Goodleaf lends voice to coin campaign
The coin honours Daphne Odjig, a legendary Anishinaabe artist who passed away in 2016. Courtesy Royal Canadian Mint
For the next four years, community members might hear a familiar voice ringing through the speakers in advertisements at sports games, concerts, on TV, and on the radio, after local host Jeci Tekentenhawítha Goodleaf was selected to record voiceover material for a new promotional coin celebrating Anishinaabe artist Daphne Odjig.
The two-dollar coin was released in circulation by the Royal Canadian Mint earlier this month and features motifs from one of her works, titled “The Folk Singer.”
Goodleaf was selected to record promotional material for the launch, describing the meaning of the coin and sharing an overview of Odjig’s life and work with listeners. The promotional videos will be shared across Turtle Island as informational material throughout the coming years.
Goodleaf recorded the campaign for the Royal Canadian Mint earlier this year. Courtesy Jeci Tekentenhawítha Goodleaf
“I was totally floored when I found out I was selected,” said Goodleaf, who had initially been told by her bosses at K1037 Radio that a company was looking for an Indigenous woman to take part in a campaign.
She submitted an application but didn’t find out what company the role would be for until after she was selected.
She said it felt special to learn that her voice would be a part of the Royal Canadian Mint’s campaign to honour Odjig.
“They wanted someone Native to cover it because she’s a Native artist and she led the way for so many artists, so that was a really nice touch that they added to it,” she said. “It was just a highlight for me to be able to honour her. I didn’t know about her as an artist until I got this contract, so I did a deep dive into her work, and I come from a family of artists so being able to honour someone who paved the way was just awe-inspiring.”
Promotional materials that feature Goodleaf’s voice include videos that illustrate Odjig’s work blooming around the coin, with Goodleaf describing who she was and what her legacy is.
“Now our change will honour Daphne Odjig, a celebrated trailblazer whose enduring mark on the art world continues to inspire new generations of artists,” Goodleaf says over the video.
Recording the voiceovers was a special experience, Goodleaf said, having travelled to a studio in Montreal’s Old Port for the recording session.
“It just felt like being in the Disney studios, it was such a cool experience that I’m going to always keep with me,” she said. “It’s just been so exciting to be a part of something like this.”
Goodleaf has been particularly impressed with the Royal Canadian Mint team throughout the experience.
“They were so welcoming, so nice, so culturally aware, they even did their due diligence and needed our papers to make sure we’re from where we’re saying we’re from,” she said. “They really did their homework and made sure they had an Indigenous voice doing this voiceover, so I have only positive things to say about this experience, every aspect of it.”
She said she’s especially thankful for the support that her family, friends, and team at K1037 have given her throughout the process.
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“I wouldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for the radio station, so I’m just really appreciative to everyone who’s ever given me a chance to show what I can do,” she said.
