Global superstar Rihanna showed out for Indigenous culture last week during a quick, routine flight from Toronto to Montreal, learning to express gratitude in the Kanien’kéha language. Lily Kahnerahtiio Dailleboust, a Kanien’kehá:ka Mohawk flight attendant, shared a beautiful, spontaneous moment with the pop icon that has gone viral on social media.
While cruising out of the Toronto Island downtown airport, the Montreal-based crew member decided to give the superstar her flowers. Dailleboust gifted her a gorgeous, handcrafted beaded lanyard straight from Traditions, an art shop in Kahnawà:ke, south of Montreal.
Deeply touched by the thoughtful gesture, Rihanna immediately hooked the beaded lanyard onto her purse and asked to shoot a quick viral video to capture the moment.
How Did Rihanna Learn the Kanien’kéha Language Mid-Flight?
In the heartwarming viral video posted to Dailleboust’s socials, the music mogul couldn’t hide her joy over the authentic beaded lanyard.
“This sweet lady gifted me with something very special that I would never forget and never lose,” Rihanna said, radiating warmth. “Thank you so much.”
As the clip continued, the superstar added, “I’m so honored,” showing true humility before asking the flight attendant to share a bit about herself and expressing a desire to speak the Kanien’kéha language to say thank you properly.
Dailleboust gladly taught the billionaire the word “Niá:wen,” explaining that it means “gratitude” in the Kanien’kéha language. “Niá:wen,
I explained to her, is a word in my language, and she was like, ‘Oh, I want to do a video about it,’ and it was pretty cool,” Dailleboust said. “I taught her how to say niá:wen.”
Rihanna caught the vibe of the viral video instantly, with Dailleboust noting that her pronunciation was spot on.
The singer admitted Dailleboust was the first Kanien’kehá:ka person she had ever met, expressing immense respect for Indigenous communities before offering up autographs and photos.
“We really follow our policy,” she explained regarding the handling of high-profile guests. “We don’t ask them any questions.”
Beaded Lanyard Outpour Sparks Heavy Pride Across Indigenous Communities
The CBC reported that since the flight attendant hit upload, the footage has sparked massive celebration throughout Kahnawà:ke and sister communities across Haudenosaunee territories. Dailleboust, an experienced and grateful flight attendant, reported receiving an outpouring of supportive messages from people thanking her for representing the culture beautifully.
“Everybody’s so excited,” she said. “Like, everybody’s appreciative. They’re all, like, ‘You really represented us well.’” This viral video moment has also given a major spotlight to local Indigenous craftsmanship.
Tekaronhiahkhwa Standup, who owns the Traditions art studio where the beaded lanyard was purchased, said the viral video had both her shop and community buzzing. Standup runs her shop on consignment, giving artists across the Haudenosaunee Confederacy a platform to sell their work.
“It was just a really cool experience to see that video, how open Rihanna was to hearing who [Dailleboust] was, to being open to learning just even a simple phrase in the Kanien’kéha language,” Standup said. For the community, seeing a global icon show genuine respect and take a moment to admire the beaded lanyard was the ultimate icing on the cake.
Superstar Pulls Up to New York City to Cap an Unapologetic Week
The mid-air exchange capped off a busy, high-profile week for the Fenty founder. After wrapping up her Canadian travels, Rihanna was spotted turning heads back home in New York City with her partner, A$AP Rocky.
The legendary power couple caught a beautiful aesthetic vibe in Manhattan right after the star-studded Governor’s Ball music festival officially wrapped up.
Whether she’s getting a quick language lesson from a dedicated flight attendant or ruling the streets of NYC with her man, Rihanna continues to effortlessly prove that she stays grounded, locked into the culture, and completely unmatched while speaking Kanien’kéha to the world.
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