N.W.T. chief gives country music star custom-made guitar strap

A concert-goer's experience turned into a memorable life momentfor the chief of Fort McPherson, N.W.T.

Wanda Pascal travelled to the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton last weekend to get a glimpse of one of her favourite childhood country music artists, JessiColter. As a sign of kindness, Pascalwanted to give Colter a piece of her Indigenous heritage.

Pascal created a purple guitar strap made out of beads and moose skin with the words "Jessie [sic] Colter, good hearted woman" stitched in fabric. Pascal said she knew Colter was Indigenous and so she figured thegift would be symbolic.

"I drew a flower and then I took it to the canvasshop [to] get writing on it, then sew it together."

Colteris anAmericancountry musicartist, known forher collaboration with her husband, country singer and songwriterWaylonJennings.

Backstage pass

At first, Pascal said she wasn't sure if she would be able to present the strap to Colter. She saidshe initially took it to Colter's marketing manager who then brought it backstage after the performance.

After showing the strap to Colter, the manager came back to Pascal and saidthe country singer would like to receive the guitar strap from the artist herself.

"'You're going to do it, you're going to take it back to her,'" Pascal said the manager told her. Shewas then given a backstage pass.

Pascal said excitement was building that she was actually going to meet one of her favourite musicians sincechildhood.

"When we went in I thought, 'oh my God I'm meeting JessiColter,'" shesaid.

She said Colter's son, Shooter Jennings,who's also a singer, was there. "He looks like his dad, Waylon Jennings," Pascal said.

Once she was backstage, Pascal said the two talked as if they knew each other for years.

"She told me she was part Apache Indian," said Pascal.

Pascal said Colter was extremely grateful for the gift.

The singer told Pascal that she isn't going to use the guitar strap instead she's going to hang it on her wall.

With files from Wanda McLeod