Duke Redbird – Ojibwe Artist & Poet
Duke Redbird is an Ojibwe Elder, poet, multidisciplinary artist, and cultural voice from the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. His work across visual art, poetry, storytelling, film, and education reflects a lifelong commitment to Indigenous culture, creativity, and the sharing of knowledge.
About Duke Redbird
Art by Duke Redbird
Duke Redbird’s visual art forms part of a much broader creative practice that also includes poetry, storytelling, film, music, and cultural education. His paintings draw on Indigenous imagery and the Woodland tradition while reflecting the same connection to identity, culture, and storytelling found throughout his work.
The Friends United collection includes works that offer a glimpse into this visual side of Duke Redbird’s artistic life.
Work and Legacy
Duke Redbird’s creative life extends across visual art, poetry, spoken word, broadcasting, film, education, and cultural advocacy. Over several decades, he has used these different forms to share Indigenous perspectives, cultural knowledge, and stories with audiences in Canada and beyond.
His artistic influence also reaches into the next generation of his family. Duke is the father of Friends United artists Jay Bell Redbird and Nazanni Redbird. Jay has spoken about learning from his father and describes Duke as an important influence on his own development as an artist. Through Friends United, the work of Duke and his children forms part of a wider story of family, artistic knowledge, and creativity carried across generations.
Duke Redbird also became part of a distinctive Friends United collaboration combining his poetry with music by Spanish musician and composer Maite Itoiz. Their work brought spoken word, music, and Indigenous storytelling together in another expression of Duke’s multidisciplinary artistic practice.
Related Music & Poetry
Maite Itoiz & Duke Redbird – Music and Poetry
Experience a Friends United collaboration bringing together Duke Redbird’s poetry and the music of Maite Itoiz.