The Spiritual Warriors: Live at Lanalou's

I have mixed feelings about the whole cultural appropriation foofaraw. On the one hand, I understand why marginalized groups are sensitive to people blithely and cavalierly misappropriating the symbols and styles of their culture, especially when it is done to trivial effect: Gwen Stefani adopting kitschy Hollywood "Indian princess" garb for a rock video or positioning herself amongst Japanese "Harajuku Girls" seem easy and deserving targets here. But on the other hand, my favourite reggae band, Dry & Heavy, are, in fact, Japanese, and the fact that they are not Jamaican or black actually is a big part of the pleasure I take in their music: they've borrowed a genre that is in no way native to Japan, but that they clearly love, and they're doing something great with it. I hope actual Rastafarians would welcome it, though I have no idea if they do. Another interesting example: for awhile, on Tzadik - John Zorn's avant-garde label that showcased a lot of Jewish and Japanese artists, among other things - there were various albums by Jewish musicians  borrowing aspects of dub and reggae for their own music. Check out Jamie Saft's Breadcrumb Sins or David Gould's Adonai in Dub (produced, if I recall, by Saft) for examples; as good as the music is, it's made even richer by the aspects of re-appropriation at work, since reggae musicians have for years appropriated aspects of Jewish culture, right down to the Old Testament roots of "Rivers of Babylon" or talk of Zion. The thought of Jews reclaiming this language while appropriating the music that has gone with it is quite pleasing to me, and seems, further, to make a case for appropriation being a natural aspect of human culture - maybe suggesting that the challenge isn't to stay confined to your own little cultural box, but to explore other boxes in a respectful, meaningful, and genuine way (Indian princess costumes still don't count!).

Enter the Spiritual Warriors: they're a BC-based band from the Lil'wat nation and, though they do play other styles of music, they also are, yep, a kickass reggae band. Maybe there's something about reggae that is just too welcoming and joyous and peaceful for it to be regarded as the property of any one culture or race? I don't know, but within a minute of hearing their song "Spiritual Warrior" on Youtube, I was writing Gabba Productions about the Spiritual Warriors show this Friday at Lanalou's (which will also be live streamed, starting at 7:30), and trying to frame interesting questions for their leader, Leroy Joe - even though I barely know Spiritual Warriors music. (You can hear it for yourself on their website, note).

Here is the interaction that followed.

I don't know everything you do - how much of your set is reggae? How did the band get into reggae? Do you also have an interest in Rastafarianism - or are you using the music of reggae to express your own beliefs and values...?

I guess most of the music with my band has reggae feel for sure, however, we do some rock and pop as well but mostly I like to call my music Native world music or Roots music. I am not into Rastafarianism but I do like what they do in regards to their music When I first started trying to write music with my language, it was definitely a reggae feel, and also it was about how the earth was dying and that we need to step up and protect her, that was in 1995-96 when I lived in Nelson and was really starting to listen to Bob Marley. Years later in 2007 I was able to play one of our traditional songs on guitar and it had the reggae feel, so this is what really started this music for me. I do write about our struggles as First Nations people and also the good things that’s we do as a people.

I gather your rhythm section [Mike Rowe, from Jamaica, on bass, Tim Lall, from Trinidad, on drums) is of Caribbean background - how did you connect with them? What do you make of the issue of cultural appropriation, when it comes to playing reggae? 

The band is always evolving, we have had so many players over the years and the rhythm section we have now are very consistent, they want to play and show up for gigs... they just so happen to be Jamaican and Trinidadian, and more importantly they are my bro’s, yes I met them through music. It’s funny how things just work out on their own, I like to think that we are sharing cultures and not cultural appropriation.

What are the U'cwalmicwts lyrics in "Spiritual Warrior?" (There are passages that seem like just chanting - but I wouldn't know if they meant something). Are most of your songs in U'cwalmicwts and English? Which did you grow up speaking?

The chant in "Spiritual Warrior" is just the same melody as the bass line, the bass line came first and then I just chanted along with it. Most of the lyrics are English except for one part which means “good creator“. When I wrote my first song it was with my language and English and I basically interpret the language with the English lyrics, I do have a couple with just my language, "The Fishing Song," "The Constitution Song," and from our first recording, "The Two Chord Round Dance."

I did grow up speaking both English and my language, but English is my first language and I had to relearn and am still learning my language.

