Big Dan's Border Crossing "Mi Tierra"

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Big Dan (MeXIKANO) celebrates his immigrant Indigenous roots with the release of his second solo album All or None: The American Burden featuring Mi Tierra.

Big Dan has just released his second solo album All or None: The American Burden. He has been writing, recording and performing for over 7 years and describes it as a positive outlet: "It is my therapy...it is more than just to entertain people, it is to edu-tain."

A child of Mexican immigrants who grew up in the inner city projects of Oakland, he ended up in Juvenile Hall several times and wants others to learn from his mistakes. Having earned a degree in Ethnic Studies from from the University of California Berkeley, he works as a case manager for at risk teenagers and takes the opportunity to speak at youth centers, detention facilities and academic institutions all over the country.

With the multiple, intersecting layers of colonial history south of Turtle Island, Indigenous identity and language can become an interesting topic of discussion and debate.

Big Dan describes himself as MeXIKANO:"Around my parents and family I identify as Mexican; around my music and friends I identify as XiKANO. So I have just decided to put them both in and say MeXIKANO. This means that I know my history, culture, and about my people Indigenously."

For the first time he chose to write Mi Tierra (My Land), one of the title tracks on his new album, completely in Spanish. It is a special project for him because it shows the progress hip-hop has made as something that resonates internationally. The hook translates as:

“block by block, and to all of my people putting in their positive efforts, crossing borders, not knowing if we will be back, with this song, I dedicate to my land”

Big Dan's latest album All or None: the American Burden is now available for sale on iTunes and check out officialbigdan.com for more info, free downloads and updates on his latest musical projects.

Here is the video for Mi Tierra (My Land) by Big Dan:

Makana Occupies with Aloha

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Makana opts to "Occupy with Aloha" after being invited to perform at the Asia-Pacific's Economic Cooperation World Leaders dinner. 

After being booked to play instrumental music at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's (APEC) World Leaders dinner in Hawaii, Makana chose to use his voice instead. He opened his jacket to reveal an "Occupy with Aloha" t-shirt and started to softy sing his his new song inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, We are the Many.

You can check out the video recapping his occupation of the APEC stage with an article posted on democracynow.org

Here is the music video for his powerful song We Are the Many, feel free to imagine what it was like with Obama and Chinese Premier Hu Jintao sitting out front politely eating their dinner.

VIDEO: Quese IMC - "I Resist"

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New video I Resist from Quese IMC (Pawnee and Seminole) features Casper and the beautiful brown faces of Indigenous youth from communities across Turtle Island.

I Resist is a song off Quese IMC's latest album Handdrums for Whiskey Bottles. The video follows Quese on a two and a half week trip through many communities working with youth, reservations and schools. Check out the video for I Resist here, and hey why not sing along:

HOOK: we're young warriors, path we roamed, this ain't hollywood yo, this is our home, were light, were different, we fight and resistant, walk the red road thats why we stay gifted, young warriors happy and alive, we made it this far cause our grandmas survived, indigenous pride as we ball up our fists, 500 years cause we say "i resist"

verse 1: easy hell naw, its been a long road but its quite alright cause we been foretold that were modern day warriors in modern day time where people have aligned and were seeing all the signs see it in the sun and we see it in the skies here it in the people and we see it in their eyes the people are fed up cause they haven't been fed and were hungry for the knowledge cause we've been misled misled by the media, misled by the news update, update they want you to stay tuned propaganda on the screens but the mental breakthroughs will curb the mind control that keeps you satisfied and glued to your couch and the screen that keeps you fat and amused my people wake up, wake up we can't lose we've paid mad dues so now we must gather young warriors and what we do matters.... HOOK

verse 2: yo the world is changing and the stars are bending shifting, and the mayan calendar is ending not the end of time but the end of a cycle so the cleansing of mother earth can take her rightful place and position, and positions that we play and listen to creation, to mobilize a nation overthrow the system, organize and take them to a place where they can believe and envision we are the movement, ones and focus even though sometimes it feels hopeless we will stand with our drums at the protest and watch the whole world take notice even though there are people who would sling dirt and not see the heart of how we work we will do our best even if we hurt and wear the revolution like a t-shirt, come on.... HOOK

VIDEO: Niska - "Again"

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Niska Napoleon's new video Again speaks on heartbreak, rebirth and the strength of family.

Front woman for Rocky Mountain Rebel Music, Niska has been working on some solo projects too and we are all waiting for her first release. Well known singer-songwriter Kinnie Starr raves:

Since I began mentoring over the last five years, I occasionally encounter very developed songwriters with an intensity that stands out. Niska Napoleon has a rare gift for composing and delivering “classic” original material. I firmly believe she is one of Canada’s undiscovered gems.

New video Again from singer/songwriter Niska Napoleon is an anthem to fresh starts. Her soulful rhythms remind us about what keeps us going through struggle and heartbreak. Have a listen!

