The defining moment in my life that shifted the way I was thinking...and brought me to ubuntu.
Great question. Tough to answer.
In the sense of living and breathing and working and playing.
My very good girlfriend was home recently and shared some music with me as we often do. She's had the opportunity to learn a lot about the Native American struggles in North America and fell in love with the very moving music of Robbie Robertson.
Mr. Robertson has been one of my favourite musicians for the last five years. He captured my heart in The Band and so - when she gave me a CD of his this Christmas - we were both surprised we were in love with the same man, but at very different times in his career. He was born to a Jewish father and a Mohawk mother. His music career took him to work with some of the most amazing musicians of all time. He has since left basement recordings with Bob Dylan behind and moved back to his roots with the Red Road Ensemble. Last May, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor General.
One of the songs on this CD that captured me was Sacrifice. It tells the story of imprisoned Indian leader Leonard Peltier when he actually called them to talk about his own personal experience with the law and his lifelong stay at "the swiftest growing Indian resevation in the United States". The story was told on a 1999 PBS documentary "Making A Noise: A Native American Musical Journey".
The entire 'movement' I'll call it, is both haunting and incredible. I realized that in all my life, I've yet to set foot on a reservation for anything further than a volleyball game. We have such beautiful, rich culture in our own land and it hurts my heart to think that I've missed out on it. I've visited and sat among beautiful indigenous lives in Africa and India...but not in my home country? I'm determined now to know more, to learn more. I won't be ignorant any longer.
Mr. Robertson has been one of my favourite musicians for the last five years. He captured my heart in The Band and so - when she gave me a CD of his this Christmas - we were both surprised we were in love with the same man, but at very different times in his career. He was born to a Jewish father and a Mohawk mother. His music career took him to work with some of the most amazing musicians of all time. He has since left basement recordings with Bob Dylan behind and moved back to his roots with the Red Road Ensemble. Last May, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor General.
One of the songs on this CD that captured me was Sacrifice. It tells the story of imprisoned Indian leader Leonard Peltier when he actually called them to talk about his own personal experience with the law and his lifelong stay at "the swiftest growing Indian resevation in the United States". The story was told on a 1999 PBS documentary "Making A Noise: A Native American Musical Journey".
The entire 'movement' I'll call it, is both haunting and incredible. I realized that in all my life, I've yet to set foot on a reservation for anything further than a volleyball game. We have such beautiful, rich culture in our own land and it hurts my heart to think that I've missed out on it. I've visited and sat among beautiful indigenous lives in Africa and India...but not in my home country? I'm determined now to know more, to learn more. I won't be ignorant any longer.
Too bad you couldn't have come with me to see the Blood Tribe reservation! Very dear memories I have from working there!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt sister. Sometime we'll have to have more in-depth talks on that time in your life. At the time I remember being so in awe of you for going out there and taking everything that came with it - even spit in the face! #warrior
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