Gathering Inspiration from Nature
Wade Fernandez lives on the Menominee Reservation in Northeastern Wisconsin and tours internationally performing his music. He finds inspiration for his compositions in nature and draws from musical genres from all over the world.
Interview
View transcript: English Transcript with Lyrics in Menominee and English Transcript
Three questions…
Wade shares some examples of the connections he sees between music and nature. How do you think music and nature are connected? What emotions come up for you as you listen to Wade’s nature-inspired music?
Wade talks about an experience when a music teacher said that “…after two and a half years with you, you still sound like Wade Fernandez.” Who do you think the teacher wanted him to sound like? Why? Have you ever been told to be more like someone else? What did you do or feel about that?
Wade shares that his cultural identity is hard to define and that he considers himself to be “part of life”—part of something broader than one culture or another. What does “cultural identity” mean to you? How would you describe your own identity?
Performance
“Sawaenemiyah” (We Are Blessed) – Wade chose this song for the project because it is entirely in the Menominee language, which he and others want to preserve. With this song, he shares messages about appreciating what is beautiful around us and what we have. Wade’s song references natural elements like rain and planting seeds, and also includes Wade’s children’s names.
View transcript with lyrics: English Transcript with Lyrics in Menominee and English Transcript
Song
“Sawaenemiyah” (We Are Blessed)
Musicians participating in this project have granted permission to PBS Wisconsin Education for their selected songs to be shared. By using this PBS Wisconsin Education website or any of the resources provided to you through the website, you signify your agreement to our Terms of Use.
Project Credits
Producer
Ryan Hendricks
Coordinating Producer
Mia Forslund
Videography
Ryan Hendricks
Ian Glodich
Mike Baron
Editing
Ryan Hendricks
Sound
Inga Foley
Beauxregard Neylon
Curtis Sorensen
Captioning
Vicki Way Kipp
Composition
Wade Fernandez
Web Design
Charles Barrows
Norman Yuson Cuaño
Web Development
John Vieth
Tim Schneider
Graphic and Motion Design
Ian Glodich
Amanda Roslansky
Scott Stetson
Music Education Content
Kathy Bartling
Darin Menk
Laurie Fellenz
Engagement Guide
Kathy Bartling
Natasha Verhulst
Keshena Primary School
Menominee Indian School District
Keshena, WI
Project Partner
Wisconsin School Music Association
Executive Producer
Megan Monday
Director of Education
Alyssa Tsagong
Director of Television
Jon Miskowski
Special Thanks
Brian Heller and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music
Educator Advisory Group
Kevin Blakeslee
Lincoln Elementary
Madison Metropolitan School District
Madison, WI
Peter Dennee
Carthage College
Kenosha, WI
Matt Eidson
Madison, WI
Heidi Henderson
Milwaukee German Immersion School
Milwaukee, WI
Amy Maack
Gifford K8 School
Racine, WI
Katherine Miller
Hadfield School
Waukesha, WI
Julie A. Palkowski, PhD
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Madison, WI
Schuyler Gardner Pietz
Madison Elementary School
Stevens Point, WI
Linda Ruesink
Watertown Unified School District
Watertown, WI
Sue Smits
Unified School District of De Pere
De Pere, WI
Kurt Stein
Kurt Stein’s School of Music
Fox Cities, WI
Randal Swiggum
Madison Metropolitan School District
Madison, WI
Jesus M. Valencia
Rio H.S./M.S.
Rio, WI
Natasha Verhulst
Keshena Primary School
Menominee Indian School District
Keshena, WI
Lucy Wrenn
Palmyra-Eagle Area School District
Palmyra, WI
Funding Provided By
Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation
Focus Fund for Education
Friends of PBS Wisconsin