AIROS Native Network's blog

Jana Mashonee is Lumbee and Tuscarora. She's been singing since high school and it was her choir teacher who encouraged her to enter singing competitions. She also was the lead singer in a local band and was able to sign a record contract. Later She was told that her singing talent could be turned into a professional career. Since then Jana has accomplished many things and continues to develop her talents. Tobias Grant (Omaha, Dakota, Navajo, and Cherokee) production assistant recently had a conversation with Jana. She speaks of how she began her singing career, her music and her new book titled “American Indian Story, The Adventures of Sha’Kona”. Included in this blog are the top 5 songs from Jana.

"Solid Ground" (New Moon Born)
"The Enlightened Time" (American Indian Story)
"Stairway to Heaven" (Single Cover Song)
"Winter Wonderland" ( American Indian Christmas)
"A Change is Gonna Come" (New Moon Born)

Interview with Jana | Jana's web page | Native Sounds Podcast | Order Jana's New Book American Indian Story, The Adventures of Sha’Kona | Buy For the Generations: Native Story and Performance

Tobias (Omaha, Dakota, Navajo and Cherokee) and Aden (Rosebud Sioux) put together a great playlist promoting Native civil rights and included Native artists like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Redbone and Litefoot. We felt that we would share songs that make us feel proud to be Native American.  Movements like the Alcatraz takeover, occupation of Wounded Knee and the BIA building in Washington D.C., made great folk songs for Native musicians.  Without these protests Native people could have lost their voice. NS-NV is about sharing Native American stories and contemporary music with the world.  So, in the spirit of Native civil rights we put together a playlist with contemporary Native artists and their songs about “Wounded Knee", "Leonard Peltier", and other Native movements. Listen to the live broadcast of Native Sounds-Native Voices every Thursday from 8 - 10 a.m. NS-NV is also on the web at KZUM.org and AIROS.org.

"We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee" (Greatest Songs Album) - Redbone
"Wounded Knee" (Thunderhand Joe and the Medicine Show) - Thunderhand Joe and the Medicine Show
"Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" (Up Where We Belong) - Buffy Sainte-Marie
"White Man's Card" (1492 Who Found Who) - Murray Porter
"Song For Leonard Peltier" (In The Spirit of Crazy Horse: Songs for Leonard Peltier) - Jim Page
"The Peltier Song (One Bright and Shining Morning)" (Wind-up) - Arigon Star
"Real Rez Blues" (Thirst) - Jani Lauzon
"Stand Up For Human Pride" (Indian Rezervation Blues and More) - Pura Fe'
"Mother Earth" (Injunuity) - Julian B.
"My Land" (Good Day To Die) - Litefoot

Tobias (Omaha, Dakota, Navajo and Cherokee) and Aden (Rosebud Soiux) took a moment to commemorate Chief Standing Bear a Ponca Chief who was the first Native American to be granted civil rights under the law.  The story of his journey began with the removal of the Ponca Tribe.  Check out other blogs on NAPT to find more information about Chief Standing Bear. This show featured songs that are sung in the Native language of the Ponca and Omaha tribes. There are a number of books available about Chief Standing Bear like "I am a Man: Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice" by Joe Starita. The Ponca and Omaha Tribes host their annual Pow-wow on the second weekend of August. The Ponca Pow-wow is an annual event located in Niobrara, NE. The Omaha Pow-wow is hosted on their reservation located in Macy, NE. The Omaha tribe has celebrated this tradition for over 200 years. The Omaha tribe also played a major role in Chief Standing Bears struggle for freedom.  Listen to the live broadcast of Native Sounds-Native Voices every Thursday morning from 8 - 10 a.m. (C.D.T.) Also on the web at www.KZUM.org or www.AIROS.org.

