Indigenous Musicians Merit Center Stage: We Will Not Remain Silent
Monday, February 1, 2021
Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World premiered on PBS two years ago, on January 19, 2019. This remarkable, and long overdue, show featured Indigenous musicians who have had significant impact on contemporary and historical music. While most of the profiled artists are from the 20th century it does prove that aboriginal music is the true “North American” means of harmonic expression.
By watching the documentary we learn that the blues, jazz, rock, New Age and world music have had Native roots. Past composers and stars of Native ancestry range from Charley Patton, the godfather of the blues to the jazz artist Russel Moore and Kay Starr, one of the most prominent country singers of the 1940’s-50’s.
Others of influence are Link Wray, Peter Lafarge, Jesse Ed Davis, Floyd Westerman, Joseph Fire Crow, Willie Dunn, Buddy Red Bow and A. Paul Ortega, all now in the spirit world but not before they were able to share their talents as singers, composers and instrumentalists across the globe.
Among the contemporary artists are Robbie Robertson, Buffy St. Marie, Joanne Shenandoah (my wife), Joanelle Romero, Pat Vegas, R. Carlos Nakai, Bill Miller, Annie Humphrey and hundreds of others. They are talented equal to anyone else but have been muzzled because of their heritage. Whatever cartel controls the music industry has decided that Native music is not marketable hence made invisible.


Doug George-Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk, is the
vice-president of the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge. He has served
as a Trustee for the National Museum of the American Indian, is a former land
claims negotiator for the Mohawk Nation and is the author of numerous books and
articles about the Mohawk people. He may be reached via e-mail at:
Kanentiio@aol.com or by calling 315-415-7288.
Note: Content copyright © Doug George-Kanentiio
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