Jully Black Honoured At AFN Ceremony For NBA Anthem Rendition

The singer was greatful while holding back tears!

Jully Black was honoured at an AFN Special Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa Monday night for making an appreciated tweak to the Canadian national anthem at the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah in February.

The Juno Award-winner had swapped out one word in the anthem’s usual opening line “O Canada! Our home and native land!” with “O Canada! Our home on native land” to recognize the Indigenous peoples who lived on the land before European settlers.

Black was presented with an eagle feather and wrapped with a blanket during a Blanketing Ceremony by AFN Knowledge Keepers and National Chief RoseAnne Archibald.

The singer said she was “grateful” while holding back tears, adding “I didn’t realize that my action would garner such a response.”