"I agreed to act as spokesman for the First Nations Garden at the Montréal Botanical Garden because the approach in this project was all about respect. Natives aren't just token figures here-they were involved in all the decisions at the planning stage. In this garden, people can learn about not only plants and plant materials, but also about cultures and lifestyles".

	Press Release
	Press kit

Florent Vollant, spokesman for the First Nations Garden (until the official opening), was born in 1959 in Maliotenam, in Innu territory, near Sept-Îles. For generations, his family lived by hunting, fishing and gathering.

He began his career as a singer-songwriter in 1984. The following year, he founded the Innu Nikamu festival, which brings together performers from several nations every year. He uses his music to express his profound commitment to life and love of the land. His beliefs earned him the title of Artist for Peace in 1994.

He has worked on numerous projects with Kashtin (which means tornado in Innu) and as a solo artist, including Richard Séguin's Instinct CD, the soundtrack for Arthur Lamothe's film Silencing the Guns, and Robbie Robertson's CD The Native Americans. He also co-wrote and performed the theme for the Kushapetshekan radio drama with Luc Boivin, and adapted an Innu song, Nitanish, into French for Roch Voisine.

Since 1989, as a member of Kashtin, Florent Vollant has recorded three CDs, filmed seven music videos and toured throughout Québec, the rest of Canada, France, Belgium, South Korea, the United States and Bolivia.

Florent Vollant went back to his roots in Maliotenam a few years ago, in part to carry out a cherished project of his: to set up a recording studio, as well as a training and production school for young musicians in his area. At the same time, he recorded a Christmas CD in Innu, entitled Nipaiamianan, with long-time friends Richard Séguin, Zachary Richard, Luce Dufault, Ray Bonneville and Lucien Gabriel Jourdain. The CD includes songs inspired by holiday classics like O Holy Night, Silent Night and Angels We Have Heard on High, as well as Innu hymns and prayers.

A very talented artist, he has won four Félix awards in various musical categories and the Juno award for Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording for his album Nipaiamianam.

His goal as an artist is to work for peace and harmony. He says that he wants to "share, while breaking down the barriers of ignorance and intolerance between Native and non-Native peoples." In this same spirit, he agreed to serve as the spokesman for the First Nations Garden, inaugurated at the Montréal Botanical Garden on August 2, 2001.