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"Oldies" (Family Songs Southern Style) - Otter Trail
"Oldies II" (Family Songs Southern Style) - Otter Trail
"Omaha Song" (Songs of the Omaha) - Omaha Singers
"Omaha Whistle Song" (Four Hills of Life) - Omaha Whitetail
"Omaha Flag Song" (Grandparents Spirit) - Standing Eagle
"Hard Life" (Grandparents Spirit) - Standing Eagle

The hosts of Native Sounds-Native Voices (NS-NV) Tobias (Omaha, Dakota, Cherkoee, Navajo) and Aden (Rosebud Sioux) put together a compilation of awesome Hawaiian artists. They also recognized King Kamahameha Day which is a public holiday celebrated in the state of Hawaii. King Kamehameha was born 1758 and is credited with unifying the islands of Hawaii. In 2010, President Obama, proclaimed nationally that June 11 was King Kamehameha day.

Tobias and Aden featured various Hawaiian Native music on the show. They started with a traditional Hawaiian chant and continued with Slack Key Guitar and ended with contemporary music. Slack Key Guitar is a style that started out as instrumental but later included vocals. The playlist includes both styles and has a calming euphoric feel to it -- very cool and good for the soul. Catch the rebroadcast on AIROS.org, check the schedule for times. Also, listen live to Native Sounds - Native Voices every Thursday from 8 am - 10 am (CT) at AIROS.org or KZUM.org.

"Aloha eke kai o Kalalau" (Hawaiian Drum Chants) - Noenoe Lewis & Hau'oli Lewis
"Hanohano ka uka o Pihanakalani" ( Hawaiian Drum Chants) - Noenoe Lewis & Hau'oli Lewis
"Steal Away" (Hui Aloha) - Hui Aloha
"Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" (Lilo & Stitch Soundtrack) - Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus
"He Mele No Lilo" (Lilo & Stitch Soundtrack) - Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus
"Pahinui Aloha" (In The Name of Love) - Hapa
"Nani wale o Ka̕iulani" (In The Name of Love) - Hapa
"Moloka 'I Slide" (Hawaiian Love Songs) - George Kahumoku Jr.
"Hawai'i "78" (Pick a Hit Hawaii) - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
"My Old Guitar" (Hawaiian Slack Key) - Ozzie Kotani
"Punahele" (Hawaiian Slack Key) - Ray Kane
"Pi'I Mai Ka Nalu" (Pick a Hit Hawaii) - Robi Kahakalau
"Hurrah Iani Ha'a Ha'a" (Night Moon) - Cyril Pahinui
"Moku Hulu" (Hawaiian Love Songs) - George Kahumoku Jr.
"Coconut Girl" (Pick a Hit Hawaii) - Brother Noland

Chase Monchamp (Chase Manhattan) is an up and coming star on the Native Hip Hop/Rap music scene. He has dropped his 3rd CD  “The Backside” January 2009 - which includes “For my Natives”, a song dedicated to all Native Peoples. Chase Manhattan with roots in Inger, MN and ties to the Twin Cities music scene, he has been promoting his music at various urban Pow-wows such as Denver March, Red Earth and Gethering of Nations. His energy and music is positive and he continues to surface as the next hot Native music artist. His first CD was produced at the Institute of Production and Recording (IPR) in Minneapolis and his second CD was dropped in January 2008; a 15 song demo "Redskin in a Black and White World."
Here is a short list of songs that Chase Manhattan has released from his albums (Backside and from his 2010 album Tribal Tribulations).

"For My Natives" (Backside)
"We the Best" (Backside) - Explicit Lyrics
"The Original 2 Step" (Tribal Tribulations)
"Change" (Tribal Tribulations) - Explicit Lyrics

Interview with Chase | Chase's MySpace Page | Native Sounds Podcast

This Fourth of July,  AIROS wants to share some songs from contemporary Native artists. They may look like your standard songs sung on the Fourth of July, but each one has its own take on America and comes from a Native perspective.

