Winnipeg-based beatsmith and producer Boogey the Beat drops a new live DJ mix dedicated to helping raise awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. RPM sat down with him to talk about the mix, music and addressing the issue head-on.
RPM: First off, thanks for the mix and for taking the time do this interview. For those that don't know your work, can you please introduce yourself and what nation you're from?
Boogey The Beat: I am an Anishinaabe DJ and music producer coming to you from Winnipeg, Canada. My family is originally from Berens River, Manitoba – Treaty 5 Territory!
What inspired you to make this mix specifically focusing on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women? How have you been affected by the issue?
I was approached by a good friend of mine to put together some music for a fundraising event on the issue of MMIW in Canada. Since that gig I’ve been asked to do a couple of other events with the same set, so people are digging it, which is great. I come from a family of strong Indigenous women, so to see so many of our sisters go missing is an issue that needs to be addressed head-on. Anything I can do to help to create more awareness is a priority for me.
How did you choose the samples and tracks for the mix?
I went in to the studio with a pretty clear idea of which direction I wanted the mix to go in. I really wanted to incorporate traditional Indigenous music with some current Hip Hop and Trap music. It took me one night to create the whole piece, which is about 10 minutes long. It was definitely one of those things that took on a spirit of its own.
What can people expect to hear in the mix? Can you give us a breakdown of the tracks you included?
The introduction of the track starts with various samples taken from different news sources. The issue of MMIW in Canada has been all over the news lately, so it really gives people a sense of the situation before getting into the actual music portion. The next track burrows a sample from the track “Baby Girl” by SoloCree. I really wanted to keep the heart of that track so I didn’t add too much but some more drum samples into the mix.
Next I added a Mayer Hawthorne track featuring Kendrick Lamar called “Crime (Vice Remix)”, and thought it would be dope to give it an Indigenous flavor. At the time I was listening to this one track on YouTube called “The Best Powwow Song I Heard In A Long Time”, and the tempo was perfect to blend with the Kendrick track. It’s funny because the guy’s name is Daniel who sings that song, and I sat with him beside the drum a couple months before while he gave me a few singing pointers. The next track starts with a vocal sample from Tanya Tagaq explaining the basic concept of throat singing. I knew I wanted to incorporate more than just hand drum songs, and thought sampling some Inuit throat singing would be dope. The actual beat to follow uses a sample from throat singers Kathy Keknek and Janet Aglukkaq. The piece finishes off with my own take on the classic “Indian Car” by the legend Keith Secola. I wanted to give this track more of a party vibe, if that is at all possible.
Many Indigenous artists are using their work to bring attention to this issue, like Tanya Tagaq and isKwé through music, and the Walking With Our Sisters 'exhibition' of beaded moccasin vamps organized by Métis visual artist Christi Belcourt. What role do you think art and music can play in the struggle to end gender violence?
Art and music have the ability to bring people together, no matter what race or background you come from. I believe music is the language of the universe. As artists, I believe all of our talents are gifts from the Creator. It is our job to use these gifts for good, and to shed light on the many different issues we face not only as Indigenous people, but people all across the world.
Do you have any plans to perform it live? Can we expect an MMIW Benefit Concert any time soon?
Since the first time I performed this set, I’ve been fortunate enough to be asked to perform it at a couple of upcoming events. The first is a concert and art auction called “Standing In Unity” in support of MMIW. It takes place on November 23 at The Graffiti Gallery in Winnipeg and features a great line-up of performers and artists. Tickets for this event can be purchased at EventBrite.ca and all proceeds go directly to the Coalition for Families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women of Manitoba. The next gig I got booked is for the annual Graffiti Art Programming and Art City fundraiser. It takes place on November 29 at The Goodwill here in Winnipeg.
What other Indigenous artists and musicians are inspiring you right now?
I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of extremely talented Indigenous artists and musicians along my journey as a DJ and producer. As of right now, I’ve been listening to a lot of Burnt-Project 1, Digging Roots, and A Tribe Called Red. I got to give a shout out to the people who gave me chance to showcase my music since the beginning: Wab Kinew, Young Kidd, CTL Records, Heatbag Records, and Dave Boulanger.
What are you working on next?
I’m currently finishing up my Education degree at the University of Manitoba, just recently became a new father, and launched my official website at BoogeyTheBeat.com, so I’ve been keeping busy. I’ve also been collaborating with Burnt-Project 1 to get a new project in the works. My main goal is to get as much music as I can out there, whether it be through beat production, DJ’ing, or just collaborating with different artists.
MTV World's music documentary series Rebel Music kicks off its second season with the voices of Turtle Island's original peoples—the revolutionary sounds of "Native America".
What does it mean to be Indigenous in the 21st century? More importantly, what does it sound like?
These are questions we've been asking since RPM started and every day we see the evidence all around us. Native artists are everywhere—making incredible music, building community, raising each other up, raising awareness, and kicking ass.
And we're not the only ones who can see that Indigenous artists are the ones innovating, experimenting and leading the way forward. Like A Tribe Called Red's Bear Witness reminds us, "Our culture has always grown, our culture has always adapted. We're trying to get everybody else to catch up with where our culture is today."
Enter MTV World's Rebel Music—a Shepard Fairey-exec produced experiment in soundtracking the rebellious spirit and creative innovation of artists around the world who are driving political change by raising their voices in song:
The anthems of protest rise up in underground punk-rock shows in Yangon. Revolutionary hip-hop in the barrios of Caracas. Drumbeats in Istanbul street protests. The pulse of electronic dance music across Native American communities in North America. The soundtrack is global. And the noise is amplifying as youth connect with each other, onstage and online, and find their collective strength to ignite change for the future on a surge of sound and ideas.
After a globe-spinning circuit in its first season (now available on Netflix), Rebel Music returns with a whole new set of adventures in sonic revolution. But before looking out to resistances elsewhere, the show turned its focus to the lands on which America was founded, and the Indigenous nations and peoples of Turtle Island who continue their struggles to be seen and heard.
But, as we know, the conversation doesn't and shouldn't end there. The "Native America" episode comes fully loaded with additional digital content from across the NDN spectrum, including: interviews with A Tribe Called Red, clips of Supaman's now legendary "Prayer Loop Song", features on the 'Native Warhol' Steven Paul Judd, comedy crew the 1491s, photographer Matika Wilbur, and Lakota rock duo Scatter Their Own.
