All woman recording an important work

Page 11

Review

HeartBeat:

Voices of First Nations Women

Smithsonian Folkways

One of the most comprehensive recordings of traditional and contemporary songs done by Indigenous women is found in a 34-track release from Smithsonian Folkways.

This vast repertoire by 18 diverse performers represents the evolving forms of traditional, intertribal and Euro-influenced music of North America.

The Six Nations Women Singers from Oshweken, Ont., Mary Ann Meanus and Verbena Green from Warm Springs, Ore., and Anita Anqoue George, a Kiowa from Oklahoma represent a living art form of interactive expression that embodies and conveys traditional teachings.

Their lives and musical experience are exclusively traditionally based in terms of language, land ceremony, history and perspective.

The Bingo Song of the Six Nations women, in skanye singing, is a record of a people's history of outside influences.

Contemporary singer, Joanne Shenandoah, (Oneida from New York) applies a much different character to the style and vocalization of skanye singing that is further enhanced by modern recording techniques.

The evolution of skanye singing is further emphasized in I May Want a Man.

Built on skanye melody, song structure and percussion, the song develops greater contemporary personality with guitar, flute and lyrics sung in Oneida and English.

Gospel singing within the framework of traditional song structure, melody and instruments are performed by the Tewa Indian Women's Choir of New Mexico and Betty Mae Jumper, a Seminole from Florida who also sings a set of story songs.

Although these traditional story songs are specifically vocalizations sung in Seminole and use animals as the central characters, the influences are the boarding school system and the European church experience.

Songs by Cornelia Bowannie and Arliss Luna (Zunis, New Mexico); Nancy Richardson, (Karuk/Shasta, northern California) and Poldine Carlo (Athabaskan, Alaska) represent older forms of oral tradition and teachings that take place an important part in spirituality and ceremony; Georgia Wettlin-Larsen, Assinaboine/Nakota from Minnesota uses her voice to mimic the sound of a Plains courting flute with Lakota Lyrics.

The spiritual, political, and social positions that women held in traditional societies prevailed at very influential and crucial levels.

Women drum groups and flute players have existed throughout history within different societies for specific reasons and purposes. The flute, often associated with courtship and healing, is played by Georgia Wettlin-Larsen, Lillian Rainer, and Geraldine Barney (Dineh-Navajo).

Barney also sings a contemporary fold-rock ballad about the effects of forced relocation.

The Crying Woman Singers, from Thunderchild reserve near Saskatoon, Sask., are one of a small number of all-women drum groups.

Their song The Northern Lights was given to lead singer Celina Jones from her great uncle.

The migrations to the cities, described as urbanization, has produced its own musical evolution influenced by metropolitan surroundings.

The trio known as Ulali could be described as being more stage performers than a traditional singing society.

Their blues-based a cappella, structured on traditional chants, stomp dance, working songs and gospel melodies from slavery times, and jazz lines with English lyrics and poetry, contains an historical record in the evolution of urban music.

The total transformation of the traditional to its electric counterpart, is presented in Buffy Ste. Marie's StarWalker. Continuing the tradition of story-telling and historical documentation, the song was originally dedicated to the American Indian Movement on her 1976 album Sweet America.

The main characters, Wolf Rider who "don't drink no wine" and sweet grass burner" Lightning Woman are viewed as positive role models for Native youth.

HeartBeat is an important collection and addition to the handful of recordings of traditional and contemporary Native wmen's music.

For more information contact Koch International 1220 Ellesmere Road, Unit 8, Scarborough, Ont. M1P 2X5 (416)292-8111 or Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings, Centre for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies, 955 L'Enfant Plaza, Suite 2600, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC 20560 USA

Brian Wright-McLeod is a radio programmer at CKLN 88.1 FM in Toronto where he hosts a two-hour Native issues and music program.