BY BILL NEVINS
SANTA FE, New Mexico — "An Indian President!", shouted Robert Mirabal, fist clenched, buckskin and long black hair flying. "That's just one of my crazy, crazy ideas. But why not, people?".
The Taos Pueblo native is leading his indigenous rock-jazz ensemble in a visionary set of songs with definite political implications. With Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech flowing from the speakers, Mirabal's backup band tears up the Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre with shell rattles, giant Taos drums, stinging lead guitar and cello. Yes, cello.
The audience, predominantly Native Americans on this August evening, are on their feet and shouting as Mirabal touches the four corners of the huge stage, leaping, singing and egging on his band mates.
A crew of hip hop youth enters stage left, while a pair of traditional dancers, male and female, in full feather-quill finery, moves in from the right. The audience reaches hysteria, and the moonlit night is one of joy that will be remembered long after.
It is a good night to dance. And a very good night to be at the annual Santa Fe Native Roots and Rhythms concert. This venue has achieved legendary status, as performers who have graced the Paolo Soleri stage for NRR concerts over the past few years include virtually the pantheon of North American indigenous performers: Kashtin, Brule, John Trudell, Carlos Nakai, Walela, Dennis Banks, Ulali and many more.
Very few of the varied and wonderful musicians who have graced Robbie Robertson's famous native-roots CDs have not yet graced this Santa Fe stage. The 2000 show was easily the finest yet, including as it did Mohican bluesman/songwriter Bill Miller, whose Ghostdance CD won big at the Native American Music Awards, jazz star Mary Redhouse, eloquent Apache songsmith Mathew Andrae, Canadian Yukon folk singer Jerry Alfred, lovely rocker Star Nayea, hoop dancer Kevin Locke, comic Drew Lacapa and a great array of tribal dancers representing the Pueblo, Plains, Azteca and other native groups from across the continent.
Organiser Seth Roffman and crew, working closely with the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, produced a unique and wonderful evening of music and culture.
Anyone seeking the miracles to be found in the indigenous heritage of the Americas would do well to visit Santa Fe for the NRR show each year. For information on the annual concert and other programs of the Center for Indigenous Arts and Cultures, email <swlc@nets.com> or write Southwest Learning Centers Inc, PO Box 8627, Santa Fe, NM USA 8750-8627.