Which is as it should be.
For Indigenous Peoples, art, culture, activism, and resistance are inextricably linked. And our presence and music are here to stay.
Season 2 of Rebel Music premiered with "Native America" via Facebook and YouTube. Additional digital and educational content is also available at rebelmusic.com.
Sicangu Lakota rising hip-hop artist Frank Waln talks story with Originals First about art, education, museums and contesting the "symbolic annihilation" of Indigenous People.
Our friends over at ICTMN turned us on to this new interview with Frank Waln as he tours the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Waln reflects on the imposition of colonial narratives about our peoples' disappearance and erasure that confine our cultures to stolen artifacts locked away in the glass cases of museums.
But he's quick to point out that part of contesting these misrepresentations is to remind people "We are people with a past, not a people of the past".
He also opens up about being raised on the rez, his first encounter with a certain magical reflective disc that unlocked his love for hip-hop, and the value of pursuing higher education in helping Native youth to pursue their dreams.
24-years-old and only just getting started. Waln is on the rise. Salute, brother.
All over the globe, Indigenous MCs and hip-hop artists are using the furious force of rhymes to express, represent and revitalize their original languages and cultures. And Mayan MCs, like 22-year-old Pat Boy, are no exception.
For Pat Boy and other artists building the burgeoning Mayan hip-hop scene in the Yucatán Peninsula, rap is a way to bring Indigenous language and culture to a wider audience and for Mayan artists to recover a deeper sense of their own indigeneity. "Through rapping in Maya," Pat Boy says, "I better understand my culture".
The Indigenous music renaissance is making it not only acceptable, but cool for native artists to represent themselves and their culture — and the resurgent wave is spreading beyond Turtle Island. By Pat Boy's count, at least 40 rappers are following in his footsteps—and people of all ages are coming to his shows. As he stated in a recent interview, "Old people like it for the language. Young people like it for the genre."
Rap keeps bringing it back. "Interviews tell us that 'the Maya collapsed'", he says, "which is a lie because the Mayans are here, just evolved and doing new things".
To get a better sense of where he's coming from and why is music is resonating so deeply with his audience and fellow Natives, we did a quick google translate of a Spanish-language interview Pat Boy recently did with VICE Mexico (so excuse the crude algorithmic translation) where he talks about his introduction to hip-hop and how the community has responded to his music:
INTERVIEWER: Hi, Pat Boy, you come from a community where the Mayan language is spoken, what was your first introduction to hip-hop? Pat Boy: Yes, the Mayan language is the first thing you learn as a child, I am native of my native José María Pino Suárez. My first approach to hip-hop was thanks to my brother, as he traveled to complete his studies in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and every time he returned to my village he had CDs and videos of singers like Kinto Sol, Akwid, Control Machete, Vico C and rappers from abroad like 50 Cent, Lil Jon, Cam'ron, Lil Wayne, etc.. From there we started rapping and writing our own songs, then bought a computer from the old ladies in which you could only record 60 seconds and so we started making our own rolas rapping in Spanish.
And where does the name Pat Boy come from?
From the Pat out of my last name, which in Mayan means to shape somethingor create something new.
What did people in your community think when you told them you wanted to be a rapper?
Many people laughed at me and made fun of what I was doing, said I had nothing to do, that I would not get anywhere, but at that time they had not heard what I sang. Now when I took my first album, titled In Ya'ax xin baal, my people began to identify with the phrases of a song called "U kuxtáal mayaoob" (Maya lives), which speaks of the current life of the campesinos.
With a legion of fans, and inspiring his fellow Natives to reclaim their culture, Pat Boy seems an appropriate ambassador for hip-hop as a revitalizing force:
my songs tell a little of everything, of me and what I see happening every day, how life changes in Mayan villages technology, pollution and acculturation. I talk about peasant life, how we have to get up early to go to work in the fields, go out and find other ways to live because the land no longer gives crops. I also sing about the holidays, customs of each people, always encouraging young people to do something positive. Tell them all we can achieve what ever we want and when we work and maintain humility, respect and peace. Anywhere you go you should not forget where you come from, your people and blood in your veins.
At 22, Pat Boy is already three albums deep, has multiple videos posted on his YouTube channel, and his SoundCloud is constantly being updated with new joints. We've highlighted the video for a feel-good crew track "DECIRTE TODO", which features El Maya & El Poeta & Victor Santo Barrio, and a recent Clipse-style minimalist rap track "PLASMANDO MIS RIMAS" that's available as a free download.
Hip-hop is the force, Indigenous experience is the spirit. And through both we keep revitalizing ourselves, one beat at a time.
How much do you know about Tanya Tagaq's music? To celebrate #MixtapeMonday, we take you inside the epic and artful career of the acclaimed Inuk artist with The Outer Reaches—an exclusive compilation that explores her ever-evolving auditory experiments and creative collaborations.
If it wasn't already eminently clear, Tanya Tagaq is at the visceral vanguard of the Indigenous music renaissance.
Tagaq is not for the faint of heart. Tagaq creates great beauty and great destruction all at once, one woman embodying our relationship with the natural world. Of course, this all sounds ridiculous on paper (or pixels). Until you actually experience what it is she does.
We decided to celebrate Tagaq’s groundbreaking win with a retrospective mixtape exploring her work with many artistic collaborators, so that our readers can experience the outer reaches and incredible breadth of Tagaq’s musical universe.
The mixtape begins with a track from the first recording in her discography, the 2003 Iluani release Erren, which features Ugarte Anaiak and Ganesh Anandan on percussion, and the late, great Canadian fiddler Oliver Schroer. Collaborating with string players is an ongoing theme in Tagaq’s catalogue and, in this mix, we also hear from her current bandmate and producer, violinist Jesse Zubot, and her past bandmate (and RPM regular), cellist Cris Derksen.
Longtime Tagaq collaborator, Vancouver-based DJ and producer Michael Red, who often cross-pollinates electronic productions with Indigenous artists, drops a dub remix of Digging Roots’ Rebel, from their 2006 debut release Seeds, which Red re-released in support of Idle No More.
Joining Tagaq on stage at the Polaris Prize gala were bandmate, drummer, and producer Jean Martin, and The Element Choir directed by Christine Duncan. We hear an early release from the Jean Martin Trio’s 1999 recording Get Together Weather, and an excerpt from The Element Choir’s debut 2009 release At Rosedale United.
