Spur & Grit - Nibi Makina

“Nibi‑Mikina” is a reverent, story‑rich modern‑folk piece that follows the ancient water roads of the Kawarthas — the pathways that carried generations long before our time.

It’s a song about memory, land, and the quiet teachings held in the rivers that shaped entire worlds.

A tribute to the waterways that still breathe with history, “Nibi‑Mikina” honours the spirit of those who traveled, taught, and lived along the currents that continue to guide us today.

ABOUT THE SONG
Nibi‑Mikina (“the Water Road”) explores the experience of traveling the old canoe routes — the lifelines that connected communities, stories, and nations across the region.

The song treats the river not as scenery, but as a living archive, carrying the wisdom of the old world through every bend, ripple, and shoreline.

Currents That Remember
The opening verse paints the river as a storyteller — Great Turtle, White Feather, and the soft wind all acting as guides.

These aren’t just poetic images; they represent the teachings, signs, and guardians that shaped the journeys of those who came before.

The water becomes a keeper of memory, holding lifelines from Shemong to Stoney Lake, from Buckhorn to the Otonabee.

Listening to the Land
As the song moves forward, the river becomes a teacher.
Fog, cedar shadows, granite shores — each one carries a message.

Every lake is a doorway.
Every portage is a sign.
Every channel bends with intention.

The song honours the idea that the land speaks, and that traveling these waters is an act of listening.

The Heart of the Chorus
The chorus captures the central truth:

These waterways existed long before us — and they still run beneath our feet today.

They are slow, steady, and true.
They hold the sky, the pines, the storms, the stars.
They carry the spirit of the land forward, unchanged.

Voices in the Water
The second verse widens the lens, showing how the river holds: journeys, teachings, sorrow, joy the full spectrum of human experience

The water remembers every paddle stroke, every crossing, every life that depended on its path.

A Promise of Respect
The bridge acknowledges that these teachings aren’t ours to claim or reinterpret.

Instead, the song chooses humility — recognizing that the river’s truth stands on its own, and that our role is simply to honour it.

Nibi‑Mikina is a tribute to the past, a moment of reflection in the present, and a reminder that some paths — especially the water roads — are carved deep enough to outlast time.

CALLING ALL RADIO STATIONS & MEDIA
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For all radio and media inquiries, please reach out directly to our team at Chessking Records.
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CREDITS
Artist: Spur & Grit
Vocals & Guitar: Marley aka “Smiley”
Bass & Backup Vocals: Cullen aka “Bass Prophet”
Fiddle & Vocals: Jane aka “Proud Mary”
Drums & Percussion: Jameson aka “J‑Rumble”

Writer: KCMF
Producer: T42 Continuum
Mixing: Marley Forbes
Mastering: Jane Miller
Label: Chessking Records, LLC.

COPYRIGHT
℗ 2026 Spur & Grit. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable copyright laws.

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