Posts By: Hannah Many Guns

ONEHEART Canada: Come and Share Your Love

Posted by on . -- ARTS

ONEHEART Canada, a not-for-profit advocacy group, is working their way though Canada spreading a positive message about the well-being of our society. It’s a message of change, especially regarding the way our society—even our government—is approaching issues of equality. ONEHEART Canada is organized primarily by indigenous volunteers but welcomes people of all races to join in the effort to spread their message. “Most of us are aware of the state the world is in and the dire need for change,” expresses ONEHEART Canada. “Many of us have watched with concern, but then get overwhelmed with the scope of what needs to happen to put our future back on track. It is difficult for one person to address, but together, we can make a difference.”

In March, ONEHEART Canada made their way through Calgary and Standoff, Alberta, bringing with them a team of volunteers and performance artists, including pow-wow dancers, local Calgary musical talent, and First Nation Californian band Redbone. “We are a nation scattered,” says Redbone’s Pat Vegas. “When the United States government split us up and sent us into different parts of the world, it was like breaking up a puzzle. So we’re like puzzle people that have been spread out all over the place. Myself, and the rest of the members of the band are trying to bring this puzzle back together—bring all the tribes back together.”

 

Oneheart pic1

Redbone performing at the ONEHEART fundraising event in Calgary. Redbone is a Native American/Mexican American rock group that reached the Top 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974 with the single, “Come and Get Your Love” and achieved minor hits with “The Witch Queen of New Orleans” and “Maggie.” They were the first Native American rock group to have a #1 single in the US and overseas. (Photo credit: Hannah Many Guns).

 

During their visit to Alberta, ONEHEART directed their efforts toward drug-related issues arising from southern Alberta’s Hobbema reservation earlier this year. We asked Vegas what he had to say to individuals struggling with drug or alcohol related addiction: “I went down that road, and I’m fortunate to be here. I would say to [those struggling with such addictions:] don’t do it! The end result isn’t a win; it’s a loss. It’s a habit that you must break, and you must put your family, friends, and loved ones before you, and think of others rather than just yourself.” Addiction causes a lot of pain for those you care about, and that pain is an unnecessary kind of stress. So rather than disassociate from the reality that surrounds us, why not make that reality a better place? Share your vision, your strength, your art, your skills—every bit of effort to promote positive change makes a difference. The everlasting comfort of making a difference outlasts the momentary comfort taken from substance. Yes, it may be easier to fall victim to the latter, but this is not where fulfillment lies. Fulfillment lies in the time you spend committed to passion, progression, and sharing your positivity with the world.

And that is really what it all comes down to: the ability to share and contribute toward the well-being of your community. “People have to learn to share,” urges Vegas. “How much can you buy? How much can you spend? How much can you own? You see, things are exploding and going into so many different directions that we’re losing control. I mean, the more you get, the more you worry about and the more you lose and the more grief overcomes you. Everything has its price. But sharing, making sure everyone has a home to live in, land to use, and all the little things, that is important. So, you see, the real question is: how much can you share? This will make all the difference in the world. We just have to learn how to put it into action.”

Would you like join the many volunteers, including Redbone, in ONEHEART Canada’s efforts to promote change within your community? Visit [www.oneheartcanada.com] online for more information and a listing of ongoing events. “Together we can be the change,” encourages ONEHEART Canada. “Let us as people be of ONEHEART, have respect for each other’s difference, and build a home of peace for the generations to come.”

 

 

2015 Indspire Awards Celebrate in Calgary

Posted by on . -- ARTS, NEWS

Culturally, the indigenous community encourages progression through taking the time to honour those who have taken the initiative to build their community. In the far past, members of a tribe – men, women, children, elders – would gather around the glow of a fire, celebrating the individuals that have enriched the livelihood of their community with their bravery, passion, spirit, knowledge, strength, innovation, creativity, their everything. And they would feast and they would dance and they would listen to their brothers and sisters tell stories of their triumphs, encouraging others to go out and fulfil their own triumphs. The fast-paced progression of our immediate society can sometimes make people forget about this type of acknowledgement. Could it still exist? Of course, and it does.