As evidenced in her incredible live performances, vocal experimentation is a central theme running through all of Tagaq’s work and in her work with artistic peers. She joined legendary and iconoclastic rock singer Mike Patton on “Fire ~ Ikuma” from her 2008 sophomore release AUK/BLOOD.
No Tagaq mixtape would be complete without hearing from the incomparable Björk, who helped launch Tagaq’s career on the world stage. Tagaq’s unique brand of throat singing can be heard throughout the opening track of Björk’s 2004 release Medúlla, “Pleasure is all Mine".
We conclude the mixtape with the closing track of Animism, “Fracking.” Social advocacy is a strong current throughout Tagaq’s work, which she openly addressed on stage at the Polaris gala, by projecting the names of missing and murdered Indigenous women, defending the traditional and sustainable Inuit seal hunt, and in this haunting track, embodying the environmental devastation caused by fracking. There is no separation in her music between aesthetics, politics, cultural practice, and raw experimentation.
As she has said, "what we're making right now is going to be the new tradition".
So open your senses, release your spirit, listen close, and dive deep into this expansive acoustic world.
The Outer Reaches: Tanya Tagaq Mixtape - Tracklist
1. Iluani - "Half Way Up the Mountain" (Erren, 2003)
2. Jesse Zubot - "Sundowning Part 2" (Dementia, 2006)
3. Björk - "Pleasure is all Mine" (Medulla, 2004)
4. Digging Roots - Rebel - Mred remix version (Michael Red, 2008)
5. Tagaq - Surge (Sinaa, 2005)
6. Cris Derksen - Dark Dance (The Collapse, 2013)
7. Tagaq - Fire ~ Ikuma (feat. Mike Patton, AUK/BLOOD, 2008)
8. Jean Martin Trio - Get Together Weather (Get Together Weather, 1999)
9. The Element Choir - Cloud Hands (excerpt, fr. The Element Choir at Rosedale United, 2009)
10. Tagaq - Fracking (Animism, 2014)
Navigating the best and worst reactions from Native and non-Native audiences alike, Tall-Paul and Chase Manhattanhold their ground, stay true, and rise up in their hometown and internationally.
Tall Paul and Chase Manhattan have been building buzz and their names in the hip-hop scene across Turtle Island. Recently they both kept it close to home and talked with their shared hometown paper Minneapolis Star Tribune about their path in music, the power of sharing their work, and the ups and downs of getting labeled "Indian" in the industry.
Both rappers cite advantages and disadvantages to being designated as Indian rappers. On the plus side, they naturally stand out from the crowd. But there’s also a certain lack of respect from more mainstream rap crowds, who see them as something of a novelty.
Said Paul, “It makes you unique, but you still have to be a good rapper first or they won’t take you seriously.”
They also have been shunned at times by other Indians, especially elder leaders who see rap music as a scurrilous artistic pursuit — a generational gap common to any hip-hop artist.
“I’ve had some elders say to me, ‘Why are you trying to act black?’ ” Chase said, shaking his head. “That’s them being racist.”
Neither wants to be pigeonholed as an Indian rapper, and both have more songs that don’t refer to their heritage than ones that do. They are as likely to take gigs in clubs — including small-town bars near rural Indian populations around Minnesota and Wisconsin and the Dakotas — as they are to play pow-wows or other traditional native events.
Still, they said, they will never again shy away from bringing out their native past in their music.
“I’ve gone on stage in front of 500 people and brought attention to the issues the native people face, and I think that’s a powerful, important thing,” said Chase.
Choctaw singer-songwriter Samantha Crain's latest album of artful and thoughtful Americana tunes, "Kid Face," has been taking hold of ears and hearts across North America since its release last year. As of this month, the album is now available in the UK and lucky Brits are taking notice.
Samantha recently spoke with A Music Blog, Yea? about travel, writing and baking pies:
AMBY: Your new single Somewhere All The Time (taken from the forthcoming LP) sounds lovely. What’s the story behind the track?
Samantha Crain: I love to travel. I was born with the appetite deep in my bones. I am routinely asked if traveling so much and being away from home so often is hard. For some touring musicians, perhaps it is hard, perhaps this lifestyle isn’t something they desire, perhaps they just accept it as part of their lot in order to keep making music. For me, however, it isn’t hard. It is my obsession and my method. I am on the go for the better part of my year even when I’m not playing shows and despite the clunky, high mileage vehicles breaking down every once in awhile. Once in a blue moon though, I do need the rest and familiarity of Oklahoma.
AMBY: Which lyric off of Kid Face is your favourite?
Samantha Crain: I’m not mad, I’m conflicted
You’re not bad, you were lifted
From yourself with your lamb-like heart
And I’m your clone, that’s what makes it hard
—from “We’ve Been Found”
AMBY: What’s the funniest thing to happen to you while at a gig?
Samantha Crain: Once my band at the time played a joke on me where they got a whole bunch of other musicians (string players, horn players, percussionists, etc) like 10 people, to learn the end of this song called “Lions” and without me knowing they just had them all come out at the end for this really triumphant finale from backstage. It was really beautiful and hilarious too. I wish there was video of it.
AMBY: Music stimulates a variety of senses; which senses stand out as triggers to inspire your music?
Samantha Crain: I guess sight plays the biggest part, I’m usually writing about visual observations. But aural senses are huge too, silence is one of the best things for me and can be so inspiring. I need silence to think and create.
AMBY: What’s the best release of the year?
Samantha Crain: “In the Throes” by John Moreland
AMBY: And lastly, what’s something about Samantha Crain that nobody knows yet?
Samantha Crain: I feel like people know enough about me, more than I’d like, so there won’t be any shocking super personal detail here. But I will tell you that I’m awesome at baking pies and I collect thimbles.
‘Tis the season for looking back on the year that was: reflecting on the highs and lows, and seeing what music moments stand out in our memories. It's an interesting time for reflection, with all the hope and passion currently rising among our people, so let's take a moment to reflect on the incredible Indigenous music that found its way to us in 2012.
From new albums, EPs, and videos to standout performances and collaborations from all corners of Turtle Island and beyond, here are our Top 10 picks for the Best Indigenous Musical Moments of 2012—the songs we've been raving about and playing on repeat this past year and the sounds that stood out in our hearts, minds and ears.
