Author: extremelyeloquent

INTRO: Welcome, I’m Rose Aguilar, and this is Your Call. The FBI file on today’s guests says quote, “He is extremely eloquent, therefore extremely dangerous.” From 1969 to 1979 the FBI collected a seventeen-thousand-page file on John Trudell, an acclaimed poet, recording artist, and Indigenous rights activist, He’s well known for becoming one of the main voices of the occupation of alcatraz in November, 1969. In October, 1972 he took part in the American Indian Movement’s Trail of Broken Treaties caravan march on the Bureau of Indian Affairs in D.C. From November third to the seventh, they occupied the Department of the Interior. The Nixon Administration rejected their demands to revive native sovereignty, but instead authorized sixty six thousand dollars for gas money to send the caravan back where it came from. John Trudell continued his work with AIM, serving as chair from ‘73 to ‘79. And so much happened during that time. In February of ‘79, a fire of unknown origin killed Trudell’s wife, three children and mother in law. It was through this horrific tragedy that he began to find his voice as an artist and poet, writing in his words, to stay connected to this reality. John Trudell has also been a leading voice for the legalization of hemp through the project Hempstead Project Heart. Hempstead was created by the olders, Willie Nelson and John Trudell, to promote a conscious recognition of the qualities of industrial hemp as a renewable economic alternative, green energy resource. He says, hemp is one of the most important issues of our time. As part of the fourth annual Hemp History Week the documentary film Bringing it Home, which tells the story of hemp’s past, present and future, will be screened in San Francisco tonight at 7pm. Inner Mission, San Francisco, 2050, Bryant Street, and John Trudell will be at tonight’s screening and he joins me here in studio.

Rose Aguilar: Hi, John. 

John Trudell: Hello. 

Nice to see you! Thanks for coming in! 

Well it’s nice to be seen. 

Continue reading “Today on Your Call | June 5, 2013”

Tamra Lucid: In your book Lines from a Mined Mind (Fulcrum, 2008) you use mining as a metaphor for the way industrialization has turned human beings into products or dehumanized resources for exploitation. You compare the resulting fear and alienation to the toxic waste left behind by uranium mining. Please explain to our readers your concept of the Great Programming. 

John Trudell: Everything is about energy. Everything that ever goes on in this dimension of reality that we are in is about energy. This whole idea of the great programming, I think that this has got to do with the planetary industrial ruling class. The programming has got to do with how they channel our energy, the energy of being, being human, to feed their technological needs. The programming takes place in how we’re civilized, educated, to see reality. Programming is about how to get our energy. 

Continue reading “An Interview with John Trudell | December 14, 2011”

Christopher Luna: Was there a particular time period or album when you began to feel confident about how you were combining poetry and music? 

John Trudell: I felt it with the very first album, Tribal Voice. I liked it. I didn’t set myself up for criticism, and I didn’t try to compete against myself. Then I got the opportunity to do electric music with Jesse Ed Davis, and we made Graffiti Man. In my mind I was thinking, this may not be a perfect album, but hey, I’m gonna learn as I go along. I’ve never not been pleased with one of my albums. I figure because it’s spoken word, there will be people who relate to it, and people who don’t, so I don’t worry about any of that. I’ve been doing it for over twenty years. I’ve always written because it was something I had to do, never for the glory. 

Which songwriters or poets do you look to for inspiration? 

Continue reading “With Words and Song: An Interview with John Trudell | 2009”

Interviewer: Can we start off with some of the typical biographical details – where were you born and all that?

John Trudell: I was born in 1946 near Omaha Nebraska and split my childhood half and half between living in town with my parents and living on the Santee Sioux Reservation just outside of Omaha with my grandparents. I dropped out of high-school because it wasn’t working for me, and at seventeen I joined the navy. I did my four-year hitch, even though it wasn’t really right for me, and got out in 1967. I did a couple of years of college after that, but that didn’t work out because of some political shit, and I was denied something that I should have got credit for. 

This might be a stupid question, I don’t know, but how would your experiences as a child have been different than your so-called typical kid growing up in the suburbs? 

