"LOVE! HOPE! PEACE!" Nominated for Native American Music Award

"Oh, I know what the world needs right now, right now, the world needs Hope."

This morning the Universe bestowed an expected blessing to break up the last 48 hours of stark raving dread: "Love! Hope! Peace" has been nominated for a Native American Music Award (aka Nammy). Producing/directing this video was an honor, and Kevin and I are so happy for Jan Michael Looking Wolf and Native Rose. 

When Jan composes, he channels. As he's described it, the music and lyrics 'arrive' from somewhere else, somewhere Sacred. My wish now is that the sacred message in "Love! Hope! Peace!" reaches more folks who need it through this nomination. The inclusivity of that message, coming from one whose People faced a violent genocide just a few generations back, blows me away. And really: is the current state of affairs any wonder when the leaders in Washington do not -- have never -- openly and widely acknowledged that this genocide was foundational in the construction of our fine "United States of America"?

Longer conversation for another time, perhaps.

"Love! Hope! Peace!" was shot entirely within the traditional homelands of the Santiam Kalapuya people (Jan's tribe). The interior concert footage was taken at the PRAx on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis. The exterior shots were done on location at Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem, OR. Jan Michael Looking Wolf is an OSU professor, a United States Army veteran, and a Kalapuya Elder active in the governance of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
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Stills from the filming of "Love! Hope! Peace!":