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Martin Neil

Joseph Tiwabear Bear EP

By First Nations, Music from the NationsNo Comments

coverI met Joseph and Martha Manzo in southern California a couple of years ago and since then we have been working together at a few different events. So we are very pleased to announce Joseph’s first EP recording, with funded by Voices from the Nations charity. Digital tracks available now on Bandcamp or CD Baby.

To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.

Hopi Indians

Tagish Nation

By First NationsNo Comments

Heritage center celebrationsIt was an honour to meet Chief Andy Carvill and celebrate with the Tagish First Nation in Carcross, Yukon, as they opened a new learning center and cultural building. A highlight was the Dakhká Khwáan Drum and Dance group.

Last years filming is a hit!

By First NationsNo Comments

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It was so good to be back with Uncle Willie and Auntie Gracie in Tahltan country (northern BC). This was the second year that we had been invited to take part in their music festival, this time primarily so we could show them the video footage and recordings we had made from the previous year, although I did get a chance to ‘bash some skins’ with a few bands! They were so moved at a private viewing that they decided to show the film on one of the evenings of the festival.

Kitwanga to Stikine Canyon Baptism

Tanzania 2nd maize drop

By TanzaniaNo Comments

Another maize drop successfully completed – due to circumstances unknown 205 families missed their maize allocation on the first distribution. When the error was confirmed we immediately sent more support. Very thankful to all who have helped.

Burundi

By Africa, My StoriesNo Comments

Rob May from Community Albums invited myself and Phil Barker (bass player) to join him on a trip to Burundi to help train young musicians. Staying with the Salesians, a Catholic order whose focus is on schooling for children, Rob has been building a studio. One of the priests (a passionate guitarist) has been encouraging young musicians and then finding them work in the local bars and clubs. Over the years he has become a father to many, many musicians – in fact every night we visited a different club and he seemed to know all the musicians!

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The pilgrim story you may not have heard.

By AmericasNo Comments

It is said that history books are written by those who win wars! This short video tells the story of the pilgrims from a Wampanoag perspective. Ships had been trading with Native Americans for fish, furs and people for 100 years before the pilgrims arrived to set up camp. Squanto, a Wampanoag, amongst many others was kidnapped and taken into slavery 6 years before the pilgrims arrived. He was taken to Spain and then became an interpreter on an English boat, eventually escaping back to his people – sadly, returning to his people, he found his village Patuxet, and everyone he knew, dead, from a plague and he ended up becoming a type of servant with another tribe. When the pilgrims arrived he became their interpreter and guide, and helped negotiate a treaty with the most powerful local Native American confederation, a peace that lasted more than 50 years.

My dear Again Yesterday Sunday 22nd January 2017 I was in the Village for Service and taking time with the Villagers as we are their servants in both Physically and Spiritually, All the Time we took with them it was really so important to encourage and pray with different families in the Village due to the famine and severe droughts. Also we learned a lot from them and about the whole situation. The famine actually is becoming very hot and already affecting many poor families in the Community. The crops prices are fast going very high one tin of maize with 18 kilograms is now sold for 25,000 Tshs, that makes one sack of maize to be sold for between 140,000 and 150,000 Tshs regarding how many kgrms it contain. We never had this price price before it is the higher price never crops reached the most sad thing is very fast shooting up,no rain raining and the Government Taking no any step nor precautions at all. And the reality is Dodoma is among the mostly affected Regions in the Country. The Government people are just silent say nothing instead they are not honest to the community they are politically orienter as I hope you briefly Understanding our politicians. It is only We Spiritual Leaders Trying to open our mouths praying and Console the people and if possible calling for the help.

Seth writes – #tanzaniadrought2017