10. Bear Fox x The 1491s, "Rich Girl"
It all starts with watching NAMMY award-winning musician Bear Fox, in collaboration with Bobby from Native comedy crew The 1491s, perform her song Rich Girl. The song touches on the issues of growing up in an Indigenous environment with very little in material wealth but having riches in culture and in the beauty of Indigenous life with family. Nothing like live and unplugged for some of the best musical moments:
9. NRG Rising, "From Darkness to Light"
"From darkness to light" is an apt description at this time of year as the hours of sunlight finally begin to get longer in the Northern hemisphere, and as our people rise up and unite. It's also the name of our next pick from NRG Rising, the New Zealand reggae band that features three powerful Maori women - a mother and two daughters - who create conscious, soulful work. We love this track.
Watch NRG Rising – From Darkness to Light:
8. The Medics, "Foundations"
The Medics' Foundations was the much anticipated debut LP from one of Australia's brightest new bands. And it rocked. Percussive, passionate, potent. Turn it up and let it ride.
Listen to the opening track Beggars:
7. Skookum Sound System, "Nawala"
As individuals, vocalist/song carrier Csetkwe, DJ/producers Deano (Dean Hunt) and Impossible Nothing (Darwin Frost), and video artist Amphibian14 (Bracken Hanuse Corlett), have been honing their skills for years. But just over a year ago, these four artists joined forces to form the dynamic audio/visual collective Skookum Sound System. And the result is killer. The collective itself is one of our favourite "moments" of the year, but here's one particularly bumping beat for you to get into:
6. Thelma Plum, "Untitled"
It's been a breakout year for this 17-year-old Indigenous singer-songwriter from Brisbane, Australia. Thelma Plum's voice and writing exceed her years with a timeless quality that can transport you to another time and place. With only a few tracks available online, we're all waiting for more, but it's easy to revel in what she's already shared with the world thus far. We love this live, unplugged performance of Untitled:
5. Nick Sherman, Drag Your Words Through
In the rip your heart out in a good way category, the debut album from Nick Sherman, Drag Your Words Through, is rooted in folk/rock and full of earnest yet thoughtful and well crafted songs. They stick to your bones and Sherman's rich, textured vocals is a fine sound indeed. We've been spinning it all year long. Listen to the track Winterdark here:
4. Samantha Crain, "It's Simple"
Miss Samantha Crainstarted the year off great with the release her 7" single A Simple Jungle and no one's forgotten the two catchy tunes it was comprised of. Her indie spun americana vibe shines in the tracks It's Simple and Cadwell Jungle. It's been enough to keep us going all year and we're ready for her new album to drop in a couple weeks!
Watch the video for It's Simple:
3. Cris Derksen, "Pow Wow Wow"
There was no shortage of killer music videos on our screens this year. Cris Derksen (who we also tagged as an Indigenous Musicians to watch in 2012) has one of our favourites. As part of APTN's First Tracks program and with acclaimed Indigenous director Lisa Jackson at the helm, Derksen released this intergalactic, fancy dance-filled three-and-a-half minutes of pure gold:
Loved as much across Indian Country as nightclub dancefloors, the increasingly popular purveyors of "pow wow step" navigated the diverse musical landscapes of hip-hop, dancehall, moombahton and electronic styles on their eponymous debut full-length album and, having posted the entire record as a free download on their site, it spread like wildfire. As a collective, it's been an outstanding year for ATCR - we weren't kidding when we also included them in Indigenous Musicians to watch in 2012. And it's safe to say we can expect more big things from DJ NDN, Bear Witness and DJ Shub in 2013. They're just getting started.
If you don't have it already, you can still grab their debut album here:
1. The Round Dance Revolution: Idle No More
Of course, in the so-obvious-do-we-really-need-to-even-mention-it category, we couldn't possibly round up the best moments in Indigenous music in 2012 without mentioning the #RoundDanceRevolution that is currently underway across the globe under the banner of #IdleNoMore. Unless you've been living in a different universe in the past month, by now you've likely heard our peoples' words, songs, drums and dances echoing out from highways, railway lines, government buildings, and your local shopping centre to virtually every corner the Internet. And on the evening before the winter solstice, before one of the largest Indigenous mobilizations in recent history, Ryan McMahon eloquently brought together much of what was already racing through the malls and minds of our people across Indian Country: the revolution was starting—and this was its soundtrack.
As the round dances, stick and bone games, and other gatherings and song circles spread across the globe over the holidays, it's no wonder that Naomi Klein said: "The #idlenomore round dances taking over shopping malls during xmas rush r the most subversion actions I've ever seen #rounddancerevolution." But the spirit of the movement is not just subversive, it is joyful and creative—so it makes sense that, as we head into the new adventures of 2013, we look back on something that offers us an important and inspiring foundation from which to step into new beginnings.
Since its inception in 1998, Toronto’s imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival has grown to be the largest festival of Indigenous film and media arts in the world. The annual celebration was held October 17-21, 2012. Melody McKiver was the grateful recipient of a delegate pass for Indigenous musicians sponsored by Slaight Music. Here’s her exclusive festival recap for RPM.
DAY ONE: Wednesday October 17th
I last attended the festival when I lived in Toronto in 2009. Returning home to see that most imagineNATIVE screenings and workshops are now held in the TIFF Lightbox (Toronto International Film Festival) is a welcome development, and a testament to the major impact this festival has made on the international film, media, and Indigenous arts communities.
OPENING GALA: THE PEOPLE OF KATTAWAPISKAK RIVER
The sole film screening held off-site was Wednesday’s opening gala and world premiere of The People of the Kattawapiskak River. Acclaimed Indigenous filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, along with many community members from Attawapiskat First Nation including Chief Theresa Spence, were present, and received standing ovations following the film. Preceding the main feature was Christmas at Moose Factory, Alanis Obomsawin’s 1971 debut film. Despite the 41-year gap between the two films, both share a gentle portrayal of the realities of life in remote Northeastern Ontario and a focus on Omushkego (Swampy Cree) youth. Obomsawin was on the ground in Attawapiskat as news of the community’s state of emergency went viral in late-2011. As mainstream media coverage quickly devolved into factually inaccurate stereotypical reporting, Obomsawin masterfully took vitriolic commentary from Sun Media conservative ideologue Ezra Levant, and presented community members’ responses to his unfounded accusations.
