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- By Rich Tupica
With all concerts and Powwows postponed or cancelled for the foreseeable future, musicians and artists across Indian Country continue to host online events via social media, allowing everyone to watch safely from home.
From concerts and dancing, to spiritual gatherings, here are just a few to keep an eye out for over the next few days. NAMA’s live concert series: The Native American Music Awards’ ongoing series of free shows, the NAMA Live Concert Streams, continues Saturday with a stacked roster of genre-spanning, award-winning Native performers. Here’s who to expect. Saturday, April 11 (Eastern Time):
5:00 p.m.EST: James Greeley ft. Blue Flamez from Warm Springs, Oregon
6:00 p.m. EST: Shelley Morningsong & Fabian Fontenelle from Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico
7:00 p.m EST: Joanne Shenandoah from Northern New York
8:30 p..m. EST: Jimmy Wolf from Upstate New York To watch the event when it goes live, click here. And, for artists who are interested in performing in the NAMA series, e-mail Leon Thompson at [email protected] or visit him on Facebook. Also, for the latest on NAMA’s event-streaming news, feel free to join its Facebook group, Social Distance Healing With SongNational Native American Music Association, here. Association of American Indian Affairs’ #ShareHealing This week, the Association of American Indian Affairs returns with its #ShareHealing stream. The online gathering welcomes all to join together for a “moment of unity in spirit.” The association encourages everyone to “send healing thoughts especially to our Elders, to whom we owe so much.” The association is also asking people to reach out to them during these challenging times. A recent statement asked their followers to: “Please share, if it is appropriate, what you are doing to pray, meditate, or share healing thoughts on social media by posting with #ShareHealing and by tagging us on [on social media] … Let us join together to #ShareHealing [and] to send thoughts of healing and health during this uneasy and fearful time.”
Join the group tomorrow, here. Social Distance Powwow featured by Navajo Times A recent story by the Navajo Times profiled another group that’s allowing people to gather during the COVID-19 outbreak, the steadily booming Social Distance Powwow Facebook group. The story, written by reporter Rima Krisst, reports that the group has amassed more than 110,000 members, and has been gaining thousands of new members each day, thanks to its virtual events. “To me, it’s a healing,” Northern traditional dancer Jerome Lopez, Ute Mountain Ute, told the Navajo Times. “I believe many prayers are going to the Creator. It’s very strong and powerful to see everyone doing their part. We’re not there in person, but when you see those things on Facebook it gives people hope and pride. It brings their spirits up just to see everyone coming together as one.” Read the full story here. Have live stream tips? Email Rich Tupica at [email protected]
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