'My heart is heavy': Former Six Nations chief remembers Robbie Robertson

Former Six Nations of the Grand River elected Chief Ava Hill is fondly remembering Canadian music icon Robbie Robertson.

Robertson, lead guitarist of The Band and songwriter of classics like “The Weight," and "Up on Cripple Creek," died earlier this week at 80 years old.

Robertson, who was of Mohawk and Cayuga descent, spent summers at Six Nations and learned to play guitar there.

Hill met Robertson in 2017 when the community honoured him with a homecoming ceremony.

She said they quickly became friends, seeing each other at events over the years and staying in touch.

“It was a complete shock to me,” said Hill. “Still my heart is heavy, to lose a good friend like that. Even though we were miles apart, and didn't know each other that long, there was a closeness there.”

The two even met up for the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 for the premiere of 'Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band' – a documentary about Robertson and the creation of The Band.

“He was a wonderful person and good ambassador for Indigenous people across the country,” Hill said.

“He's an inspiration. He's a role model for those up-and-coming young artists and telling them you can do what you want, which is what we want to do with the centre,” Hill said. “We want people to learn because there's been so much trauma and intergenerational trauma that has come as a result of the residential schools, we need to break that.”

WOODLAND CULTURAL CENTRE

Last year, Robertson was named chairperson on the committee to build a new Woodland Cultural Centre at Hill's request.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the Robertson family has requested that donations be made to Woodland Cultural Centre (WCC), an organization that Robertson was passionate about.

The WCC is located on Six Nations land and is part of the former grounds of the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School. The school closed in 1970 and is now preserved as a historic space to educate people on the impacts of the residential school system.

The cultural centre provides resources to promote Indigenous language and history with the goal of sharing the story of the Haudenosaunee people through exhibits and performances.

“A wonderful, wonderful gesture and I'm sure it's probably Robbie's wish to give back to his community,” Hill said.

In a news release Thursday, current Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Chief Mark B. Hill said: “Six Nations of the Grand River sends its deepest condolences to Mr. Robertson’s family. He should be remembered not only for his music, but for the tremendous individual he was and for the love and contributions he had for his Indigenous roots.”

The 80-year-old musician died surrounded by family, a statement from his manager said.

With files from The Canadian Press