The film began with the community at the peak of the housing crisis, then showed community members celebrating newly-built housing six months later, and concluded with the court case that absolved Attawapiskat First Nation of any financial misdoings—and illustrating the callousness of the federal government’s response to the crisis.
AFTER-PARTY ROCKIN’ WITH DJ BEAR WITNESS
Following the film, imagineNATIVE provided buses to an after-party that offered a happy reunion for many members of the Indigenous arts community. RPM and festival favourite, DJ Bear Witness (of A Tribe Called Red), spun a wide range of reggaeton, Latin, reggae, hip-hop, and his own powwowstep. At 80 years young, Alanis Obomsawin showed off her spirit and vitality by owning the dance floor late into the night.
Alanis Obomsawin on her reception @ #iNfest2012 : "you make me feel like I'm coming home"
The party was also an appropriate send-off for DJ Bear Witness, who was set to meet his ATCR brothers at the Toronto airport less than 12 hours later to fly out to perform at the WOMEX Festival in Thessalakoni, Greece.
DAY TWO: Thursday, October 18th
PANELS & WORKSHOPS
I began my day at the Music in Film & TV: A Guide for Filmmakers and Musicians industry panel, where a diverse and accomplished roster of panelists were invited: Brent Bain of FACTOR; Elizabeth Klinck of E Klinck Research; Paul Stillo of SOCAN; Jeremy von Hollen of Instinct Entertainment, and RPM favourite cellist/composer, Cris Derksen. The audience was filled with film, music, and dance professionals, culminating in a lively question period. For my own soundtrack work, the workshop was more than worthwhile, answering some long outstanding questions I’ve had regarding the nuances of licensing new recordings of existing songs.
UNSETTLING SEX
With a slight overlap between the end of the industry panel and the beginning of the Unsettling Sex screenings assembled by Chickasaw artist and curator John G. Hampton, I snuck into the movie theater. Although I missed the screening of Dance to Miss Chief by Cree Two-Spirited iconoclast Kent Monkman, I recently saw the piece in a gallery and can testify that his mash-up of disco and powwow music is well worth a listen for powwowstep fans.
Dear Diary and Target Girls by Cree/Ojibway/Roma/Jewish filmmaker and video artist Ariel Smith lacked dialogue, but paired score and sound design by Ottawa band Crush Buildings with vivid black and white imagery. ‘Unsettling’ was an apt description for Target Girls especially: the cinematography was reminiscent of German expressionism, while the soundtrack was reminiscent of 1950’s bubblegum American pop with decidedly un-bubblegum lyrics.
Also featured in Unsettling Sex was Mars-Womb-Man and I am the art scene starring Woman Polanski by Cree/Métis artist James Diamond and About Town by Métis filmmaker, writer, and artist Marnie Parrell. The screenings were shorter than usual in order to give curator John G. Hampton time to read his paper on the series. His written work draws heavily on recent developments in Queer Indigenous studies, while also emphasizing that the films screened should not be essentialized to any single descriptor of queer, Indigenous, sexuality, or feminism.
CONCEALED GEOGRAPHIES
When not at the TIFF Lightbox, many imagineNATIVE attendees could be found nearby at the 401 Richmond artist complex, which houses a number of small galleries, while others found their way to exhibitions and artist talks including: Concealed Geographies: New Media Exhibition featuring the works of KC Adams, Jason Baerg, Merritt Johnson, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Justine McGrath and Nigit’stil Norbert, De Nort: New Media Exhibition by the ITWÉ Collective of Kevin Lee Burton, Caroline Monnet, and Sébastien Aubin, and Wbomsawinno: Les estampes de/ The Prints of Alanis Obomsawin.
RESONATE: YOUTH MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION
I made my way to RESONATE - Indigenous Youth Showcase, where a variety of print media and video art was on display by youth artists Nishka Turner, Leslie McCue (Ojibway), Asivak Koostachin (Cree), Cecily Jacko (Ojibway), Kyle Burton, Jared Robilliard (Dene), Damien Bouchard, Cheyenne Scott (Coast Salish), Nigel Irwin-Brochmann, Emily Jones, Alice Thompson and Alana Mcleod. A reception complete with frybread followed that emphasized the tight-knit nature of the community and everyone from newborns to kookums were in attendance.
INDIGENOUS WRITERS’ GATHERING & MUSKRAT MAGAZINE
That evening, I made the difficult choice to break from imagineNATIVE to catch the wrap party of the 5th annual Indigenous Writers’ Gathering and launch of MUSKRAT Magazine, where I caught up with Cree cellist Cris Derksen, who wowed the crowd with recent material not heard on her album or 8th Fire soundtrack, along with some older favourites. An all-star lineup of Indigenous writers, including Lee Maracle, Richard Wagamese, and Marilyn Dumont read from their work. Daniel Heath Justice’s (Cherokee) new poem, which dealt with lies told about Indigenous people, was a personal stand-out, as its unflinching honesty and emotional intensity were reminiscent of Ryan Redcorn’s acclaimed poem Bad Indians. And, of course, event hosts Sid Bobb and Wab Kinew kept the crowd entertained throughout the night.
DAY THREE: Friday, October 19th
SPOTLIGHT ON THE MAPUCHE NATION
On Friday I caught two documentaries that were part of an International Spotlight on the Mapuche Nation I. Each year at imagineNATIVE an Indigenous nation from around the globe is featured, and this year’s invited guests were representatives of the Mapuche Nation from what is also known as Chile. Indigenous resistance to colonialism, capitalism, dispossession of land, and loss of language were recurring themes in the two documentaries screened, En El Nombre del Progresso (In the Name of Progress), and Wallmapu - but also a profound resilience and fierce pride in their culture and nation. I would revisit these themes later in the evening, when I performed as part of the afterparty for the Mapuche delegation.
