In keeping in line with popular culture rags all over North America – I’m compiling a list of things that blew my mind in 2009 from around Indian Country.  Here it is below:

Sonny Assu – This Vancouver, BC based visual artist caught my eye when I stumbled onto his website a few years ago and he continues to change the game with his iDrums series.  I caught some of his earlier work when he was using pop culture iconography (Spiderman, The Simpsons, Coke) mixed with a blend of traditional Coast Salish style on handdrums.  That series of work blew my mind and his new works continue to examine how pop culture/tech culture juxtaposes our polarized cultures.  His website is here.

Waawaate Fobister – …

I’ve been lucky enough to have done a bunch of voice work on Darrel Dennis’ CBC Radio Series, “Revision Quest”, this past couple of weeks and I’ve really been impressed by not only the staff working on it, the writing and comedy found therein, but mostly by what the series IS SAYING.  Many of the sketches are political and social in nature – taking strong stands against the system, fighting against stereotypes, and shining a bright light on the positives and the contributions Indian Peoples bring/give to the mainstream on a daily basis.

There is a poignant piece that I voiced on Friday that started with a couple of old friends that “play catch up” as they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.  The sketch opens with a line about the Native character, “becoming a lawyer, NOT a real …