Product Description
"My Life is My Sundance" is a spoken word album, with musical accompaniment, based on the book "Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance" by Leonard Peltier. Harvey Arden, Leonard's editor and dear friend, reads from the book with the music of Reverend Goat(buffalo jawbone harp, backing vocals, harmonica), an Indian spiritual leader, and New Orleans Light: George Ingmire(heartbeat drum, guitar, treatments), Harry Lenz(bass clarinet, saxophone), Michael Voelker(drums).
Review
"A deeply moving and very disturbing story of a gross miscarriage of justice and an eloquent cri de coeur of Native American for redress and to be regarded as human beings with inalienable rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution, like any other citizens. We pray that it does not fall on deaf ears. America owes it to herself." -- Desmond M. Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, and Nobel Peace Laureate
"Listen to this fresh, brave voice, then inform yourself about the shameful case of Leonard Peltier." -- Peter Matthiessen, author of In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
I know this. My life has a meaning. I believe that the Creator, Wakan Tanka, has shaped each of our lives for a reason. I don't know what that reason is. Maybe I'll never know. But you don't have to know the meaning of life to know that life has a meaning.
Leonard Peltier, from Prison Writings
The album is a collaboration among Peltier, Harvey Arden, the Rev. D.L. "Goat" Carson and producer George Ingmire.
Arden, an authority on Native American spirituality, edited Peltier's book and reads on the recording. "If you read the book and you see where he grew up, you'll understand the true nature of the genocide as it is practiced on the reservation," Carson said.
"To me having a Russian Jew read it is a very powerful comment," Carson said. "It tells you a sad thing. Genocide is genocide. We recognize it one place and not in another." -- Times-Picayune 12/3/99
About the Artist
Mr. Peltier is currently serving two life sentences in Leavenworth. His case has drawn much attention from the world community, as the details of his imprisonment bring to question the FBI, the justice system, and the treatment of the Native American throughout history. His words are read by Harvey Arden, Leonard's editor and dear friend. Harvey's experiences with the Native American community led him to write a number of books including WisdomKeepers, Noble Red Man, and Travels in a Stone Canoe.
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