Indspire Pic1

Santee Smith Onkwehon performs “We Woman from the Mohawk Nation.”

Establishing itself in 1993, the Indspire Awards has been ardent in bringing this mode of recognition back to life, and they have been for the past twenty-two years. Indspire takes the time to recognize fourteen certain individuals who have worked hard to progress the indigenous community, including three outstanding youths. This year, the Indspire Awards was held on the last Friday of February in the traditional territory of the Blackfoot people of Treaty No. 7: Calgary, Alberta. Inviting exceptional indigenous talent and leaders to tell stories of their upbringing, pursuits, and initiatives, the night encouraged and inspired those who gave an ear to listen.

Indspire Pic2

Tanya Tagaq performing at the Indspire Awards in Calgary, February 27.

Starting off the night with an explosion of raw, traditional dancing from the Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre, the stage lit up with a fervour of grand lighting fixtures and feather mixtures harmonizing with live traditional drumming and singing. Welcoming the audience to the Indspire reception, Roberta Jamieson, along with comic relief from hosts Lorne Cardinal and Kyle Nobess, began the pace of the evening by inviting the award recipients and performers to share stories of their accomplishments and future endeavours.

Of these, First Nations Drum got a chance to speak with a couple of the individuals involved, starting with recipient of the Art Indspire award, Ron E. Scott.

“For me, it is very humbling to receive an Indspire award,” expresses Scott. “I’m so appreciative of the opportunity to be included with the other recipients this year and in the past, because I feel that their achievements are so incredible.” Founder, president, and executive producer of Prairie Dog Film and Television, Scott has become a prominent member of the indigenous film and television community, specifically for his APTN on-going television series Blackstone. Being a member of the Aboriginal Filmmakers Program at the National Film Board, Scott invests his time and energy into training Indigenous people on the sets of his shows, introducing them to the ways of the film and television industry.

Indspire Pic3

Lorne Cardinal & Kyle Nobess MC the award show.

“In Canada, there is a lot of opportunity for indigenous people, especially in the arts, whether it be the visual arts, music, or film and TV,” says Scott. “What I’ve seen with TV and film production, within the indigenous community, the quality has risen every year. It’s a progression not only in crew, but in writers, directors, and producers, and we’re seeing some projects that are competing with other non-indigenous film and TV shows.”

Also showcasing indigenous engagement in the film and television industry was comic host of The Candy Show on APTN Candy Palmater, co-hosts Cardinal and Nobess, youth reporter and founder of Konek Productions Jordan Konek, as well as actor Tahmoh Penikett, who shared a couple words with First Nations Drum.

“Most First Nations across Canada and North America, as diverse as they are, are incredibly artistic,” articulates Penikett. “It’s how we tell our stories. It’s about the world, the tradition, the music, and the art – it’s in our blood, it’s in everyone’s blood.” Penikett has made a name for himself as an actor in films such as Man of Steel and his most recent role in the series Supernatural. Discussing with him, he spoke about his interest in being involved with more indigenous centred films. “I take on roles that tell a great story, because the way a story a told is so important. A lot of the stories I grew up with came from my grandmother, and these are the kind of stories I want to bring to the screen.”

Indspire Pic4

Crystal Lightning performs “Redcloud” to a welcoming crowd.

This day-in-age, where everything seems to be moving at such a rapid pace, telling stories around a campfire seems to be a tradition of the past. Bringing indigenous stories to the screen, however, is a way the nation can bridge the gap of cultural misunderstanding. “Unfortunately we’re underrepresented in film and television today, and there needs to be more First Nations actors out there, and more material that is about our stories,” states Penikett, and isn’t it the truth? There is an evident need in the film industry for stories scribed from the pens of First Nations story-tellers, portrayed by First Nation people, and given to the global audience. Why? Well, in order to dispel any misrepresentation indigenous people have encountered in the past, and still do today. “We’re at a time in this era where we have access to the web and the internet, and so now we can grab a camera and film a story on little to no budget, we just need more First Nations people bringing their ideas towards this type of communication,” states Petikett.

Indspire Pic6

Dancer addresses the crowd.

