JOSEPH FIRECROW: Cheyenne Nation

Joseph Firecrow

Cheyenne Nation

© 2000 Joseph Firecrow

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"The natural beauty of the flute evokes very powerful emotions. The traditional flute is social, not ceremonial, in nature, and should always be treated with that in mind and spirit" -Joseph Fire Crow

tracks

1 By My Own Hand
2 War Dancer
3 Two Buffalo Bulls
4 Cheyenne Nation
5 Cheyenne Honor Song
6 Bob Tail Horse
7 Circle Dance
8 Mother Wolf
9 The Twins
10 Meadowlark Sunrise
11 Young Wolves
12 Walking in Daylight Woman

notes

Joseph Fire Crow is a 43rd Annual GRAMMY awards nominee, for Cheyenne Nation in the "Best Native American Music Album Category. Joseph's musical journey began as a child. "Drums were regular part of our lives. In the summer were war dances, now called powwows. As kids, we would imitate the drummers on my mother's galvanized washtub."

"The very first time I heard the flute, I was a young boy living on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation located in Southeastern Montana. Grover Wolfvoice was the fluteman playing this wonderful music."

"The music was beautiful to my ears, yet it scared me. There was much poverty and depression at that time. The sound of the flute touched my heart where there was much pain and uncertainty. Through all of the hardships of reservation life, the beauty and wonder of our homeland beckoned to me."

Born in Montana and raised on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation until he was nine years old, Joseph attended public school and a Catholic school, before being placed with a foster family in Seattle as part of the "Mormon Indian Placement Program." He joined them in their Mormon worship and attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, as was expected of him.

"I was starting to forget my Cheyenne language and Herritage. I needed to find out who I really was, but I also had a lot of opportunities given to me and I wanted to take advantage of them."

Just when it appeared he might forsake his Native American ancestry, two events happened that lead Joseph back to his people. Joseph reconnected to his heritage through music while he was in college and he read the book "Cheyenne Memories" by John Stands in Timber, his mother's father.

"It was pivotal in my life in teaching me about the creator and how we are tied to the land and animals."

After three-and-a-half years of college education, he returned to his reservation where it took a number of years to be totally accepted.

"When I first went home, I sat in with my uncles's drum group and there were certain members who said, 'What are you doing here? Are you trying to be an Indian?'"

reviews

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  • I really enjoyed this album!!!
    author: Felix Rondeau

    This album was well worth it's money, a very well done album!!

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