Election soundtrack: Indigenous playlist packs political punch

With a federal election looming and political mud being flung between parties,native communities across Canadaare faced with some big questions:Do wefollow ourforebears andnot interfere with the colonizer's politics? If we vote, can we really make adifference? And which party deserves ourvote?

• An indigenous guide to the 2015 federal election
• First Nations combat 'Un-Fair Elections Act' with Rock the Vote
• The AFN's quest to mobilize the First Nations vote

Here is a list of songs which pack apolitical influential punch coming from an unequivocal native perspective an indigenous soundtrack for the election season.

1. For What its Worth byYoung Medicine featuringTrent Agecoutay

Curt Young and Jamie Medicine Crane couple up to bring audiences sociallyconscience songs firmly rooted in their cultural teachings.

With this Buffalo Springfieldcovertrack,YoungMedicine reaches back to a 1970s popular radio song originally composed by StevenStills to echo sentiments recently promoted by the Assembly of First Nations.

The sentiments of AFN? Native people have the power to make a difference in this election.Native people need to put their disdain for a mainstream political system whichoften times sees them as inconvenient barriers to further resource extractionaside. In short, nativepeople need to get out and vote.

The results of this musical call to the polls has yet to be seen. But rest assured, wehave now come full circle from not being considered citizens, to gaining the right tovote in 1960, to decisively rejecting the voting system, and nowto entertaining an indigenouspush to the polls.

2. Working for the Government by
A Tribe Called Red featuringBuffy Sainte-Marie

This is the greatest musical definition of a two-for-one. A Tribe CalledRedhas providedbrand new territories for native and non-native people to dance on together.

Here, they've done what any respectful indigenousgentlemen raised in the culture knows to dogive honour to those whohave paved the way for their success. Hence, the remix of indigenousgroundbreaker Buffy SainteMarie'sWorking for the Government.

3.Fracking byTanya Tagaq

The most effective and efficient way to communicate any political cause is to makepeople feel. Emotional campaigns tend to win a percentage of the votes.

On the trackFracking,from her Polaris and Juno Award winning album Animism, Tanya Tagaqemphatically places her whole being on the front lines of the fracking issue andinvites the listener to hear what it's like for the land to be raped, violated, abusedand forcefully bled.

• LISTEN: Fracking by Tanya Tagaq

There is no doubt this track has the potential to effect Albertapipeline lifers and touch someseemingly soul-lessgovernment ministers withinvestment hard-ons. If you're not feeling this sound-song, you're dead inside.

Tanya Tagaq for prime minister!

4.The Cheque is in the Mailby 7th Fire

Thispopular 80s punkreggae group,made up of brothers Allan and DavidDeLeary,wasthe first of their generation of music makerswholet therest of the nation know thatnative communities were paying attention tomainstream politics and clearly did not like what they were seeing.

When theirhit songThe Chequeis in the Mailaired on the newly-broadcast Much Music, it gave every indigenous personacross the nation a reason to sit up a little straighter, feel a little prouder and raise afist in unison with these messy-haired-heads-on-straightOjibwayboys.

There wereno other bands doing what they were doing or saying what they were saying:"Promises of food and there was none, promises of land and there was none, so wesent for more beer and now it'sgone; now you tell me that the cheque is in the mail."

5. B.I.A. by Floyd Redcrow Westerman

Digging in the files for some of the early Indian music on recordsI came up with a2:24track by someone better know as an actor and official spokesperson for Lakotaherbal medicine products.

But before the cameras found him, the lateFloyd wasvery much influenced by political philosopher and academic activist Vine Deloria.

B.I.A. (Bureau of Indian Affairs) is the original round dance song complete withprotest lyrics and powwow chants.

So the flow chart may look like this:academicpolitical science author influences the folk singer, the folk singer influences thecommunities and the communities express their political values through lifestylechoices, commercial purchases and quite possibly through voting in federalelections.

Floyd knew we could take control of our own governing destinies and hesang about it loud and proud in the 60s and 70s. Listen up.