The uniqueness of the First Nation culture is particular to the worldviews cultivated during ones upbringing. In an age where most kids have a better relationship with their cell-phone than with their own parents, it’s a reprieve to see views from individuals that grew up focused on family ties, respect for the land, and a realization that technology is not something that controls you, rather, technology is something to take control of.

Other than hearing award recipients share their stories, the night was also filled with performances ranging from performances from hip-hop duo Lightning Cloud, Moari vocalist Pieter T, R&B singer/songwriters Dani & Lizzy, as well as mulch-instrumentalist and singer Niiko Soul. Of all showcases, the most unique performance of the night had to come from Inuk throat-singer Tanya Tagaq. Displaying traditional Inuit attire, dancing, and unique singing, Tagaq resounded the room with primitive ritual, bringing the entire audience back to their indigenous roots.

awards

2015 Indspire Recipients

Of the fourteen recipients, the other thirteen Indspire awards went to: Elsie Yanik (Lifetime Achievement), Brenda LaRose (Business & Commerce), Piita (Peter) Irniq (Culture, Heritage & Spirituality), Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay (Education), Gerald Anderson (Environment & Natural Resources), William Julius Mussell (Health), Dr. Wilton Littlechild (Law & Justice), Kim Baird (Politics), Madeleine (Public Service), Gino Odjick (Sports), Kendal Netmaker (Youth – First Nation), Jordan Konek (Youth – Inuit), Gabrielle Fayant (Youth – Métis).

 

Nominations for the 2016 Indspire Awards are now open. If you find a particular educator within your indigenous community reaching above and beyond to progress and educate people on their culture, why not nominate them? It’s easy to do, check it out on their website at indspire.ca. If you can’t think of anyone, why not make yourself that particular educator? Aspire to be who Indspire gives recognition to. You’ll be recognized by your community regardless, and perhaps even nominated to be a future recipient of a Indspire award.

 

Shambhala: Cultivating a New Culture

Posted by on . -- ARTS

A photo of ShambhalaMusic Festival taken by Hannah Many Guns

There are only so many of those instances that you wish you could seal up in a jar. They’re those extraordinary instances. The ones that you wish you could go back to, and that always seem to pull the edges of your mouth into a grin when taken into recollection. Shambhala Music Festival, an annual outdoor electronic music festival held in the forest surrounding Salmo River Ranch, BC during the second weekend of August, is definitely one of those very few, and very far in-between, instances.

In short, the best way to see the beauty that is Shambhala is experiencing it for oneself. The seventeen-year running festival seamlessly manages to gather thousands of fans, both veteran and new, for an enlightening three-days of peace, camping, music, and pure ‘Shamba-love’. To provide a vibe for each of the six unique sham-stages, this years’ organizers delivered a more than exceptional line-up. From the likes of Nispissing Anishnabe group A Tribe Called Red, to the biotic sounds of Plantrae, to EDM pioneers Bassnectar and Moby, each of the 150+ artists roused the stages, performing revolutionary sets from dusk till dawn the entire weekend.

Surrounded by the lush landscape of interior BC’s cedar forests, in the company of a crowd teeming with spiritual resonance, we got a chance to catch up with A Tribe Called Red during their second show of the weekend. Throughout their set at the Ampitheatre stage, the Juno-award winning group ignited their renowned electric pow-wow, spinning favourites from their record Nation II Nation, and presenting freshly produced beats. Traditional dancer James Jones embellished the trios urban indigenous anthems with both ancestral and contemporary foot-work.

“The crowd always gets really into it,” smiles Jones. “A lot of them come up to me after the show and say they see animals and spirits when I dance”. Along with his solo dancing, Jones generated a mini-roundance with listeners on-stage, inviting them to embrace in a moment of first-nation tradition as deep bass, accompanied by samples of traditional drumming and singing, amplified the Ampitheatre stage.

“There really is a cultural exchange going on,” says A Tribe Called Red’s Thomas Ehren Ramon, DJ Bear Witness, after their set. “We’re exposing the audience to something that they haven’t been exposed to before, and the audience really respects us for that.” For festival go-ers, both of A Tribe Called Red’s shows were distinguished as core Shambhala highlights, especially because of their ability to initiate an urban indigenous experience and invite everyone to join in on the dance.

