Shooting straight
from the hip
Gary Elaschuk, Sweetgrass Writer, Kikino Metis Settlement
They opened for international rap artists Wu Tang Clan and
Ice T. They play recreation centres in isolated northern communities.
The group War Party is "Cree hip-hop straight from the reserve"
and their fan base is growing across North America.
In April the Hobbema group played at the Telus World Ski and
Snowboard Festival in Whistler, B.C., in a show that was broadcast
internationally on ESPN. In mid-July, they found themselves a
figurative world away, playing to an audience of about 50 young
people at the eigth Annual Métis Settlements Youth Conference
held at Kikino Métis Settlement, 180 km northeast of Edmonton.
Group leader Rex Smallboy, a 30-year-old who has seen most of
the curves life throws at Native people, said playing the small
concerts helps keep the group grounded in the reality of what
they want to write about, and allows them to see the impact of
the messages they deliver.
"Life is 20 per cent what happens to you and 80 per cent
how you deal with it," he told the youth at Kikino.
"Believe in yourself." And help others believe in themselves,
he added. "Lift each other up.
"The biggest thing I learned with my music is believing
in myself," he said. "There are a lot of similarities
between what happened with Native people and blacks in the United
States," and that's why hip hop, which came out of the inner-city
black experience, had its initial appeal for Russ and fellow
group members Karmen Omeosoo, 22, and Rex's wife Cynthia Smallboy.
Both the American black population and North American Natives
are economically and socially downtrodden people, Rex Smallboy
said; people who have had their pride and dignity assailed for
generations.
"Hip hop gave me a voice to express those issues,"
he said. "It also became a healing tool that showed me how
to move on with life and have a positive attitude.
"We try to represent the Indian experience in a responsible
way. We talk to Elders about what we should be writing about,"
he told his audience.
Often they are accused of "trying to be black; trying to
be something you are not," he added. His response is that
"hip hop transcends racial lines. It's international. There
are hip hop performers in China, in India, all over the world."
The international nature of hip hop music, as interpreted by
War Party, can be heard in their sound that incorporates samplings
of jazz, soul, rock, and even country.
"Hip hop is like today's rock and roll," Smallboy said
in an interview after the performance. "It's an evolved
form (of music) with the street identity. There are no barriers
to expression. We can do anything we want and get away with it."
The appeal of War Party is found in the mix of the music and
the message they deliver, but for the group the music came first.
"The message just kind of came because the music made us
soul-search," Smallboy said. "It made us take a look
at ourselves, and look at our people and where we came from.
"Hip hop gives me the opportunity to voice myself. It gives
me the opportunity to stand up and be proud of who I am and influence
young people in a positive way."
He said they had no intention of exploiting who they are or where
they came from.
"We do not pretend to speak on behalf of everybody. We're
just trying to create some positive vibe in our people.
"We need to restore pride. I tell these kids they can do
whatever they want. Your dreams are the boat that carries you
to success."
The success of War Party is a testament to following a dream,
though it's a success that falls a little short if you measure
it in only economic terms.
This is a "working to make music" group, but if there
is any fairness in the music business their time is just around
the corner.
The group first came together in 1995. They won the "Best
Rap/Hip Hop Album" at the 2001 Canadian Aboriginal Music
Awards for their first CD- The Reign-available through www.arborrecords.com.
They released a six-track EP in April, and will be releasing
a 20-track CD this summer/fall, which they are producing as an
independent. This CD will be distributed by HMV music stores.
"We are handling all the business of it ourselves,"
Smallboy said. "I had to learn to be a white businessman,
but I still maintain my First Nations integrity; I do my music
for my people."
The CD that will be released later this summer was recorded at
their home studio at Hobbema using computer technology learned
from the ground up.
The group is also doing a compilation called "Rez Cuts"
to expose other Native rap and hip hop groups.
"Word of mouth from our fans is creating a buzz about us,
"Smallboy said. "They are our inspiration."
