Kristen McKay

About

Born in central Manitoba, Kristen McKay, spirit names Golden Eagle Woman & Sacred Turtle Woman, and from the Bear Clan is a 2 Spirit Anishinaabe Woman from Pine Creek First Nation. Kristen is the Owner/Operator of Kristen McKay Inspirations as well as the lead singer to her band Kristen McKay Music. Kristen is also a Ceremonial Traditional and Contemporary Hand Drum Singer and Hand Drum Maker. Kristen is also an original canvas artist, Jingle Dress Dancer and is also a Sundancer & Ceremonial Buffalo Dancer.

Kristen is deeply connected to her spirituality and culture and has adapted a spiritual support analogy of being protected and supported by her 10,000 Grandmothers. This was inspired by Kristen when 215 was announced from the ground search in Kamloops, BC. Kristen is a Grandchild and a daughter of Residential School Survivors, her parents before her attended IRS and her Grandparents before them had also attended IRS. Kristen is also a third-generation day school survivor and intergenerational survivor.

In 2023 Kristen followed her long-time dream of becoming a Flourishing Life Coach in Calgary, Ab. This was also followed by her completing Train the Trainer training in Winnipeg, Mb. Currently Kristen is facilitating wellness, healing, education and awareness workshops in First Nation Communities across Turtle Island.

Kristen has begun to take a core understanding of the IRS traumas and began a healing journey with these traumas. The understanding and knowledge of IRS has helped Kristen move forward from the pain and grief that once filled her world. Kristen has been able to help others have a more understanding of the IRS traumas and MMIWG2S+ and has been fully willing to sit in with various IRS workshops and conferences held across Turtle Island.

Through her original canvas art, she has brought her Anishinaabemowin and Cree languages of her ancestors into the inspirational messaging that is brought to the surfaces of the art Kristen shares with her Relatives. Kristen utilizes her gift to put good things and kind reminders of love, light and wellness into her art. Kristen shares that with all Survivors and their families.

The newest endeavour for Kristen is her recent work and time learning how to tan Deer Elk & Buffalo Hides from the fall 2024 hunting harvest. This new reconnection for Kristen McKay Inspirations is to complete the hides for drum making and rattle making workshops. The sound of Mother Earths Heartbeat will echo for the next 7 generations as Kristen has already taken a course of action and launched a new hand drum line called Chitto Biishika Fire Bull Drums by Kristen McKay Inspirations.

Kristen is planning on releasing Original Music in 2025 in English & Anishinaabemowin Languages.

Kristen’s first complete acoustic music video will also be released in early 2025 supported by Manitoba Music and Kejic Productions.