Set me right here - I'm confused by the different terms Lillooet, Lil'wat, and St'at'imc, especially since (if I'm reading right) none of them were actually the name your people traditionally had for themselves. So is there one you prefer? I gather Inuit people didn't care for the meaning of the word "Eskimo."
My people here in the southern part of our territory are called lower St’at’imc and Lil’wat is the name of our area, in the nation of St’at’imc there are 11 communities, Pavilion the most northern and Tipella the most South, Tipella is located on the west end of Harrison Lake and Pavillion is west of Cache creek. The word St’at’emcets is actually means the language of the St’at’imc people. Quite frankly I have not thought about the word St’at’imc and it’s meaning. I just know I’m a St’at’imc from Lil’wat ( leel-wat). My grandfather told me that some non native people where looking for Lil’wat long time ago and they ended up in that area that is called Lillooet now and they thought they were in Lil’wat, they couldn’t pronounce Lil’wat so they called it Lillooet. I’m sure there are other stories out there but I’m sticking to what my grandfather told me.

Is there a particular demographic you usually play to ? Who do you most want to reach with your music? Do you see yourselves as ambassadors of First Nations music to the wider world, or are you also interested in connecting with First Nations?

We play to so many different crowds over the years and I find that most people enjoy what we bring, they say it lifts their spirits. I do find the festival crowds really enjoy our music. I like to think that I and my daughter are ambassadors for First Nations people we are out there sharing our culture and history and try to make it a positive experience, some of the most rewarding shows we have done are at various First Nations and public schools in BC, the children danced and sang with us. One day, hopefully I’m the next 2-3 years we will tour the works and share our music to the wider audience for sure.

Do you play a lot of shows on reserves? How are you received? (I have no idea about the "musical culture" on reservations - I assume there's plenty of music, but the form it takes... I don't know!).

We have played mostly in our communities and have been well received for sure, I mean a lot of the songs I write are in the language and the chanting is the style of how we sing traditionally. Our people are very proud of us for what we have done, winning the two awards and been recognized for those efforts, it makes our people feel good because they have a connection with us personally, my family has relatives in almost every community in our nation. I grew up listening to live music on the Rez, mostly Rez rock and in my family, my grandfather, uncles and cousins all play guitar or bass and drums. It’s a long history and one day I want to do a documentary on it because a couple of the older bands are legends in BC Rez rock and beyond. I cut my teeth playing rock n blues at various house parties and Rez shows for 15-20 years before I started my reggae groups.

Have you followed the revival of interest in people like Willie Thrasher, in the wake of the Native North America series? Has it affected your band? Do you have any First Nations musical heroes...? (Any non-First Nations musical heroes you want to acknowledge?).
I met Willie back in 1991 up in Chisasibi, James Bay northern Quebec, he was amazing and I remember how proud I felt and he really inspired me, also on that record is a musician from Lil’wat, Gordon Dick and he is one of my hero’s, that guy can play a guitar back in the day. I do have many inspirations including non native musicians, too many to name, I like all kinds of music from jazz to bluegrass and I like to play all genres, right now I’m in a cool band playing my original music and this is my dream.

Were you surprised to receive the "Best World Recording" award at the Native American Music Awards? (Did you perform there?). Anything you want to say about that experience...?

When we submitted for the NAMA,s I was hoping to get a nomination, we got four nominates and also I got four with the other project I submitted, that was called the Kindness Campaign and I wrote and produced the music for it, so ya it was a real honour to win The best world and the best historical with the other project. My daughter was in both projects as well. We did not perform, however we did get to go on stage and sing with two of my native hero’s, Keith Sicola and Wes Studi. The experience was amazing, just like the first time we won an award there in 2013 with our debut recording, when we where called Kalam Wi. Award shows are so much fun and especially to be there with family made even more special.

Does your daughter have other musical projects or bands? She's got stage presence!
I’m so proud of my baby, she’s seen a lot and experienced so much in her little life, she started singing with us in 2013 after our original female lead left the group, Daisy was 14 years old at that time, she has done so well and has really grown as a performer and musician. She does write her own songs and goes by Warrior Bunny for her stage name, like I said I’m living my dream.

Anything you want to say about the album Ancestors, or the show at Lanalou's?

I really am proud of this recording, Daisy is on it, my friends are on it, my wife and I paid for the project with our own money and it was not cheap, she’s our biggest fan and supporter and she plays a big role on the outside , I’m so grateful for her help and support she’s basically my manager but not the band's lol. I’m also grateful for LanaLous and Gabba productions for having us and I really hope people show up or stream the show online, I think it’s going to be a fun night regardless who shows up, we will show up and put on a Roots Rez Reggae Rock show.

Thank you very much and I hope this will suffice.

Peace out,

Leroy

For more information, see the Facebook event page here!