What to know
- Rihanna received a beaded keychain/lanyard from Mohawk flight attendant Lily Kahneráhti:io Dailleboust during an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Montreal.
- The gift was a spontaneous act of Indigenous generosity, using Dailleboust’s personal beadwork keychain/lanyard from a local Indigenous shop.
- The encounter, captured on video, went viral and sparked a wave of Indigenous pride across social media.
- Rihanna was deeply touched, learned the Mohawk word for “thank you” (Nià:wen), and called the gift unforgettable.
On an Air Canada flight, a touching moment unfolded as superstar Rihanna was gifted a keychain/lanyard by a Mohawk flight attendant, a gesture that has captured hearts and sparked a powerful wave of Indigenous pride far beyond the cabin walls.
On June 1, Flight Attendant Lily Kahneráhti:io Dailleboust from Kanien’kehá:ka, Kahnawá:ke Mohawk Territory, met Rihanna on a flight from Toronto’s Billy Bishop to Pierre-Elliot Trudeau airport in Montreal.
Just 45 minutes before boarding the small Jazz 7974, Dailleboust was informed there would be a VIP guest: Rihanna.
What Rihanna means to her
As a fan of Rihanna’s songs “Pon de Replay”, “Pour It Up”, and the superstar’s activism trying to improve education, help the less fortunate and being an inspiration, meeting Rihanna was a special moment for Dailleboust.
The gift
“She came from nothing, too, you know, so it’s like she knows the hustle and she knows what it’s like to grow up rough, so being where she is and making sure that people know that they have gifts and that they can succeed in life is really, you know, something special, especially on her platform,” Dailleboust told Now Toronto.
So, Dailleboust gave Rihanna her personal beadwork keychain/lanyard from a local Indigenous store, Traditions.
“I do carry gifts with me…I’ll carry earrings, or like, you know, like a lanyard or something significant, because sometimes, I would like to do a cultural exchange with someone, or I might want to gift somebody something. So I didn’t have anything with me, so it’s actually my own personal key chain,” she explained.
The interaction
After letting Rihanna settle in, Rihanna started a casual conversation with Dailleboust.
“She was really casual… as if you’re talking to your best friend for 10 years,” she told Now Toronto. “So I introduced myself, I told her who I am and where I’m from, and then I gifted her the keychain.”
Dailleboust explained that Rihanna was excited and moved by meeting an Indigenous Peoples, saying Dailleboust was the first Mohawk person the superstar had ever met.
Then, Dailleboust shared her travels in Barbados in front of the house where Rihanna grew up, completing a full-circle moment.
The viral video
In an Instagram video that went viral, Dailleboust gave Rihanna a keychain/lanyard.
Rihanna expressed her gratitude towards Dailleboust for the gift.
“This sweet lady gifted me with something very special that I would never forget and I would never lose… I’m so honoured,” she said in the video.
Dailleboust also taught the superstar the word “Nià:wen” from the Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) language, meaning “thank you.”
Upon posting, the internet sparkled with Indigenous pride and was touched by this heartfelt moment.
“Our Indigenous love language ‘Have this,’” one Instagram user commented.
“Indigenous people, always gifting! I love this! SO cool!” another wrote.
“Praise our Indigenous sisters. Praise Riri. Iconic ladies,” another user preached.
“Rihanna just got more love from me. You aren’t gifted hours and hours of work for nothing,” another added.
One Instagram user also touched on Rihanna’s roots, making the gift even more meaningful.
“Rihanna would love this as her mom is from Guyana, which has Indigenous Peoples. I would not be shocked if she has Caribbean Indigenous roots in her ancestry, which is why she would absolutely love this gift.”
Dailleboust posted her experience on her own Instagram account, along with some pictures with the superstar.
“Most incredible woman to meet,” the caption reads in part.
