A dear brother of mine sent this picture of the Red Road to me and asked me what I thought. Aside from being a beautiful picture I noticed that the Red Road is EMPTY! Hell yes it is empty! Take a gander at the state of Indian Country, hell take a look at the entire world. Doesn't seem to me that there are very many people on this "red road" at all. Not in the way we back stab, abuse, lie, malign, and attempt to drag one another down constantly.
I was a member of a drum group back in the early 90's to maybe the mid to late 90's. We were a sober drum, we took that commitment to sobriety seriously. We also took the commitment to each other very seriously. We were in a perpetual state of education, we read books, we listened to lectures, we discussed everything from other religions, to politics, to gang violence to interpersonal relationships. Those of us who were younger were blessed to have two "Big Brothers" of the drum who went out of their way to direct us in pow wow etiquette, how to approach an elder, how to build a sacred fire, how to sing a pipe song in both Odawa and Lakota, the importance of Flag Songs, regalia, the whole deal. We were all up in each others business because the idea of gathering around a drum was to bring a community together. This is the land of the drum! That Grandfather is responsible for carrying on our traditions and songs and way of life just as much as elders and our mothers are. Period. It's a fact. As brothers we were ready at the drop of a hat to attend any event and go anywhere regardless of our accommodations. We were not there for comfort we were there for our people. We were in unison because our goal was to bring pride back to where it was not.
I grew a close bond with Joe, Kevin, who is still my big brother. These two men in particular taught me to stand when it is not popular, to face down those who hate and deliver truth. They taught me along with Connie Sagataw and Barb Gentry to speak truth to power. I only learned to do it in the way I do because I came back to our ways because of the drum. Tony Goulet and I became so close because we committed ourselves to serving the community AND one another. We learned of each other. We learn a lot about people, but too few of us learn of. The preposition “of” means that you learn the spirit that motivates a person to say and do what they do. That is what we do.
Do you see how important it is to me to take this stuff most seriously?
I learned not too long ago about some drum groups, I'm not naming names here but I will if you ask, have a "24 hour rule" which is that if you want to sing at the drum you must be sober at least 24 hours. If you ask one member how another member is fairing, out of true concern and not some bullshit gossip session, they have no idea. They will say, "we don't drum like that". What's that mean? How can you sing a song that is sacred, holy or vital (vital means to give life) to our people if just a few hours ago you were drinking? Knowing full and damn well what alcohol does to us? Knowing full and well that Medicine Women and Men and elders have told all of us over and over of what alcohol does to us at a cellular level let alone a spiritual level? These are not "songs" to just sing along with, these are the sounds that we have been blessed with to show appreciation and honor to those things that we need to honor and appreciate.
When did it become OK to NOT be my brothers keeper? You just singing to be singing? If that's the case then turn it over to white folks. Let white folks who admire our culture come on in and take charge. Maybe they will respect that Grandfather and treat that tool that was given to US like it should be. Sadly there seems to be more whites that know about our culture than we do because they at least take an interest in it! I'm saying that because I love it when WE seem to think that the only thing you need to do to be respected as an Indian is be brown. The drum didn't come to us because we were brown, it didn't come to us because we were here first, it didn't come to us because we were so sweet and deserving of The Creator's mercy. The drum came to us because we were so twisted into self that we were beginning to forget that we come from a COMMUNITY, and that without respect for the community and our women we will perish. Women at the drum have an enormous opportunity to show us men and other women the majesty that they are. They have the chance to show the entire world just how important that they are to a culture that has suffered under the oppressive rule of America and the genocidal policies of this nation. I'm telling you when the sisters behind the drum hit that high note it is all I can do to catch my breath and not be overwhelmed at how beautiful this culture that I come from is.
Do you see how important it is to take this stuff seriously?
The drum is not a musical instrument. The drum is a tool given to us by a divine source that takes mercy on our foolish ways. The drum is a tool that we can use to build a stronger community, that we can use to produce warriors. The drum is where brothers who are not elders necessarily can take a knucklehead like me under their wing and mentor and guide us in a loving fashion so that we can be prayerful and keep our people in our minds. If it was not for Kevin I would not say unpopular shit the way I do. I don't mimic him I admire and emulate him. BIG difference. He invited me to that drum and then he made a choice to assist me when I was so lost. You don't have to like anything I wrote but I am telling you I had to write it.,