Although, believe it or not, the music at Shambhala is just the beginning of what the festival has to offer. Everything from the incredible food choices – including local free-range burgers and vegan pad Thai – to the vibrant marketplace – full of merchants providing festival-goers with clothing, jewelry, artwork, and more – there really is never anything not to do during the weekend. This years non-music features included daily live paintings, yoga by the river, seesha lounges, oxygen bars, tea-houses, river-floats, mountain hikes, spiritual showcases, visual arts, mini-plays, on-site barbers, safety sanctuaries, multiple tree-houses, and many other unique activities that combine to create the Shambha-loving community that the festival has come to cultivate over the years. It doesn’t stop there, though.

Along with the vast community of merchants and showcases, there’s one simple ingredient that ties the festival together: the people. Or rather, the family. All the way from the ones that spend an entire year sewing and creating their shambha-wardrobe, to the ones that bring nothing but a couple pairs of shorts and the bare essentials. Everyone belongs. Perhaps it’s the close proximity camping. Perhaps it’s the perpetual pass-by greeting ‘Happy Shambhala’. It may even be the bounteous take-it-and-leave-its scattered along the trails of the forest. Regardless, the people – the family – they’re the ones that create that vibin’ Shamba-community. A community that embraces all of those little oddities, garners personal and spiritual growth, and accepts each and every individual for who they have become and are becoming, inside and out.

“I see these festivals as a gateway for folks coming from a more dominant culture and head-space,” articulates neo-folk artist Plantrae. “They come to be exposed to something that is a bit more different and creative.” Talking with Plantrae before his set, it became clear that his personal views, along with many other artists performing at Shambhala, deeply reflect the earthy and conscious expanding philosophies that the festival builds a foundation for itself upon. It’s a kind of universal philosophy. A philosophy that bridges and connects everyone at the festival.

“All music, and all different cultures around the world, comes out of those peoples’ relationship with the earth,” says Plantrae. “You see, we can have a relationship with the earth just as individuals, and then we can form kind of our own personal relationship with it. Here, we’re creating a new culture for ourselves individually, one that is just as authentic as any other. A culture that has come out of the earth, and that is very new. That’s the only culture I have that is really authentic and intact, and that’s where I draw my inspiration from.” Plantrae’s pre-produced organic whomps, whobbles, and drips of bass, accompanied by live improvisation from the strings of his viola, truly enchanted the Grove stage, energizing and captivating the sets attendees.

As the weekend came to a close, festival attendees packed up their gear and went their own ways, taking with them the sweet reminisce of what they just experienced. And it is these kind of experiences, these instances, these new perspectives and views and people and the everythings in-between that creates Shambhala. Shapes it as an instance that you wish could be sealed up in a jar. That is why Shambhala Music Festival highlights the pinnacle of what music festivals have to offer, and maximizes itself as, in our opinion, one of Canada’s most enriching and self-nurturing festivals to go to.

Tickets for next years festival go on sale on November 1st, so check out their website (http://www.shambhalamusicfestival.com/) and join in the countdown until the next annual Shambhala Music Festival. We promise, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss.

Summer: The Perfect Season for Music Festivals

Posted by on . -- ARTS

YYCFolk

What beats a summer day spent basking in a breezy heat, bobbing your head to live music acts, spread out on a lush oasis of grass? Very little. Outdoor music festivals are always in bloom throughout the summer, welcoming music lovers, musicians, or anyone looking for a reprieve from the stresses that daily life can create. Catching up with a couple bands at the Calgary Folk Music Festival at the end of July, it was nice to get the artists perspective on music festivals.

“Playing live, to me, is continuing the conversation started by the record,” says Tony Dekker of the Great Lake Swimmers, a folk group based out of Toronto. The band has been travelling throughout Western Canada for the first little bit of summer, playing concerts and taking part in headlining various folk festivals. “It’s very inspiring, summertime through the rockies. Alberta is a beautiful part of Canada, and gives me idea’s for our music,” says Dekker. “Our music is not really ‘get up on your feet’ kind of music, though. [Instead], people really appreciate our respite from the ‘made from radio pop-music’. We have something that cuts a little deeper, and that, I think, people come to really respect.”

