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Archive for the ‘Native Americans’ Category

Joseph Boyden–Louis Reil & Gabriel Dumont (2010) [Extraordinary Canadians Series]

Posted in 19th Century, Adventure, Biography, Canadian Content, Canadian Music, David Francey, Death, Extraordinary Canadians, Gabriel Dumont, History, Louis Reil, Mike Ford, Native Americans, Politicians, Racism, Religion on February 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: DAVID FRANCEY AND MIKE FORD-Seaway (2009).

Mike Ford introduced me to Louis Riel on his album Canada Needs You, Volume One.  The song “Louis & Gabriel” features the lyrics “Oh, Louis Reil, here comes your friend Gabriel” outrageously simplistic (it is for kids after all) but so incredibly catchy it’s in my head whenever I see this book.  This is Ford’s most recent album, a collection of songs by himself and David Francey–who I didn’t know before this disc.

Seaway is a collection of 16 songs which are in one way or another about the sea.  Two of the songs appear on Ford’s release Satellite Hotstove, but the rest are new.  I don’t know if Francey’s songs are new or not.  I’m also unclear from the credits if Ford and Francey worked on these songs together (the notes suggest they did) or if they were recorded separately and then compiled.

The songs are primarily folk–simple acoustic numbers, often solo guitar, but sometimes with accompaniment.  Mike Ford has a great, strong voice, and is capable of some interesting stylistic changes.  His songs are more vibrant on this disc.  Francey has a wonderful, almost whispered voice.  He has a gentle Scottish accent which is great for his storytelling songs.  Mostly he speak-sings, but on some tracks, like “The Unloading” he sings a full-bodied chorus.

But it’s Ford’s song that bring a lot of variety to the disc.  “There’s No Rush” has a sort of calypso feel to it and “When You’re the Skip” has a wonderfully dramatic sea-shanty/musical feel to it.   And “21st Century Great Lake Navigators” is a rap–Ford frequently raps a song on his various albums.  His voice is very well suited to it, and his rhymes are clever and often funny.

This is a charming disc.  I wouldn’t say it’s essential, but it’s a good introduction to both singers, and, of course .

[READ: January 26, 2010] Louis Riel & Gabriel Dumont

Of the six Extraordinary Canadians books, I was least excited to read this one.  I’m not sure why, but I wound up leaving it for last.  But lo and behold it was easily the most engaging and, dare I say, exciting story of the six.  I’m sure part of that is because I didn’t know the outcome (even if Gabriel was somewhat famous in the U.S., I still didn’t know what had happened to him or to Louis).  And by the end of the book, I absolutely couldn’t put it down.

Joseph Boyden is a Métis writer (who I’ve never read before).  It’s obvious from the get-go that he is sympathetic to Riel and Dumont (which is to be expected in a biography, I would think).  He gets a tad heavy-handed about John A. Macdonald, but it seems justified.  For really you can pretty much take only one of two points of view about Riel and Dumont: they are either rebel heroes, standing up for the oppressed Métis, or they are traitors, intent upon destroying Canada’s expansion.

Now, I admit that I don’t know much about Canada’s expansion.  The first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, was instrumental in Canadian Confederation and was the driving proponent for the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.   But as with American westward expansion, Native cultures are in the way of this expansion. (more…)

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Louise Erdrich–“The Years of My Birth” (New Yorker, January 10, 2011)

Posted in 30 Rock, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, Louise Erdrich, Native Americans, New Yorker, Rafter, Richard Thompson, Short Story, Sufjan Stevens, The Onion on January 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: RAFTER: “No Fucking Around” (2010).

This song made one of The Onion’s AV Club voter’s Top Ten lists this year. The  description was interesting enough that I had to go check it out.

Rafter is on Asthmatic Kitty, home of Sufjan Stevens, so I assumed the disc would be intriguing, if nothing else.  The song starts out with an overly autotuned (practically mechanical) voice repeating the title.  From there the song slows down with some interesting lyrics.   As the reviewer said, it strips dance music to its barest essentials.  This trend seems to be kind of popular lately, and I’ve noticed that when it works, the rests are very catchy, (when it doesn’t it’s boring as all get out).

Now, I first listened to the song with the video (see below) which I love.  So I’m not entirely sure how much of my enjoyment of the song is predicated on the video.

