About


nitisiyihkâson


ᓂᑎᓯᔨᐦᑳᓱᐣ

About Me

Welcome! Tansi! My name is Mackenzie Brown and my Cree name is Kamamak, which means Butterfly. I am an Indigenous singer, drummer, storyteller, knowledge seeker, songwriter, artist, Cree cultural ambassador and advocate of fun! I am also First Nations Cree from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, though I currently live in Mohkinstsis, Calgary.
I hold my degree in Child and Youth Care and I have worked many people of various backgrounds, including Indigenous entrepreneurs, Indigenous tourist groups, and with “at risk” Indigenous youth.  I incorporate drum and art therapy in my work with children, youth and families, and I make sure that I use traditional arts and crafts in the cultural programs I have created.

What I do
Drumming and Presentations
I have drummed and taught in many schools around Alberta, for many events including the Northern Alberta Teachers Conference, Silver Skate Festival, the annual Jasper Dark Skies Festival, Youth Dreamcatchers Conference, Canada Day, Indigenous Day festivities, and International Women’s Day. In summers past, I have performed at Jasper Park Lodge, Parks Canada, Rocky Mountaineer and various other events with Warrior Women, an Indigenous musical group formed with my mom, Matrica. I am more than a performer – I am a storyteller and an educator. I love to teach about my Nehiyaw culture in an authentic and intentional way.
I offer a variety of services to events, schools, companies and much more! Interested in hiring me? Please check out my portfolio of services to learn more!

Indigenous Art
Along with drumming, performing and educating, I am also an avid acrylic and mural artist, with my vibrant paintings often depicting aspects of my Cree heritage. My art has been featured during the BUMP Festival 2021 and 2022, Pump House Gallery 2017, recognized in the Alberta Indian Arts and Crafts award of 2017, Making Treaty 7 showcase at Arts Common Calgary and the Calgary Library 2019-2020, recognized in the Alberta Indian Arts and Crafts award of 2017, featured for the Alberta Business Competition 2017 and sold to people travelling world wide at Jasper Park Lodge. I have recently completed mural paintings for BUMP Mural Festival, UofC Faculty of MedicineArcadia Brewing, and many schools in Alberta. I was also one of 18 landscape artists chosen across Canada to compete in Makeful and CBC’s television show Landscape Artist of the Year Canada 2020.