It is quite clear that their travelling heavily influences the music they create, and listeners would come to agree that the earth, the wild, and the outdoors is reflected in each twang and string of lyrics produced by the Great Lake Swimmers. Listening to them at the Calgary Folk Fest, it is apparent that they successfully generated this tone, which perfectly reflected the philosophy of the Calgary Folk Fest: “a genre-defying… festival” presenting “… fiercely independent, creative troubadours and master instrumentalists”.

Though, music festivals invite listeners of all tempo’s and preferences. If you feel like letting your hair loose, clapping your hands, and swiveling your hips, there’s an artist that ignites just that. This is what makes festivals unique to not only the artists, but to the audience: there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. “I love the audience! Fishbone has always had a fine attachment to moving the crowd,” remarks Norwood Fisher, bassist and original member of 1980 ska band Fishbone. The group has been moving crowds throughout North America this summer, touring with brother bands Slightly Stoopid, NOFX, and Stephen Marley. Playing at the Calgary Folk Fest, Fisher gave the crowd a throwback to the underground world of ska during the 80’s, and even shed some light on the differences of performing back then, to performing now. “I became a teenager in a time where punk-rock was brand new, and punk-rock said ‘anybody can and should be able to do this if you had a desire’. To pick up a guitar, write a song, and express yourself. Hip-hop came right along with it on the other side, saying pretty much the same things. Though, it said in a little different way where ‘people were making something out of nothing’. They said ‘we don’t have money to buy guitars and drums, and we’re going to use what we have: turntables, etc’,” nods Fisher. “But now, you know, we write music on computers by ourselves sometimes… Back then it used to be we always would jam something up, improvise and use the void of nothing as our true point of creation. So yeah, there are differences, but even through the differences there are parts that are the same. See, there will always be that part of us that remains true to the roots that we laid down for ourselves, yet there’s always new experiences and new ideas changing us all the time.” They truly did stick to their roots, creating live improvisation an authentic ska-vibe on stage at the Calgary Folk Fest, which sparked the ears and shook the hips of the all attendee’s at the festival.

Want to check out Great Lake Swimmers or Fishbone? Great Lake Swimmers will be gracing eastern Canada at the Peterborough Folk Fest on August 23rd, as well as a show in Morrisburg, Ontario on September 20th.. Fishbone, on the other hand, will be playing shows throughout the United States and South America. For more information on those shows, just visit their website www.fishbone.net.

A Tribe Called Red: Truly An Electric Pow Wow

Posted by on . -- NEWS, Uncategorized

photography by: Destino Mendez Photo Journalism Student – SAIT
A-Tribe-Called-Red

­To become completely captivated by any kind of DJ seems to have become somewhat of a rare occurrence this day-in-age. It is a melancholic object when, more often than not, one spends a premium cover for a night featuring a notable DJ only to become presented with an overly hopeful crowd swaying aimlessly to a lacklustre sound-scape. Although, if you were to ask any attendee to A Tribe Called Red’s renowned Electronic Pow Wow party, which began in Ottawa in 2008, their reply would not only articulate on crowd captivation and rhythmic intoxication, but commend on the DJ trio’s ability to generate a kind of palpable energy that both cultivates contemporary EDM as well as encapsulates first nation heritage.

A Tribe Called Red, comprised of Daniel General (DJ Shub), Ian Campeau (DJ NDN), and Thomas Ehren Ramon (Bear Witness), have been electrifying various venues and clubs with their unique sound as they make their way across Canada, and parts of the United States, on their most recent tour. “We’re out to have fun,” say’s Ramon before their show in Calgary on February 20th. “We’re here to throw a good dance party and make people want to dance.” The trio has been doing just that, generating a culturally transcending kind of energy for club-goers of all ages and races to move and swivel their feet and hips to. It literally is, as the name Electric Pow Wow would suggest, a party pow wow in the midst of an urban landscape.