However, I’ve now listened to it several times and my enjoyment grows with each listen.

Although I am always more interested in indie rock than dance and pop, occasional a pop song or a dance song will grab me and make me listen. LCD Soundsystem has had that effect, as has Daft Punk.  I’m not sure if this whole album is as interesting, but I certainly enjoy this song.

Shame that I’ll probably never hear it without going to YouTube.

[READ: January 11, 2011] “The Years of My Birth”

This story impressed me both for its unexpected emotional pull and its twist (in a sense) ending.

When the story opens, we learn of the narrator’s birth: she was an undetected twin who was, for lack of a better term, squished by her brother.  When she came out, the doctor said she would likely have birth defects; her mother, when asked if they should try to save the baby, shouted “No!”

But the nurse had already ensured the baby’s survival.  The baby was disfigured, with a misshapen head and twisted legs, but she appeared mentally normal.  And yet, since her mother had already rejected her, (and times were different then), the nurse, a Native American woman, took the baby home and raised her as part  of their family.  She even nursed the baby since she was already nursing a young girl at home.

The Native American family tended to her, working on re-shaping her head (with massages) and mending her legs (with stretching), and she found herself thriving (reasonably).  Her adoptive family was very supportive and although her closest-in-age sister once said she’s never get in trouble because she was white, she formed a very tight bond with all of her adoptive siblings. Her brother even nicknamed her Tuffy because he knew she’d get a nickname eventually and he wanted to give it to her.

Tuffy lives a quiet, modest life, never making to many attachments, for fear of getting hurt.  Nevertheless, she always felt a kind of ghostly presence in her life.  She knew it was her twin, although she didn’t know where her brother was physically, what he looked like, or even what his name was.   But their bond, or whatever it was, was always there.

And then one day out of the blue, she get as a call from her “mother.”  She wants to connect.  So Tuffy meets her for dinner and the truth comes out (just like a recent plot of 30 Rock): her twin needs a kidney.  And your heart goes out to her.  For so many reasons.

The last section of the story, though, reveals the depth of the character that Erdrich has created in Tuffy.  Because even though she knows that this family has done nothing for her, she has this connection to her twin.  Her family discourages her from contact with her “mother,” but Tuffy feels drawn to help.  Even though she knows she owes them literally nothing, she starts to think that maybe she got the better deal in life.

And then we find out why he needs the kidney, and our feelings gets even more complicated.  And when she finally meets her twin, things go in another direction altogether.

I was really surprised at how complex this short (4 page) story was.  I was riveted, and as I mentioned, emotionally torn.  It’s a great piece.

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Sherman Alexie–”The Toughest Indian in the World” (New Yorker, June 21 & 28, 1999)

Posted in Books about writers, LGBTQ, Native Americans, New Yorker, Sherman Alexie, Short Story, Superchunk, Violence on October 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: SUPERCHUNK-The First Part (1993).

The First Part opens with a guitar riff, very different from the chugga-chugga songs that they’ve played on the other tracks.  In fact, at the end of the verses, the bass backs out entirely leaving an interesting and unexpected sound for the song.

The second song, “Connecticut” is similar in that it also has a guitar riff (and a kind of solo) in the introduction.  The surprise comes at about a minute thirty-five when the guitar solo kicks in and the song suddenly shifts into an all out rocker.  This change is especially surprising since the song is just over 2 minutes long.

“Foolish” plays with a distortion-fueled repetitive riff that keeps the song moving.  It’s really quite infectious and something of a departure for the band.  This whole EP shows quite a leap forward in terms of Superchunk singles.

[READ: September 30, 2010] “The Toughest Indian in the World”

Sherman Alexie is the third author in the New Yorker’s 1999 20 Under 40 collection.

I have read a few Sherman Alexie pieces, and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read.  And yet, for some reason, he’s not one of the authors I keep a look out for.

This story is about a newspaper writer. He is Spokane Indian.  We learn a little about his past.  And one thing–his father only ever picked up hitchhikers if they were also Native–is a tradition he follows today.  Even though his girlfriend doesn’t want him to pick up anyone.   We also learn a little about his previous girlfriends (like the white woman who only dated non-white men).

Alexie’s writing style is wonderfully fluid and relaxed during this background information. It’s a very easy read, and quite funny too.  But things change when he meets the titular toughest Indian. (more…)

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