Indigenous Music and Identity

The Indigenous peoples of Canada have endured years of tribulation. Since the arrival of European settlers and their colonization of Canada, Indigenous peoples have dealt with everything from marginalization to segregation and death. But nothing was as devastating and long lasting than the attempt to commit cultural genocide on the First Nations. Due to the horrific effects of colonization, Indigenous people now face an internal struggle of recapturing identity and finding new modes of resistance. One of the ways in which Indigenous people have always expressed identity and meaning has been the facilitation of music and it has evolved into form of political action and resistance.

Music and Identity

Music is a form of expression that can be found in different cultures around the world. Music and more specifically "rhythm, dance, bodily proximity and corporeal experience" create affective associations and promotes social bonds. It is important to recognize that, although Aboriginals are depicted as one united ethnic group, they are far from that. Their music is often a reflection of diversity, with various Indigenous groups assigning more or less importance to the role of music based on their tribes history and culture. Regardless of differences in sounds and importance, all aboriginals consider music to be a unifying force. The traditional music of aboriginal people came from hand made instruments that consisted of items like rattles, horns and drums. Other traditional aspects of First Nations music included music circles, flutes and the close tie between drumming and First Nation groups. During the period of colonial influence and cultural genocide many of the Indigenous communities were forbidden from performing their sacred music which resulted in the loss of some traditional music. However since the removal of direct colonial oppression there has been a revival, rebirth and resistance that has guided the new era of Indigenous music.

Music as Political Resistance

Current Indigenous music is both intentionally and unintentionally used as a method of asserting difference. Music is one of the many features of indigenous culture and as such has become a tool in the process of ensuring that Aboriginals maintain their own way of life. Many aboriginal musicians do not consider themselves "political" musicians yet their artistry and sounds are often interpreted as containing meaning and significance. Political meaning in music can operate on multiple levels the most obvious way being directly in the lyrics. It "may also exist in a song's musical style, structure, form, or may encode in the juxtaposition of music and text". With this kind of political power through music, Indigenous Canadian musicians are to some extent able to construct their cultural and social identity.

The Indigenous Canadian youth have taken this political power and infused it with the sounds of modern music. The fusion of Indigenous music with modern music styles creates a space in which Aboriginal musicians can express their tradition and history, reach a wider range of fans and impose political significance in a way that will reach a greater audience.

Rap as Resistance

Rap has quickly risen to become one of the most listened to and appreciated forms of music in the western world and in doing so has also become a form of resistance for Indigenous youth. The growing trend of rap music became an enticing outlet for feelings and emotions and the ability to write and express rap has become a new form of resistance. As stated by John Manzo, "rap has become the preferred musical form for Canadian Indigenous youth. Like many other musical forms rap has two sides, one being the entertainment and money side and the other being expression. Aboriginal youth use rap for its second side and it is seen as a form of Indigenous empowerment and political resistance. There are several themes that these youth rap about which include Loss of Land and Culture, The Culture of Poverty, Discrimination, The Struggles of Indigenous Life, and Action and Awareness. Rapping on these themes, challenges oppression through narratives and also describes authentic experiences of Aboriginal people. Some may even consider rap as an extension of storytelling which is considered the primary method that Indigenous peoples use to pass down history and knowledge.

A Tribe Called Red

The newest genre of music that has taken the western world by storm goes by the name: electronic dance music or EDM for short. Unlike previous musical forms, EDM usually doesn't have lyrics which makes it purely sounds and beats. Just like rap, EDM has found its way to Aboriginal youth and has managed to become a form of resistance despite not having lyrics. Leading this EDM trend is the DJ group known as "A Tribe Called Red". The group consists of three DJ's by the artist names of DJ NDN, DJ Stub and DJ bear witness, two of the DJ's hail from the Cayuga tribe and one from the Ojibway tribe. Historically these two tribes are enemies yet music has brought them together which in and of itself is a political message that represents First Nation unity. Their music is often described as the fusion of traditional Pow Wow music and modern electronic beats. Some claim that this new combination of sounds has created its own sub genre within EDM dubbed "powwow-step".

