Okay, I just could not resist continuing this little trip into contemporary Native American music. Who says Rap has nothing interesting to offer our ears? It is the genre of choice for many young people. As for my pinhead amount of knowledge about it, blame it all on Rhonda at KKFI. Yep, that Acoma Pueblo woman always manages to slide something across the sound waves that I would never otherwise discover. What else is community radio for if not to serve audio dishes from unfamiliar universes?
Rap is a part of contemporary Native American Heritage.
It’s still November. It’s still Native American Heritage Month. Seems like a sampling of some music is due. This tiny post does not even begin to touch even the surface of the range and depth of Native American music. There’s everything from Rap to traditional spiritual music being performed by First Peoples across America. For starters, I’d like to share a love song I first heard on Native Spirit Radio, hosted by Rhonda, on www.kkfi.org, every Sunday 5-6pm cst air time in Kansas City, Missouri. This is “Southern Man”, not the Neil Young tune, but a song sung by Alex E. Smith, Cheevers Toppah and Nitanis “Kit” Landry. The album is Harmony Nights, Native American Vocal Harmony.
Now for some SoloCree sweet talk,
Northern Cree’s much less sedate ”Driving Me Crazy” — There’s some footage of the performers further into the music.
Here are the Black Lodge Singers and a very good selection of black and white photographs. The creator of the video is credited at the end.
Some soft flute, but listen close to the lyrics of Anpanatchy “Little Indian Girl” for the “edge”.
Now for the sharp blade on several levels–words, historical images, and movie images–credits are at end of video. This includes images of children, men, women, soldiers and warriors. Thanks to Caslucaslu for posting it on YouTube.
It’s Black Friday. I’ve always wondered about this concept. As a child I never quite understood the use of the color black in regard to this day. Sure, I’m fully aware that it refers to the economic books of retailers getting into the black profit zone and out of the red. I comprehend that financial concept and yet–yet especially today it’s irritating the hell out of me. There’s no mystery here. I know just why “Black Friday” is ticking me off royally–it reveals just how out of whack the dominant mainstream culture really is. It is a sign of ignorance–as in the lack of knowledge, lack of substance, lack of values, lack of integrity, lack of reality, lack of comprehension of what’s really necessary for living and living WELL. All the people engaging in the vast consumer addiction game have their heads thrust so deep in the sand that it’s downright terrifying to behold. American priorities are clear–this is a culture based on greed coming and going. Don’t bother wasting time posting to tell me that I’m raining on everyone’s Christmas Parade. Why? Because I think the Christmas Parade needs to END. Why? Because it has NO meaning whatsoever as is clear from the current state of the world at large. Why in hell are people giving more money to corporations that have already posted record profits while ruining the global economy? Engaging in this Parade is not only a denial of reality, it’s not just a moment of escapism for relief, it’s another sign of abdication of responsibility for the world in which we live. Worse yet is the LIE it perpetuates. Yes, the LIE, because how can people profess a desire for love, peace and sister/brotherhood while engaging in a system-game that destroys all these things? Yes, it is Black Friday–but not in the financial sense—it is a day of mourning, the day of funeral pyres for a civilization that engages in perpetual wanton destruction of everyone’s environment, war, and hatred. I’ve got a few notions about “door-busters” that have nothing to do with sale items.
Today on Democracy Now!, which usually airs at 8 am cst on KKFI, Amy Goodman interviewed two men with whom I found myself in nearly total agreement–IMAGINE THAT!!!—-author Derrick Jensen (The Dominant Culture is Killing the Planet) and economist and Right Livelihood Award Winner Chilean economist Manfred MaxNeef on Barefoot Economics. Even if you might not find a lot of common ground with their thoughts, you might want to seriously consider what you agree and disagree with and WHY. Yes, venturing over to read/view Goodman’s show for November 26 ought to provide anyone with lots of concepts to discuss with family and friends over the ”holy days” feasts forthcoming. Hate or love their ideas–but I doubt either will be boring.
This first video seems like a good way to create some awareness of the interconnectedness of all things.
Jensen’s interview reveals the depth and breadth of his scope of vision of our problem. As stated earlier, you might not agree but it’s well worth your time to hear him out then thinking about why you don’t–or do–share common ground.
Clearly people are capable of unified action for a one day event. Doesn’t it follow that humans are capable of unified action for more than one day if they really understood the stakes of this survival game? We need to do more than just turn off the lights for an hour.