SHORT FILMS: TURNING POINTS
Immediately after the International Spotlight screening I saw the Turning Points: Shorts Program I. Showcasing a wide variety of creative projects, shorts programs are my favourite parts of film festival programming, but they often force you to make difficult viewing choices. Plus, I knew I would have to run to soundcheck midway through the program. But the opening film, Throat Song, directed by Miranda de Pencier, was a standout. Set in Iqaluit, the 18-minute film follows a young Inuk woman as she seeks an escape from an abusive relationship. The acting and the technical production were superb and throat singing, as the title suggests, played a major part in the film’s soundtrack and sound design. This incredible form of singing propelled the action through dreamy sequences of running and hunting across the tundra that owed much to Zacharias Kunnuk’s groundbreaking work in Antanajuarat: The Fast Runner.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE MAPUCHE NATION
As I ran out early to set up my drums for soundcheck at The Central, I was honoured to participate in the celebration of the Mapuche Nation and perform under their flag. The evening began with a selection of hip-hop and heavy metal music videos curated by director Danko Mariman, whose En El Nombre del Progress (In the Name of Progress) screened earlier in the day. The feature of the screenings was the 2008 film Cortometraje “Che Üñum, Genta Pájaro”, a 22 minute short by Mapuche video artist Francisco Huichaqueo (huichaqueo.cl). The dreamy film opened with a quote which, in English translation, read “When somebody has to move, he has to start all over again and open his eyes and look another way”. Movement was an ongoing theme, with a number of the performers, wearing helmets that suggest the mandibles of ants, engaging in near-impossible displays of parkour throughout the urban landscape of Santiago, Chile. The third movement was particularly mesmerizing, with the introduction of the song Anarky Plastic by Mario Z propelling the action forward and building the sound design from the first two movements to incorporate traditional Mapuche horns. The shift to electronic music in the final movement suggests that this contemporary mix of electronic and Indigenous sonic aesthetics is truly an emerging global sound (as we explored in RPM’s Electric Pow Wow podcast - which included artists Cris Derksen and Bear Witness, who also performed during this year’s imagineNATIVE).
AMAZONICA SOUND FORCE & RED SLAM COLLECTIVE
Following the film screenings, live music took the stage. Toronto-based Mapuche MC La Bomba opened things up with her reggae-influenced band, Amazonica Sound Force. All of the band’s members are veterans of the hip-hop en espanol and reggae communities, and performed a tightly polished set. ASF were a tough act to follow, but my band Red Slam Collective took the stage. Red Slam represents a diverse number of Indigenous nations from across Northeastern Turtle Island and our brand of live hip-hop draws from a diverse set of influences including reggae, hand drum songs, spoken word, and funk. It was a true pleasure to play in front of such an inspiring Indigenous audience.
DAY FOUR: Saturday, October 20th
SPOTLIGHT ON MAPUCHE NATION - PT II
On Saturday the International Spotlight on the Mapuche Nation continued with more documentaries. First up was the North American premiere of Francisco Huichaqueo’s 2012 film Kalül (Reuniôn de Cuerpo / Reunion of the Body) which brought his dreamy cinematographic style, as seen in the previous night’s Cortometraje “Che Üñum, Genta Pájaro”, to document a Mapuche performance art intervention in a shopping mall in Santiago. This was followed by the international premiere of Diez Veces Venceremos (We Shall Overcome Ten Times) by director Cristian Jure. Diez follows the political exile Pascual Pichún, as he attempts to return from his journalism studies in Argentina to his Mapuche homelands in occupied Chile. The title of the film is drawn from a protest song often sung by Pascual and his supporters. Protest songs are an integral part of the narrative of the film, sung by Pascual in exile in Argentina, and by his supporters in his home community.
THE BEAT
The Beat is a hotly anticipated part of imagineNATIVE that shifts the festival’s focus from film to music for a Saturday night celebration. Demonstrating the strong connection between film and music, each year The Beat opens with a collection of the past year’s best Indigenous music videos.
This year’s line-up represented Indigenous nations from around the globe, including: This Is My Time Everyday directed by Michelle Latimer, Leivänmuruseni (Breadcrumbs) directed by Oskari Sipola, Ghost House directed by Zoe Hopkins, Mr. Milkman directed by Laura Milliken, DirtyGames directed by James Kinistino, My Blood My People directed by Martin Leroy Adams, and Waardeur directed by Eugene Hendriks. I was proud to contribute drum tracks to this year’s Best Music Video, Sides directed by Mosha Folger, an Ottawa-based Inuk writer, performer, playwright, and member of the Counterfeit Nobles.
Nick Sherman (Ojibway) opened up the evening’s live music component with a commanding solo set. The Sioux Lookout-based singer-songwriter performed seated on his suitcase, which doubled as a bass drum. For the final portion of Nick’s set, he invited up the visual artist and musician Arthur Renwick (Haisla). The two men had only recently began playing together at the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals a few weeks ago, but impart a familiarity that I hope will lead to many future collaborations.
George Leach (Sta’atl’imx) was the evening’s headliner, performing a mix of old favourites and new tracks from his eagerly anticipated new release, Surrender. Audiences at The Beat got a chance to purchase copies of the new album prior to the official release, and I can confirm that it sounds as great as his live set. George Leach and his band pumped up the mood in the room, switching gears from the quiet reverence of Nick Sherman’s set to a full-on Saturday night rock’n’roll party.
They played a high-energy set, proving that nobody in Indian Country rocks a double-necked Gibson SG quite like George Leach.
DAY FIVE: Sunday, October 21st
CLOSING GALA: THE LESSER BLESSED
On Sunday, I made my way to the closing night gala screening of The Lesser Blessed directed by Anita Doron and based on the Richard Van Camp (Dogrib) novel of the same name. Shot in Sudbury but based in the Northwest Territories, the film was gorgeously rendered and scored. The film’s protagonist Larry Sole, a Tlicho youth played by Joel Evans in a stellar acting debut, comes to terms with his traumatic past as he deals with high school bullies. The film premiered earlier this year at the Toronto International Film Festival, and is well worth seeing as it screens more widely.
The 13th annual imagineNATIVE Indigenous Film & Media Arts Festival wrapped up with an awards gala at The Mod Club hosted by actor Billy Merasty, who donned this year’s circus theme and put on his top hat as the ringmaster. The crowd was tired but happy after a week jam-packed with festival events and networking that always ran well into the night.
To take part in the festival as a musician truly demonstrated to me how interconnected Indigenous arts practices are: what’s a film without a soundtrack, or a musician’s single without a music video?
At the end of the festival, my only regret is that I can’t go back and catch everything I missed the first time around. Aho!
