From the website: “Around the world, young people are taking a stand. They refuse to accept current social and political barriers, and are raising their voices to demand change for a better future. They are the driving force of political upheaval today. They know what they want. They are fearless -– often putting their lives on the line. And their common expression is music. The anthems of protest rise up in underground punk-rock shows in Yangon. Revolutionary hip-hop in the barrios of Caracas. Drumbeats in Istanbul street protests. The pulse of electronic dance music across Native American communities in North America. The soundtrack is global. And the noise is amplifying as youth connect with each other, onstage and online, and find their collective strength to ignite change for the future on a surge of sound and ideas. Rebel Music is their story.”
In this episode of MTV’s series “Rebel Music” viewers are given a chance to see “Native America”. The episode features young native artists Frank Waln, Inez Jasper, Mike Cliff and Nataanii Means. As they talk about their experiences, communities and music, each of these artists helps to paint the changing landscape for native youth across Canada and the United States. The episode itself covers issues including the alarmingly high rates of missing and murdered aboriginal women, land disputes across North America, life on reserves and Native activism. Along with the release of this episode of the show, MTV has also provided detailed lesson plans for educators who may want to use the episode as an aid in teaching this content.