Earth is an incredible planet. It is the only home we have. We do not own it. If anything Earth own us. Earth can exist without humans. Humans cannot exist without Earth. We cannot purchase another Earth. The Universe does not conduct doorbuster sales.
FYI–This post concerns sending board books suitable for very young children in an Early Headstart Program operated by the Oglala Lakota College. Anne works at the location in Oglala, South Dakota. Note: There is NO public library on the Pine Ridge Reservation–nor on many other reservations either. So–that means no nice free library books to check out for children or adults.
Clicking on Beautiful Day’s image will take you to Voices from the Gaps and more information about Ella Cara Deloria and others.
It’s Native American Heritage Month and today’s highlight is the incredible Ella Cara Deloria’s work Waterlily which is a fictional presentation of years of her field research regading women in Lakota, Dakota and Nakota culture pre-white contact. In an effort to make her information accessible to the general reading white public, Ella ‘packaged’ her first hand research of tradional Sioux culture in a novel. Deloria wanted to enhance understanding of Sioux culture, values and history for white audiences while perserving a record of this cultural information. Waterlily is the only such work of its kind–it’s about Sioux women, written by an educated Sioux woman based on the sharing of direct knowledge by women who lived the traditional ways. “It was a way of life that worked.” Deloria, Speaking of Indians. If you’re interested in taking a journey through a different way of living during a very different time, Ella offers such an adventure.
A woman who works with pre-school children at an Early Head-Start location on the Pine Ridge Reservation recently shared information about a literacy event. An item in short supply were those sturdy board books for young children. The few books that Head Start has lead very rough lives–hence the desire for this board book variety. So–if you have forlorn outgrown gently used board books suitable for young children on your bookshelves at home or if you’re willing to donate a new children’s book to the Oglala Lakota College run Early Head-Start Program in Oglala, South Dakota, please consider sending one to my friend’s young charges.
Please note that there is NO public library on the Pine Ridge Reservation–nor many other reservations. So parents do not have the option of checking out “free” books for their children. And it follows that neither do school age children have the luxury of selecting reading materials that a public library offers anyone willing to venture among library shelves.
So if you’ve been wondering what to do with some bright colorful “baby” book that your children have moved beyond or if you’re inclined to select a new book, Anne will be thrilled to share them with 13 other children who don’t see very many books ever.
Media Mail is still affordable for sending books through the U.S. Mail. Tiny tomes can be sent to:
Anne Fields
P.O. Box 362
Oglala, SD 57764
Clicking on the books will take you to enviro-mom’s ”Reuse: Spiffing up used board books for kids in need”–which offers an informative article about the ratio of books to children in different economic settings.
Do you do the plastic or paper bag dance every time you venture into consumer-land America? Even though these little puffs of petroleum have had their toxic pedigrees read again and again they’re still EVERYWHERE. Now–demand influences supply, right? So as I figure it–we can’t make the stores stop offering these death devils but we can stop taking them. Yes, you too can refuse taking another plastic bag –and feel so much better for doing so. It’s a small but important STAND against polluting our one and only environment. If you’ve got a ton of these ghost makers you can reuse them indefinitely. They are indestructible–chemically speaking. You can bring your own cloth, paper or recycled bag–or box– to your favorite foraging haunts. Some stores in some states will reward you for this with a nickel pay credit. Just say no to the Plastic Dance Party—cut the demand and stop the ”supply.” Stop the supply and production will cease due to loss of profit. Yes, even at this level money talks. Money always talks here in the states. So use it to talk back to those folks who aren’t paying any attention. Hit them in the profit margin–it’s the only thing ‘they’ value. By changing what WE do in our daily lives is the main way We will create change we CAN believe in for the future.
These documents are from Record Group 75, National Archives, Kansas City, Missouri. All materials are in the public domain. These are posted in order to provide access to the information that would otherwise be unavailable to some people. It is also posted in order to educate and inform others about the living conditions on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, South Dakota, in 1922. The attitudes conveyed in the writings are the sole responsiblity of the authors–who are currently unknown.
I’ve posted this for Rudy Little Shield who recently ventured into my blogcasa and ‘waved’ with his words. Sorry but there is no photo to accompany the text. Considering that this is from the Cherry Creek District the lack will probably be no surprise to Little Shield. If I discover a photograph in the future, I will post it.
Violating copyright births bad karma---imagine a mad hacker you'll never see coming--nor catch going. Respect = my work is my work and your work is your work.
Everything posted here is my work, copyrighted, unless otherwise noted. Comments aside. Om
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