This Mohawk songwriter, 24, on the fear of being pigeonholed while embracing tradition in music

Musician Semiah Kaha:wi Smith grew up surrounded by artistry.

Her house in Six Nations was home to her mother, who owns a dance studio, and her grandparents, who were both potters.

"Art in and of itself has always been a huge part of my upbringing, and I don't really know any other way," Smith says.

The 24-year-old Hamilton-born singer-songwriter, who goes simply by Semiah when on stage, is one of several acts performing Friday as part of the Unity Festival on Six Nations.

The festival starts at 7 p.m. at the Gathering Place by the Grand and will feature a plethora of artists from the community, such as Derek Miller, Logan Staats, Lacey Hill and others. 

Smith, who is Mohawk, Turtle Clan, told CBC Hamilton her love for singing started when she was a kid, when she would sing "very loudly in grocery stores," and eventually led her to singing lessons. 

At the time, it was just something she did after school, she said. As time passed, she "got shy" and stopped singing.

It took her a few years of experimenting with other art forms such as acting and narrating before she came back to the form.

"I was in New Zealand with my mom at a Māori wedding out there, and so the traditional way that you introduce yourself is through a song and I was still shy at the time," she recalled.

"But when it's for culture, I kind of couldn't say no, so I would sing some songs from our community and to share there and just to see the kind of enjoyment and the connection that brought really made me think about starting singing again."

Smith said she then began writing her own traditional songs, joined a trio, and started performing in the area.

"At the same time, I wanted to explore my individuality, and who am I as Semiah, the person," she said. 

That's when she started writing her own songs in English but felt hesitant about sharing them.

During the pandemic, Smith says she found the confidence to release her first song, Nothing Can Kill My Love For You.