Buffy Saint Marie Portrait

Acclaimed Indigenous Canadian-American-Cree artist, activist and pacifist, Buffy Sainte-Marie, is a fitting subject for a Celtic Story of Now portrait.

Buffy Saint-Marie makes an interesting subject in my series of story telling portraits, The Story of Now, because we have discovered she’s been spinning very big tales. So big, Native Americans and fans of her music and activism will be grappling with it for some time, as I am. [My reaction here]

I came to a deep admiration for indigenous culture through my search for a connection to my own family. My Mom is Irish – a McGarrigle and MacLeanan. I discovered both the Irish and many Native cultures are matriarchal and recognize the important balance of men and women. Both have had powerful female figures in their history and origin stories. Both societies understand their place in the natural world and honour and revere all life. And both have been and are stereotyped and belittled, and were believed by the British to be less than human. [10 Stunning Similarities Between Irish and Native Historic Experiences]

Celtic knots are spiritual. They emanate from Buffy’s own palm, spiralling out around her. Spirals generally represent growth, but in this case it seems to represent the big lie spiralling out, getting bigger and bigger as she sent it continually out into the world. Music notes from her songs, Dream Tree and Universal Soldier, hover the knot. Celtic Symbols of motherhood represent her one son, as much as her many creations.

The Piapot 75 Reserve Flag from Saskatchewan, Canada represents her birth story. She insists she was taken by around age three and adopted by an American family from Massachusetts. There is a birth certificate which proves this false.

The Celts connect the Dragonfly with the ability to see truth and ancient wisdom. To west coast indigenous cultures and most parts of the world, dragonflies mean change in the view of self-understanding and insight on the deeper meaning of life. I think I was compelled to add this into her story because she will need help.

The majestic and ethereal Hummingbird is small, travels great distances and even flies backward. To ancient Celts, they’re transcendent guides and oracles. When hummingbirds flutter their wings, they create figure eights, the symbol of infinity. This represents the continuity and ability to transcend that Buffy will need in order to face herself and those damaged by her lies.

The Red Hand is also rooted in Gaelic culture, dating to pagan times as a sign of a great warrior. In this painting, my red hand print indicates my own solidarity with missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in North America. Native American women are 10 times more likely to be murdered or assaulted.

Buffy is a Pisces. I had believed dolphins represented her best as they symbolize help, guidance, intelligence, fun, joyfulness, freedom and teamwork. They live peacefully in every ocean on Earth as well as some rivers, making them subjects in mythology and folklore worldwide, as Buffy Saint Marie has been. Hmmmm.

My red symbol at the top marries an ancient icon for womanhood and fertility with the present biohazard logo. Women worldwide suffer from toxic masculinity; too many aren’t permitted an education, a vote, or freedom. Buffy is creatively fertile, educated and has been speaking for the underrepresented. This symbol now has added meaning. I first created and used it in my portrait of Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau, for his support of big oil and for ignoring climate change issues. Knowing the facts, in this painting, it means her fertile lies are toxic to the world.

I’ve designed in several Celtic knots which symbolize motherhood. Maybe something was shouting at me from the ether that there are a mother load of lies.

This painting represents part of the continuing story of Buffy Saint Marie – songwriter, trailblazer, tireless advocate, innovative artist, disruptor of the status quo and fabricator of lies. She turned 83, February 20th (2024) and is going strong. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. (Yes, I said that.)