily Dale staying with close relatives while there. Oskenonton was considered the best American Indian opera singer of his time.

This item is sold out.