Melody McKiver is an Anishinaabe musician, media artist and researcher who splits her time between Ottawa and Toronto. She is currently completing an MA in Ethnomusicology at Memorial University where her research interests include Indigenous electronic music, artistic processes of decolonization, urban Indigeneity, and Two-Spirited studies. For more on Melody's work, follow her on Twitter @m_melody or visit melodymckiver.com
Australia's OKA is no stranger to the Canadian West Coast summer music scene. They've toured Canada several times over, traveling as far as Evolve Music Festival and Folk on the Rocks. I had a few questions for the boys and Zappa gladly accepted the opportunity to answer.
EB: Of Evolve, Shambhala, and Folk on the Rocks, which outdoor music festival have you enjoyed the most and why?
Z: Oh man. That is too hard. I thought these interviews usually start with an easy question? We love the crazy uniqueness of Shambhala, the awesome vibe of Evolve but I must say from last year my personal favorite was Folk on the Rocks. There was something magical about being so far north. Oh yeah... and I also partied extra hard. Ha.
EB: You're from The Land of Milk and Honey; Folk On The Rocks happens in the Land of the Midnight Sun, what was your experience of Yellowknife like?
Z: It really surprised us. We had no idea what to expect. All we heard about in the lead up to the festival was the famous enormous mosquitoes. I don't know what happened – but hardly any were around. You can tell the festival really lights up the town. Our shows were so much fun and we met some awesome people. The sun not really going down was also a trip out too. My favorite time of the day is twilight. I call it the 'goo'. When we were there the goo lasted ALL night. Super stoked.
EB: I saw you guys play at Shambhala Music Festival outside of Nelson, BC, last year. I had a really good time. Although Nelson is in the Kootenays, I'm curious of your experiences of the West Coast of Canada - the fans, the people, the scenery - what's your take?
Z: There's no doubt the West Coast of Canada holds truly some of the most staggering and beautiful landscape we've ever seen. As a touring band you quickly get sick of the 4-6 hour drives between every gig. For us some of the most incredible journeys have taken place through the Kootenays and beyond. I still remember my first ride on the Jasper Highway to Robson Valley Music Festival. Every turn we were met with mind-blowing mountain ranges and such pristine glaciers. Makes traveling easy. The people we meet? Well lets just say they are better than the scenery.
EB: From what I can tell, you're all posted up on Australia's Sunshine Coast in the off season. Have you ever been to British Columbia's Sunshine Coast?
Z: No we haven't! But that's a question everyone asks us. I think maybe we're afraid of it. Afraid that we may discover another land that we'll want to live in. Ha. We'll get there one day for sure.
EB: For Zappa - how is your collection of small things coming along?
Z: HA HA classic! Coming along quite nicely. I think my last 'mini' gift was a legit uber small Swiss Army knife.
EB: For Didgeristu - is your collection of hotel cards growing since you were up North?
Didgeristu: Endless... its getting out of hand now. I should open my own hotel.
EB: Electric Didge... please explain.
D: Its basically awesome.... and simple. Essentially a length of PVC pipe, with a microphone on the end hooked up to a space echo, amplified, then out of the speaker the earthy sound goes! That's the easy bit. The hardest part is getting the sound. Stu has been playing his whole life. Takes a long time to develop didge technique.
EB: For Chris Lane - how are these guys to travel with?
CL: Mmmm... ummmm. No comment. Ha Ha. We've been doing it for 4 years straight and we still hang out. That's saying something isn't it?
RPM: What does the funk mean to you?
Z: The funk is that thing in the music that makes you feel invincible. Like you're a professional dancer with really really impressive moves. For men, it makes you want to walk right up to 'that girl' and boogie on down. For girls, it gives you all the confidence to tell 'that guy' to go away cause you're dancing up a storm. It's a smile. Is what James Brown lived and breathed. It's Yum.
RPM: Are you fans of Vegimite? Some locals want to know if you miss it when you're on tour.
Z: Yeah we're fans. The trick is not to use too much. I wouldn't say we miss it, because we gain so much in Canada. Example – MAPLE SYRUP. That stuff is elixir from heaven.
EB: What was your favorite parts of touring En Zid?
Z: Secretly I think a big part of Australia and New Zealand's rivalry is because deep down Australia knows NZ is awesome. Ha. It's SO beautiful. Kind of like a different version of BC. The music there is amazing. Fat Freddy's Drop spearheads the army of quality bands. For me, this trip was one of the WORST ever. I'd just come from the relaxing coconut filled island of Samoa and ingested food poisoning at Auckland Airport. I had the most painful 30 hrs of my life – with a 1 ½ hour gig right in the middle. I couldn't set up my drums. The boys did for me. Someone drove me to the stage, I staggered on, then played through the set. Hardest gig ever! I know next trip will be better.
EB: When can we expect a new Oka album?
Z: 2013 is another album year for OKA. We've been writing on the road and have a host of new tunes being tested at our shows. Can't wait to release them. DidgeriStu is an absolute machine when it comes to writing the beds. We'll have a show then go back to the hotel, Chris and I will wake up in the morning and Stu's like... “Check this out” - he's just happened to write a whole track while we were sleeping.
EB: Would you rather - a 3 album deal with a multinational record label and touring stadiums, or busking and outdoor festivals. For ever.
OKA: As much as we love what we do, we'd prolly take the deal (but still busk and do outdoor festivals every now and then).
EB: Would you rather - travel by horseback across North America, or travel on the backs of eagles to Narnia, but you couldn't come back. You each get to bring one other person to Narnia.
Z: Seriously... how could you say NO to eagles. I would happily fly away with my significant other. Stu has a family, so he wouldn't budge without them. Chris would have to be promised the beach and a surfboard.
EB: When did the idea to bridge Aboriginal and Pop Cultures through music and instrument selection happen, and when did it stick?
Z: It was never planned. Our music rarely is. It's all about the 3 of us bringing our flavor, energy, vibe and skills to the table. Stu is like a friendly bear. His presence is felt and respected. Technically he is one of the best Indigenous Didgeridoo players in Australia and he holds such a grounding role in the band. His culture shines through the music because it shines through him. He's a joker too – and I feel like it shows in his playing and energy on stage. Chris is the wanderer – so talented and versatile on sax, array of flutes, whistles, harmonica and guitar. He'll rarely play the same thing which is an awesome gift and big reason why our music is a journey. Like the surfer he is Chris just weaves through and over the wave of groove Stu and I lay down. Also a joker – Stu and I spend a lot of time laughing at what he thinks is normal. I was the latest to join the band and really found I could express my musicality and spirit within the music. Drums are my life – and in OKA I play what ever I feel like, Polynesian style, funk, hip hop, disco, latin, afro, jazz and more. The three of us just clicked. We've still never had a rehearsal. We leave it all to stage. We have loads of fun. Thanks so much!
