Muscogee Nation News Column December 2011

Muscogee Nation News Column December 2011

On the way back home I made it up to Santa Fe to perform music with keyboard player Robert Muller at the Santa Fe Winter Indian Market. Many Mvskoke citizens were there at the market, selling their art. Kenneth Johnson had a booth where he demonstrated his remarkable art of jewelry making. Mary E. Irene and Linda Irene were there with their beautiful art.

A few weeks before was part of an honoring stomp dance led by George Coser, Jr. for the induction Mvskoke citizen, the jazz tenor saxophone player Jim Pepper into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in Tulsa. Pepper started the first jazz fusion band, he helped set off the world music movement with Choctaw/African American jazz trumpet player Don Cherry, and Pepper had a hit song with Witchi Tai To. That’s not all. He was one of the first to blend jazz with tribal music. Jim’s father was of the Kaw people of Oklahoma. Jim’s sister Suzy Pepper Henry attended with her husband Steve Pepper. Also watch for young Cherokee alto sax genius Sharel Cassity. She received a commendation. She’s from Oklahoma. I saw her performing at the Blue Note in New York City, and she “blew me away”, so to speak.

Congratulations to all of us. When one person succeeds, we all succeed.

In honor of being a home, one of my songs, “Goin Home”--

Last dance and the night is almost over--

One last round under the starry sky.

We’re all going home someway, somehow when it’s over.

Hey e yah, hey e yay, aye e yah aye e yay

If you’ve found love in the circle then hold onto it, not too tight.

If you have to let love go then let it go. Keep on dancing.

“I don’t care if you’re married sixteen times

I’ll get you yet.”

Goin home, goin home

“I’m from Oklahoma got no one to call mine.”

“A love supreme, a love supreme—“

Everybody wants a love supreme.

“When the dance is over sweetheart, take me home in your one-eyed Ford.”

But first, we have to stop and pick up Grandma, my uncle, my aunties…and then there’s all my kids…

Goin home, goin home, goin home

It’s time to go home

Be kind to all you meet along the way

Mvto mvto to everybody

For all the good times

Good night, sleep tight.

Goin home, goin home

Goin home

Drive safely, or better yet, don’t drive at all.

Don’t forget: hold somebody’s hand through the dark.

Goin home, goin home

Kul-ku-ce cv-na-kē, hv-ya-yi-ca-res,


Kul-ku-ce cv-na-kē, hv-ya-yi-ca-res,

Kul-ku-ce cv-na-kē, hv-ya-yi-ca-res,

Kul-ke-kvs, kul-ke-kvs, kul-ke-kvs