All three members are adamant and focused when it comes to their fans pleasure. “In the beginning, what inspired us were the people who were supporting our parties,” says Ramon. “Right away our Electric Pow Wow parties were packed and selling out in Ottawa, and there was a real feeling of reaction from the people coming to support it. It was something that they needed and they wanted, so it was something that we had to continue. With the way that the indigenous community in Ottawa admired what we were trying to do so quickly, we wanted to make something to give back to those people who were showing us so much love. So that’s when we started mixing pow wow music with electronic music. It was to make something that represented the urban indigenous population of Ottawa.”

Along with their talent for creating electronic music, the trio’s ability to couple their unique sound with first nation traditional drumming and vocal segments is what makes them truly exceptional.“On Nation II Nation, we specifically used a record label called Travel Spirit. Under their label are ten or twelve young drum groups, so we used their catalogue,” notes General. This incorporation of traditional pow wow juxtaposed with the groups contemporary EDM sound is what sparks the ears of music lovers, and has successfully placed them in the ranking for Canadian music recognition.

The troupe have been longlisted nominee’s for the past two annual Polaris Music Prize’s, and have won several awards at the 2013 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards. Most recently, though, the group received a dual Juno nomination for breakthrough group of the year and electronic album of the year for their most recent album Nation II Nation. “We couldn’t be more excited and honoured for both nominations,” say General. Alongside standout artists such as Ryan Hemsworth, July Talk, and Born Ruffians, A Tribe Called Red collectively agrees that they are ready, and ecstatic, for the 2014 Juno Awards ceremony and festival in Winnipeg later on this month.

However, despite being considered for these two Juno awards, which is a feat in and of itself, one may ask why this stand-out first nation group was not nominated for the Juno aboriginal album of the year award.

“We didn’t want to compete with people for our background,” says Campeau. “We wanted to compete with people for our music. [The aboriginal music award] is fantastic, don’t get me wrong; we just didn’t feel comfortable competing our album with, say, George Leach’s album [Surrender]. You can’t really pick between a rock album and an electronic album and decide which ones the better album, yet, we’re put in the same category because we’re the same race? It didn’t really make a lot of sense to us, so we just didn’t apply for it.”

This doesn’t go without saying that the group displays a distinct passion for their cultural background. “The unique perspective we have is that we are urban indigenous people,” states Ramon. “It’s something that hasn’t been too widespread in the past, the urban indigenous experience, and that’s where it’s coming from with us. There are few other groups that have pursued to express that.” This perspective is exactly what fuels the group to create the music that they do, and has put them on the cultural forefront for all urban indigenous people, especially with the First Nations political protest and movement Idle No More.

“Idle No More,” nods Campeau. “The battle ground was Ottawa, and we were making Nation II Nation when that was happening. So, a lot of that emotion that was going on at that time fuelled what was put into that album.” Along with Nation II Nation, the groups freestyle live act also brings to focus the political side of what they pursue to achieve through their music. “With our party,” says Campeau, “people come to dance and it’s a really good time. But we’re playing pretty political music with, say, the comments on the relationship between first nations and non-first nations, as well as the overall misrepresentation of first nations in the media.”

Although, the group doesn’t pursue to push their, or anyone’s, political perspectives on fans. “All of the politics, and all of the rest of it that has to come with being an indigenous artist, is not on the forefront of what we’re doing,” states Campeau. “I mean, it’s on the forefront of what we’re talking about, and is a huge part of what we do. But the main goal that we have is to have a good time, and throw a wicked dance party.”

A Tribe Called Red plans to continue touring throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe, and is set to perform in festivals this year including South by Southwest, New Orleans Jazz Fest, Riddu Riddu Festival, and Pohoda Festival. In addition, the group is also in the works of creating and dropping a brand new album. “It’s going to be a collaborative album,” says Campeau, “showcasing a bunch of aboriginal and non-aboriginal artists from all over the place.” The trio plans to incorporate a heavier amount of rap infusions in their new material, and hopes to highlight local and independent hip-hop artists. Want to stay in check with what the group is up to? Check out their website atribecalledred.com for general information, advanced tickets, and their tour schedule, as well as follow their Twitter and Facebook pages @atribecalledred to track their all of their progress up-to-date.