Thelma Plum has been making some major noise in Australia after winning the triple j Unearthed competition, and now shares some answers to some questions.
The triple j Unearthed competition for the National Indigenous Music Awards in Australia took place last month, and a surprising winner surfaced from its ranks. Seventeen-year-old Thelma Plum took the judges and audience by storm and took the honors of winning the competition and the opportunity to perform at the National Indigenous Music Awards on August 11th in Darwin.
We got a chance to ask some questions of Thelma and she was kind enough to answer.
RPM: What is your name, location and occupation?
Thelma Plum: My name is Thelma Plum, I am from Brisbane and I am a musician.
RPM: How do you do today?
TP: Very well thank you, recovering from a gig last night!
RPM: After winning the triple j Unearthed competition, congratulations by the way, how have things changed for you?
TP: Thanks so much! Things have changed so much - for the better though! I think this was a great thing for my music as it has now opened lots of doors.
RPM: When you started music, did you ever expect such a great reception?
TP: I started when I was very young, so not really!
RPM: Who were your major influences growing up, musical or not?
TP: As cliche as this sounds, my parents. They have always influenced me for the better and inspired me lots with my music! Paul Kelly has also been a huge musical influence to me my whole life.
RPM: Are there any new artists out there that are on your radar?
TP: So many! Brisbane is thriving with musicians at the moment, Steve Grady and Andrew Lowden are two Brisbane artists who are amazing!
RPM: If you could work with any artist, past or present, who would that be?
TP: Paul Kelly! No questions asked!
RPM: What, if any, challenges have you faced as a young Indigenous woman in the music industry?
TP: I don't think I have really faced too many challenges to do with that so much. Though being so young definitely makes it harder to play gigs sometimes as I'm not old enough to get into the venue!
RPM: Do you have any advice for the youth out there looking to enter the world of music?
TP: Just go for it! You are so young, you have nothing to lose!
RPM: Thanks for your time Thelma!
Watch: Thelma Plum - singing her new untitled song
Gemini and Juno award-winning Cree singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie recently sat down with Democracy Now to talk about the origins of her love for music, her early family life, and her life as an activist. CBC Music documentary maker Philip Coulter also recently honored Sainte-Marie and her nearly 50 year-long career with a piece created from over 30 years of archived interviews with the singer, songwriter, visual artist and activist.
Originally from the Piapot Cree Indian reserve in the Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada, she was raised in Wakefield, Massachusetts, before being welcomed back to the Piapot Cree during a Pow Wow ceremony in 1964. During the course of her career, Buffy Sainte-Marie has received honorary Doctor of Laws and Letters degrees from a variety of reputable institutions such as the University of Regina in her home territory of Saskatchewan, and Emily Carr University and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, among others. In the last 48 years she has put out eighteen albums. Buffy Sainte-Marie has been covered by Donovan, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, Giovanni, Janis Joplin, Courtney Love and many others.
During these two interviews, Ms. Sainte-Marie recalls memories from the 1960's era of grassroots social movements, when she was just beginning her career as a traveling singer-songwriter. At that time, Ms. Sainte-Marie was traveling to cafes and campuses around North America, writing and performing songs that weren't typically found in mainstream music which, as she describes them, were "original to me, but an absorption and a reflection of what I was seeing on the streets and in college campuses."
It was a time when reactionary political activism in resistance to the Vietnam War and other political injustices had spread throughout student unions and subcultures across North America. Many artists had taken stances on political issues - John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Bob Dylan, and many others began using music to speak out against corruption and human rights violations being perpetrated by both foreign and domestic governments. On the show, Ms. Sainte-Marie performs her 1964 anthem Universal Soldier, a song portraying anti-war sentiment sewn through and through which speaks to the political climate at that time. "I wrote Universal Soldier in the basement of The Purple Onion coffee house in Toronto in the early sixties. It's about individual responsibility for war and how the old feudal thinking kills us all."
It is inspiring to hear Ms. Sainte-Marie speak of her convictions and her motivations for being onstage, as she tells Democracy Now that it was always the messaging in her music that she felt protected by and which gives her the confidence to be on stage. She describes her motivation for writing Now That The Buffalo Is Gone, a song written during the Seneca Nation's battle with the United States in its effort to build the Kinzu Dam, which would eventually flood their traditional territories and force hundreds of Seneca to relocate from 10,000 acres of land they had occupied under the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua. Ms. Sainte-Marie acknowledges the unbalanced and often biased perspectives offered by mainstream media as a motivating factor in writing the song, which speaks to the damage that misrepresentation can cause in relations between First Nations and surrounding national governments - a challenge which sounds all too familiar 50 years later.
This author has grown up hearing the songs of Buffy Sainte-Marie from the tops of kitchen tables in many family member's homes, and for that reason, it is an honor to present this article and these two interviews for RPM's readers. Enjoy.
Watch: Democracy Now's Full Length Interview with Buffy Sainte-Marie below:
In the course of creating the documentary Still This Love Goes On: The Songs of Buffy Sainte-Marie, Philip Coulter listened to literally hours and hours of the CBC Radio interviews the songwriter gave over the past 30 years. Coulter reacquainted himself with Sainte-Marie's body of work (eighteen albums since 1964) and had his own face-to-face interview with her in Calgary this past April.
Revolutions Per Minute is a global new music platform, record label, and boutique agency for Indigenous music culture. RPM’s mission is to build a visionary community of Indigenous artists and to introduce Indigenous music to new audiences across Turtle Island and around the world. Our main site, RPM.fm, has featured the work of more than 500 Indigenous artists and shared their music across our social networks of more than 275,000 followers.
RPM Records is the first of its kind: a label for contemporary, cross-genre Indigenous music, run by Indigenous people. Selected by The FADER as one of “5 New Canadian Record Labels The Entire World Should Know”, RPM Records artists include Ziibiwan, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Exquisite Ghost, and Mob Bounce.