Babes 4 Breasts Cancer Research Fundraising CD

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Leela Gilday adds her musical talent to the fight against breast cancer with her contribution to the Babes 4 Breasts compilation CD and tour.

Babes 4 Breasts (B4B) has been raising money for breast cancer research since 2003, founded by Ana Miura and Amanda Rheaume, they have made this year their biggest year of touring including 21 shows in 26 days across Canada. To date they have raising over $45,000 for a variety of charities by creating intimate performance spaces.

B4B will be donating the proceeds from their last benefit show in Ottawa to the Maplesoft Centre music program:

It is our core belief that everyone experiences cancer in their own way and no one journey is the same as another. Music therapy adheres to this belief and is individualized to meet peoples own therapeutic and musical needs. The Maplesoft Centre intends on having group sessions which will include playing music, listening to music, performing movements to music, writing songs and discussing lyrics. Many issues common to cancer, such as family disruption, loss of health, fear, and coping with treatment, are often difficult to express verbally. Music therapy can be used to encourage emotional expression, promote social interaction, and address issues in a non-verbal way.

Here is a video of Dene singer-songwriter Leela Gilday at a B4B show in Duncan, BC. Perhaps not the best video work but you can feel the incredible energy in the room and the powerful stage presence of Ms.Leela! They have recently released a compilation CD of 17 songs which includes Leela's Listen Sister as track 1. The CD is available online at babesforbreasts.com, support the cause and enjoy the music.

Shane Yellowbird's "It's About Time" US Release

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From Samson Cree Nation, Shane Yellowbird is a big name in Canadian country music having a Canadian Top 10 Billboard single, an APCMA award, a Canadian Country Music Award and a Juno nomination under his belt - not to mention legions of dedicated fans. Now, his most recent album It's About Time is being released in the U.S.

The debut single, Bare Feet on the Blacktop, is on U.S. radio stations now and Shane is sure to win hearts and ears in the south as much as he has in the north.

It's About Time tracklisting:

  1. Bare Feet On the Blacktop
  2. Watching You Walk Away
  3. I Get That a Lot These Days
  4. I Can Help You With That
  5. My Kind of Crowd
  6. Next Time I Leave
  7. Between You and Me
  8. Sedona Arizona
  9. Pabst Blue Ribbon
  10. It's About Time

Watch the official video for Bare Feet on the Blacktop:

Songs of Resistance at 2011 Indigenous Assembly Against Mining and Pipelines

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From November 4-7, 2011, representatives from many Indigenous communities, including the Secwepemc, Wet'suwet'en, St'at'mic, Tsimshian, Dakelh and Carrier from the Yinka Dene Alliance, Tla-o-qui-aht, Ahousaht, Cheam and Fort Chipeywan--will meet to discuss resistance strategies at the Indigenous Assembly Against Mining and Pipelines in Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories.

In response to the "Meeting Minds, Making Mines" conference being held by the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association at the Pan Pacific Hotel from November 6-8th, a strategy session will be hosted in East Vancouver with various affected communities in attendance.

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark recently pledged to speed up approvals and snip the red tape for the creation of 8 new mines and the expansion of 9 existing mining projects in BC. The plan also includes "10 new non-treaty agreements with First Nations by 2015 to improve economic certainty." It's clear that the current provincial agenda is to override Aboriginal Rights and Title to guarantee economic security to the mining companies.

In a public letter sent out on September 23rd, Secwepemc activist Arthur Manuel called on Aboriginal leaders to resist the further exploitation of Indigenous homelands:

We need to not let this opportunity pass us by, we need to believe in our Aboriginal Title and Rights.  The onus or burden to make the economy in our territory serve our children and grandchildren is our job.  Follow this story and get involved in meetings about mining and other economic issues.  You own the land... Be careful out there in your traditional territory, some little people in the future are depending on you.

On Sunday November 6th there will be a public demonstration starting at 3pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery. A public panel will also be held on November 7th at 6:30pm at 1803 East 1st Ave (just east of Commercial Drive) in which impacted Indigenous communities will be speaking out against mining.

Songs of Resistance

During a rally held in May 2011 against a proposed open-pit copper mine on Chitapii (Catface Mountain) in Ahousaht Territory, Kalilah Rampanen - the 11-year-old daughter of Nitanis Desjarlais and John Rampanen - shared her song More Than Copper to Me.

Rampanen, who is Nuu-chah-nulth from Ahousaht, wrote and performed the song at the Imperial Metals AGM to protest a proposed mine where they have been exploring for copper.

The Ahousaht band council is one of the only First Nations working with Imperial Metals; and they have approved exploratory drilling in their territory.

Check out her performance below:

VIDEO: Kalilah Rampanen - "More Than Copper to Me"