"God Bless America" (Seed of Life) - Radmilla Cody (Navajo)
"America The Beautiful" (Running For The Drum) - Buffy Saint-Marie (Piapot Cree)
"Star Spangled Banner" (Bitter Tears Scared Ground) - Joanne Shenandoah (Iroquois) & Michael Bucher (Cherokee)
"Sometimes Eagles" (Tappin' The Earth's Backbone) - Jack Gladstone (Blackfeet)
"Let the Colors Fly" (Unity) - Jim Boyd (Sinixt Arrow Lake)
"Star Spangled Banner" (Best of Jimi Hendrix) - Jimi Hendrix (Cherokee)

Eric Martin, Interactive Media Specialist, and Shirley K. Sneve, Executive Director, will be traveling to Saint Paul, Minn., to attend the annual Native American radio station meeting.  At the meeting, NAPT and AIROS will be part of the conversation about what can be done to help widen the impact of Native radio, strengthen Native stations and encourage and assist new Native stations coming online and broadcasting over the air. At the meeting, AIROS will also share with stations how they can access AIROS programming to share with their local and web audiences. If you are attending the Native American radio station meeting or the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, we’ll see you there. If not, feel free to share your thoughts on the Native radio here and we’ll try to bring them along and introduce them into the discussion.

In Nebraska, in the month of May we celebrate the life and work of Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca. Recently, we sat down with several people and asked them their take on this great leader.

Listen to the Interview with Judi M. gaiashkibos (pictured left), Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs

Listen to the interview with Standing Bear descendant and Ponca Tribal Council Vice Chairman Rick Wright

Listen to the interview with Standing Bear descendants from the Omaha Nation: Mike Wolf, Richard Lasely, Eugene Gilipin, Gary Lasely  (pictured left with host Aden Marshall)

Share your thoughts about Chief Standing Bear, civil rights for Native Americans, the teaching of Native history in schools and more.

Memorial Day is reserved for the last weekend in May. This year AIROS will feature a playlist to commemorate this holiday with music from Native artists. So this year when the grill is blazing and the food is cooking, remember to log onto AIROS.org. This Memorial Day, AIROS wants to honor Native warriors who have served their country. In 1918, not yet citizens of the U.S., Choctaw tribal members of the U.S. American Expeditionary Forces were asked to use their Native language as a powerful tool against the German Forces in World War I, setting a precedent for code talking as an effective military weapon and establishing them as America's original Code Talkers. Another Native American who served in the military and many didn't know is Ely Parker who is an unsung hero. A member of the Seneca Nation, he wrote the Confederate surrender terms in 1865. In fact, Native Americans fought on both sides during the American Revolution. They were employed for scouting and harassment operations. Therefore, it is with admiration and respect that AIROS dedicates a playlist for these Native veteran's on Memorial Day. For more info about Natives in the military check out Way of the Warrior from VisionMaker Video.

Some honor songs for our Native warriors on Memorial Day.
"Vietnem Song" (Whitelodge) - Whitelodge Singers
"War Dance Jam" (For Our Elders) - Omaha Whitetail Singers
"Honoring All People" (Straight Up Northern) - Black Eagle Singers
"Akičitá Odowan (Veterans Song)" (Father to Son) - Earlwin B. Bullhead
"Way of Life"  (Way of Life) - Lakota Thunder Singers
"Honour Song"  (Seven Clans 2nd Annual Pow Wow) - Mandaree Singers
"Carnegie War Mothers' Chapter (Kiowa) Veterans Songs " (American Warriors: Songs for Indian Veterans)
"Lakota (Sioux) Little Bighorn Victory Songs" (American Warriors: Songs for Indian Veterans)

This year, AIROS has compiled a special playlist (see below) for Father's Day on June 20. Now, you can find that special song that brings back all those Fatherly memories, play it a hundred times and reminisce about the good times. After that, log on to AIROS.org and listen to the live stream to hear our special Father's Day programming, which consists of the best artists in contemporary Native music. It's a great time to make new memories with Dad this Father's Day. Hoka Hey! Here is just a few of the songs that we'll be featuring on June 20:

"Daddy's Coming Home" [True Lies From the Road] - Glen Ahhaitty

"Father and Farther" [Smoke Signals] - Jim Boyd

"Daddy's Records" [Backflip] - Arigon Starr

"Forgive Our Fathers Suite/Wahjelleh-Yihm" [Smoke Signals] - Ulali

"Love Your Parents" [The Following Generation] - Eli Secody

"Grandfather Song" [Etsi Show] - Jerry Alfred & The Medicine Beat

"Mom & Dad" [Sacred Fire] - Chenoah (Harmonized Healing Song)

"Daddy's Teaching" [Rhythm of Love] - Tiinesha Begaye (Sung in Dineh)