A Tribe Called Red has embraced its Indigenous heritage not only musically but politically as well. Indigenous musicians have no obligation to become political actors or represent their tribes but more often then not they fall into the position of political icons.. For a Tribe Called Red their starting point was the simple notion of "throwing a party" but to taking over and Indigenizing a club is unintentionally political in nature. This process of becoming political by virtue of being an indigenous citizen is best described by this quote “What happens in the music is reflective of what’s taking place in the communities, and what happens in the communities is always, always political,” (Rogers, producer of Bring your Drum). Although their original passion was making music, A Tribe Called Red quickly embraced the politicized nature of their position in pop culture. Their resistance came in the form of things like tweeting "distaste for audience members who show up in warpaint and headdress or filing a human rights complaint against an Ottawa football team that wanted to be named the Redskins" . Another example of resistance can be found within the inner jacket of the new LP which has "each member’s Certificate of Indian Status alongside the words: “After what happened in the last hundred years, the simple fact we are here today is a political statement. As First Nations people everything we do is political.” . These forms of resistance of stage as well as the music onstage are all ways in which A Tribe Called Red is moving the politically charged conversation on First Nations into the homes of Canadian citizens. Moreover the conversation is reaching the hearts and minds of a new audience that can revive and continue to repair the Canadian-Indigenous relationship.

Rebel Music

Rebel Music follows young political activists around the world who are speaking out through music. In their episode “Native America”, that was aired by MTV through FaceBook and their website, the documentary follows Frank Waln, Inez Jasper, Mike Cliff and Nataanii Means. All four are young First Nations musicians from North America, who use their music to empower their communities and to tell their stories. Mike Cliff uses his time to speak at schools about suicide awareness in his community. Frank Waln visited the oil sands in Canada to protest the oil sands. Inez Jasper used her influence to encourage girls to take a self-defense class. All four of the musicians gathered in New York to attend a climate change march, where they also collaborated on a song they created. The four of them talk about the significance of them being a young voice for people in their community. They also speak about the importance of having a voice in pop culture in order to make change.

Why and What are they resisting?

The why and what can both be answered with one word,colonialism. Resistance today is the by product of the effects of colonialism. On paper and speech, the Canadian government has apologized for the transgressions of its past actions against the Firsts Nations people but that is only a start. For a better relationship to take root between Canadian society(and its government) change has to be made. The Indigenous tribes of Canada are still in the process of recovery from the colonizers and resistance is part of that process. In research studies, resistance has been found to be part of a natural therapeutic process. Though in different fields of study the word resistance can take different forms, it generally is the process in which an individual or in this case a group of people objects and finds ways to object change. Resistance can also take different forms such as attitudes, action, verbalization's and a more common and modern form, music. Canada has came along way from its original colonizing and cultural genocide committing past but it is no where near where it should be when it comes to First Nations relations. That is why major campaigns like Idle no more are still taking place and getting support from Canadian citizens. Resistance can only survive up until there is nothing more to resist. Modern Indigenous fusion music is not a new resistance but rather the same resistance that has been happening since the time of colonization. The only difference is that resistance is constantly taking new forms in order to relate and gather the support of Canadian citizens. Music like rap and EDM are just the newest form of resistance that Aboriginals have taken in a long battle to regain the sovereignty they lost hundreds of years ago.

Cultural Competency

Indigenous groups look to culturally competent practices in order to experience things like health care, social work, integration, and economic and political sovereignty and practices in a way that best aligns with their own cultural, social, and spiritual beliefs and traditions. An important part of culturally competent practices include artistic expression, including music, in order to keep a constant identity and convey messages across different fields of work in a way that is respectful of cultural heritage. An example is facilitating comfort in waiting rooms and throughout various procedures by playing music that is appropriate and reflects indigenous identity- this allows for patients to feel that their practitioners are more sensitive and understanding of their background and the implications this may have on their practice. Cultural Competence