A music video that got a lot of play on MuchMusic, "Feelin
Reserved", is adding to that buzz. The video was produced
with funding from MuchMusic, the first time a Native American
rap or hip hop group received such funding for an independent
project. The video was also nominated for "Best Music Video"
in the 2002 Urban Music Association of Canada awards.
The group set another first when they were the first Native American
group to host MuchMusic's "Rap City" show, and another
when they were the first musicians in Canada to get sponsorship
from international designer Tommy Hilfiger when they wore his
clothing at the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler.
War Party has opened for the groups Wu Tang Clan, Mack 10, and
Ice T, and played in front of thousands of people at the Native
American Music Awards in Hartford, at Canada Day in Calgary,
and in big clubs like Reds in Edmonton. They played at the opening
ceremonies of this year's Indigenous Games in Winnipeg, and in
a concert during the event. They also play all over Western Canada
to small audiences like the one at Kikino.
One of their biggest gigs was one that never happened. They were
the opening act for the Wu Tang Clan show in Calgary in 1997
that was cancelled when some of the Clan was detained at the
border. The cancellation was last minute, and the crowd outside
the building was not happy about it.
"It was scary," Smallboy said. "We were inside
the building and people were trying to get in. There was almost
a riot."
Their smallest gig was just as memorable-playing in front of
14 kids in Profit River in northern B.C. A foul up by the manager
meant the equipment was left behind on the long road trip.
"We did the concert, but didn't have equipment for the dance,"
Smallboy said. "The kids went home and came back with their
home stereos and lights, hooked all the equipment together and
got us to DJ their dance. We met positive kids all over, but
that was a unique bunch."
Watch for War Party on the big ticket shows in the future, and
keep an eye out for them in the far flung communities of western
Canada and the N.W.T. For tour schedules and updates on their
recording projects, visit their web site at http://www.warparty.cjb.net.
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Thrills chills
and spills at Kainai
Nancy White, Sweetgrass Writer, Stand Off
One of the favorite stops on both the powwow trail and rodeo
circuit is Kainai Days Summer Powwow, Rodeo and Fair that was
held in Stand Off on July 19 to 21.
The weekend proved to be a hot and dusty one, but that didn't
slow the dancers or the cowboys down.
This year's Kainai rodeo roster listed some of the top names
on the Indian rodeo circuit, plus those making their way through
the ranks. The cowboys and cowgirls are all collecting points
towards the 2002 Indian National Finals Rodeo that will be held
in California.
With contestants from Montana, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the
weekend was full of all the thrills and spills that makes rodeo
famous.
The dry ground made for some great times in the barrel racing.
Young Raven Shade from Montana was well mounted on her big bay
horse, showing the ladies how the pattern's supposed to be done,
with a 17.75 second run in the junior barrel racing on Saturday.
In calf roping, Slim Crayton managed a blazing 9.8 to take the
fasted time of the day. Sadie Johnson wrapped things up in the
ladies break away roping with an impressive 3.9 second run.
The rough stock was excellent this year, giving the cowboys a
good run for the money. Dean MacDonald teamed up well with a
high kicking roan horse in the saddle bronc for a 73 point ride.
Tuck Johnson showed what he was made of with an impressive 71
point ride in the boys steer riding.
The spine tingling, event of bull riding was as crowd pleasing
as ever with as many cheering for the bulls as there were for
the cowboys. Though bulls outdid most of the cowboys, David Alexander
was able to make the eight seconds aboard a fast spinning bull
for a 71 point ride.
The weekend wrapped up with awards and an honor dance for all
the rodeo contestants at the powwow.
With midway rides for the excitements seekers at the fair, Indian
taco's, drumming and dancing at the powwow to dusty rides and
wrecks at the rodeo, Kainai days summer Powwow, Rodeo and Fair
had something to offer everyone's taste in fun.
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