Jessica Crabtree

Award-winning Native musician Robert Mirabal released this record a few years ago to share the powerful cross-cultural fusion of the Christmas holiday experience in his home pueblo of Taos.

Known for his expert flute-playing as well as for his candid portrayals of Pueblo life, he’s compiled this album to include traditional Western Christmas carols with a Native twist, as well as a few personal reflections from the songwriter’s own pen.

Christmas celebrations are a powerful and solemn tradition in the Pueblos, notwithstanding their long and checkered connection with Christianity dating all the way back to the Spanish Conquest.

For centuries, the Native Americans of the Southwest have suffered under the brutal legacy of the forced conversions, slave labor, abuse, and cultural genocide brought by the mission system. But after generations of co-existence, the two cultures have formed a unique and inseparable cultural bond. Today, most Pueblo Indians claim Catholicism or practice a blend of Christian and Native beliefs. Mirabal says:

“People ask me why I’ve made a Christmas album after all the struggles between Indigenous Peoples and Christianity. My answer is that I needed to address the contradictions. Our Native religion is based on Nature and is a 24/7, 365-day spiritual concept, but then on the corner there’s a Catholic Church. For many Americans, Christmas is a time when they become conscious of spirituality, and I wanted to connect our cultures at this special time. No matter what the politics were like when these songs were first heard, the music was created to fill the listener with love, hope and joy. They show that beauty can go beyond conflict to a place where music is the hero.”

You can listen to the entire album on Rhapsody. “Away in a Manger,” “Silent Night,” and a whimsical rendition of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” are especially favorite – but try them all on for size!

Star Road Records: Robert Mirabal “Pueblo Christmas”

It is often said that music is the pulse of a people, and there is no better way to appreciate the many facets of a culture than by exploring its musical traditions. Most Native American musicians today combine traditional forms, such as wooden flute playing, vocal solos, and Plains-style group singing (or “powwow” music), with modern styles and instrumentation. I’ve put together a list of some of the top artists and a few notes on where to hear them.

Joanne Shenandoah

Shenandoah is a member of the Oneida nation and uses her music to express her passionate love of Iroquois history and culture. She’s a woman of remarkable grace and poise and her voice is truly divine! If you’ve never heard her singing you’re in for a wonderful experience.

Shenandoah’s music varies in genre to include traditional Iroquois songs, country ballads, symphonic music – even techno.

Top picks: Peacemaker’s Journey, a song cycle sung partly in English, partly in Oneida, recounts the founding of the Iroquois Confederacy.

  Listen to samples:

  “Deer Dance”
  Covenant: “100 Winters”
  Peacemaker’s Journey: “Aiionwatha Forgives”
  Peacemaker’s Journey: “Peace and Power”

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Robert Mirabal

Robert Mirabal hails from the pueblo of Taos in New Mexico where he grew up immersed in traditional Pueblo culture. He began his career as a flute maker and is now recognized as one of the pre-eminent producers of the Native American flute, with several of his instruments now part of the Smithsonian’s collection. His flute playing is masterful in itself; in his hands it is capable of an astonishing range of expression.

Mirabal has worked in many styles from traditional to rock, both solo and ensemble. Sings both in English and Tewa. His albums are remarkable for their vivid representation of Pueblo life and culture; personally I like his older music best.

Top Picks: Taos Tales is a colorful (but tasteful) blend of flute playing and native song with electronica. Music from a Painted Cave was recorded from a live performance and includes some of his best tracks.

  Listen to samples:

  Music from a Painted Cave: “Painted Caves”
  Taos Tales: “Popay Runner”
  Taos Tales: “Ee-You-Oo”
  Indians, Indians: “Blue Lake”

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Mary Youngblood

Youngblood is of Seminole and Aleut heritage, and an incredibly gifted songwriter and flute player. She’s one of the best choices for those interested in any genre of Native American music.

Top Picks: My two favorite albums are Beneath the Raven Moon (acoustic folk-blend with flute solos) and Heart of the World (also featuring Joanne Shenandoah).

  Listen to samples:
  “Beneath the Raven Moon”
  Beneath the Raven Moon: “Sacred Place”
  Heart of the World: “Tears for Kientepoos”

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Burning Sky

Contemporary acoustic fusion with a Southwest flavor, from a talented group of instrumentalists with Navajo/Ute background.

  Listen to samples:

  Spirits in the Wind: “Dog Soldiers”
  Blood of the Land: “Desert Wind”
  Blood of the Land: “Abalone Heart”
  A Simple Man: “Buffalo Chips”

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