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People .Heroines .Biographies .Group Histories	Biographies Buffy Sainte-Marie (1941 - ) Musician, artist and activist
	Buffy Sainte-Marie, ca. 1989. (Barbara Woodley/Labatt Breweries of Canada/National Archives of Canada/PA-203285. Acquired with the assistance of a grant from the Minister of Communications under the terms of the Cultural Property Import & Export Review Act.) Buffy Sainte-Marie is an internationally renowned singer and songwriter, as well as a talented painter and political activist. She is a passionate advocate of Native Americans. Buffy Sainte-Marie was born to Cree parents on the Piapot Reserve near Regina, Saskatchewan. Orphaned as an infant, she was raised in Massachusetts where her adopted mother (part Micmac) recounted stories of Indian history. By the age of four the musical child had taught herself to play the piano. After receiving a guitar for her sixteenth birthday Buffy began writing songs for her new instrument. Her music developed as she attended university, where Buffy studied Oriental philosphy. Following graduation with a BA the honours student began singing in coffee houses in New York's Greenwich Village. Recording contracts and nightclub performances soon launched Buffy Sainte-Marie to stardom. She also managed to find the time to complete her PhD in 1983. Buffy Sainte-Marie gained fame for war protest songs (such as "Universal Soldier" on her debut album) as well as her ballads and songs about native peoples. Throughout her career she has devoted much of her time and resources to supporting Native Americans through a variety of educational programs. Her many intiatives include the founding of the Native North American Women's Association, a scholarship fund for Native American law students, teaching music and art at the Saskatchewan Federated Indian College, and the Cradleboard Teaching Project to connect children on-line. In 1997 Buffy Sainte-Marie was selected as the Native American Philanthropist of the Year. Discover more Online: Aboriginal Faces of Saskatchewan: Buffy Sainte-Marie Article from Saskatchewn Sage, April 1998, re Buffy Sainte-Marie winning an National Aboriginal Achievement Award. Buffy Sainte-Marie The official Buffy Sainte-Marie website, including biography, art gallery, photos and discography. Canada's Walk of Fame: Buffy Sainte-Marie Encyclopedia of Music in Canada: Buffy Sainte-Marie First Nations Drum: Buffy Sainte-Marie Biography. Films/Video/Sound/Television: Buffy Music Hear four songs from Buffy Sainte-Marie. Buffy Sainte-Marie: a portrait in the first person Citytv video in association with Sleeping Giant Productions and TV Ontario, n.d. Moses Znaimer interview with Buffy Saint-Marie. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Up Where We Belong CBC Home Video, c. 1996. 47 min. Distributed by Astral Video. Includes performances by Buffy Sainte-Marie and guests, as well as interview segments. Vanguard Records: Buffy Sainte-Marie Includes discorgraphy and some audio clips of songs. Coincidence & likely stories Sound recording by Capitol Records, 1992. An open-ended interview with Buffy Saint-Marie. Books: Bataille, Gretchen M., editor. Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary. New York & London: Garland Publishing, 1993. Gridley, Marion E., editor. Indians of Today. Chicago: ICFP, 1971. Hunter, Shaun. Visual & Performing Artists. New York & Niagara-on-the-Lake: Crabtree Pub.Co., c. 1999. For Young Readers. Sainte-Marie, Buffy. The Buffy Saine-Marie Songbook. New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1971.