Ulali & Buffy Sainte-Marie Shine In Their Native Spotlight

by Jaysen Buterin

Not since I sat in the Pine Ridge tribal drum circle at a pow wow a few months ago, have I experienced such an air of mysticism as what was delivered by Ulali on February 26th at the Edison Theatre. Located on the beautifully scenic Washington University campus, the Edison Theatre, for that evening, became host to a cross cultural event that moved the audience intimately. Ulali, and head- lining artist Buffy Sainte- Marie, both internationally renowned in their own right, delivered a captivating and breathtaking performance that left you wanting more.

Ulali is a Native American a cappella trio that features Pura Fe (of the Tuscarora tribe), Soni Moreno (who is Mayan, Apache, & Yaqui), and Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg (also Tuscarora). Founded in 1987, Ulali is the first Native woman's group to create their own sound from their strong traditional roots and personal contemporary styles. Ulali has traveled extensively throughout the US and Canada, and abroad performing at special events and venues like the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the Kennedy and Lincoln Centers, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and Woodstock 94. Ulali also travels throughout Indian country (US, Canada, and South America) visiting communities, singing for the people, exchanging songs, and maintaining strong ties.

Upon taking the stage, Ulali at once exhibited an air of gentleness that was both exhilarating and calming at the same time. With their beautiful yearning and powerful voices, they drummed, rattled and stomped through their performance which uniquely addressed native struggles and accomplishments. Performing with the ease of artists holistically in tune with each other, they mellifluously glided through song after song, changing tempos and tribes with an almost instinctive ease. Songs such as "Mahk Jchi" and "The Necklace of Broken Hearts" were brilliantly delivered, and personally introduced by the trio, who sought to deliver the stories behind many of the songs, a fine display of the necessary continuation of the oral tradition sacrosanct to indigenous nations. By far, the two most emotionally captivating songs were "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" which was dedicated to Leonard Peltier, and Starwalker which left the audience with chills at the sheer power and intensity of the three women before them.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is a visionary legend in so many different communities and fields, it's difficult to encapsulate them easily. In the early 1960's she became known as a writer of protest songs and love songs that became immense hits of the era, performed by artists such as Janis Joplin, Barbara Streisand, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, and Tracy Chapman, to name a few. Buffy and her son Dakota Wolfchild Starblanket became well known for their five year stint on Sesame Street, and Buffy's song "Up Where We Belong," as recorded by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes for the film An Officer and A Gentleman, won an Academy Award in 1982.

With her impressive artistic history it is no surprise that Buffy is such a mesmerising and edifying musician and singer. Juxtaposing songs of historical importance to the narrative of the Native community, with light- hearted dulcets celebrating the purity of youth, Buffy performed brilliantly. Songs such as "Cripple Creek" (which had the wonderful accompaniment of the mouth bow, an instrument perhaps new to some, but simply explained by Buffy as what happens when the musician in the tribe makes an instrument out of a weapon.), other songs such as "Relocation Blues" and "Fallen Angels" were done in such an intensely personal manner that few artists can exhibit. Without a doubt, one of the ending numbers - "Universal Soldier" - an iconoclastic and recalcitrant challenge to war, was both so lyrically acerbic and emotionally moving that with the culmination of the song, a hush fell over the audience before exploding into applause.

Breaking the stereotypes of Native women, both Ulali and Buffy Sainte-Marie, are inherently political, romantic, and humourous - all at the same time. Their live performances are awe-inspiring and the show delivered on this night was certainly no exception. They left the audience with a feeling of gratitude for having been allowed to share in the experience with them. I leave you with the chorus of Ulali's closing song, "Starwalker," that was the perfect ending to an amazing performance; "Goodnight, wherever you are sleeping, and I hope that if you dream, you dream of me."