Continue reading “Interview: John Trudell, Poet And Songwriter – An Un-Mined Mind! | November 5, 2008”

John Trudell: Dreaming is a way of seeing and thinking. And generally, when we dream, when we’re dreaming awake, generally we don’t make bad dreams. So we’re seeking some kind of clarity or some kind of good with our dreams. You know from the time we’re young we’re imprinted that daydreaming is bad. Dreaming is not good, you know, but they do that to us because if we’re not, if we’re daydreaming we’re not paying attention to what they’re trying to make us do, right. And so really that’s why I think that they attack the whole concept of dreams, or dreamers, or Dreaming. I mean from the industrial level, because it takes our attention away from them. 

Continue reading “Nugget Casino, Nevada | 2008”

Lila Johnston: This is Lila Johnston, with Cultural Energy and I’m here with John Trudell. John, you’ve led an amazing life and I want to get to know your past and what you’ve been through to lead into what you’re doing now and what you see for the future. The U.S. Government went to great extents to stop people like yourself and other AIM members. Why was this gargantuan existence of the U.S. Government so scared of little old AIM? And like, what was it about you guys that made them so fearful? 

John Trudell: I mean AIM got the biggest focus, but it was that whole activist energy that was going on in the native community at that time. What I really think it is, is say, our rebellion. Native rebellion as manifested through AIM. When you just cut right down to the bottom line of everything it was about law. See there are five types of law in America. There’s Common Law, Criminal law, Constitutional Law, Statue Law and Treaty Law. See so Treaties are laws, but most people, even Natives alright, and Americans, they drop the word Law off Treaty, so they say Treaties. See so at some point that implies that it’s not a legal, that it’s more of an ethical or moral obligation, but in reality it’s a legal responsibility that America has to the Native Tribes. Any Treaty Law agreements, because these Treaties were legal agreements made between the Tribes and the Americans. The Constitution of the United States says that the Treaties with the various Indian Tribes and the Constitution are the supreme laws of the land. The laws of the land, and see so the treaties, really according the Constitution, are part of the laws of a land just like  the Constitution is. And the American government does not want anyone to understand this right because it would change the whole dynamic of everything. That was really what the cruxt of it is, because America pretends to be a nation of law, but in reality, if they violate these treaty laws then they are not a nation of laws. And for me personally, I have all that understanding that we do not live in a nation of laws. But I think that’s really why they hit us so heavy. Because this wasn’t like a civil rights movement about our civil rights. This was about our sovereign rights as human beings, and they don’t want the rest of the Americans thinking in terms of their rights as human beings, you know they want them thinking in terms of civil rights, these things can be legislated away, erased and all this and that. So we were opening up a whole legal and philosophical reality that the American government just does not want opened up. 

Continue reading “Lila Johnson Interview with John Trudell | September 26, 2007”

Brendan Lorber: You’ve said you felt you were knocked unconscious when you were born and have spent your entire life trying to come to. What techniques have you called upon become more aware? 

John Trudell: I never thought in terms of technique. There are some things I can’t explain. I went through my life experiences and at a young age things just didn’t seem right to me. I was always influenced by that and as different things have happened in my life I thought about them a lot, maybe out of necessity. It’s apparent to me that the reality that’s being imposed upon us, something’s not right about it. It’s almost like this is not real, what reality’s supposed to be all about. My mind goes off with these kind of things but I’ve never thought in terms of any technique. I just do what I do. 

Everyone from the FBI to Kris Kristofferson says you are dangerous – who are you dangerous to and why? 

Continue reading “The Poetry Project Newsletter. Knowing Is Not Enough: A Conversation with John Trudell | April/June 2007”

[The following is an interview freelancer Iretta Tiger conducted with recording artist, poet and champion of indigenous issues John Trudell.]

Iretta Tiger: Musical & Literary Influences: 

John Trudell: My literary influences? I can’t think of any literary influences. In the sense of literature–cause I like to read so I always liked to read. When I was a kid I read everything from true romance magazines to the Farmers Almanac, true crime to Reader’s Digest. Whatever I could get my hands on just for the read-ing. Following specific writers–I don’t really remember following a specific writer. “Now that being said, I was always into music; lyrics in songs. Music–but also the lyrics in songs. To me in a way my literary writers were the people that wrote lyrics for songs; the John Pines’ and the Bob Dylan’s and the Kris Kristofferson’s and the Buffy St. Maries’. But as a writer that’s where I got most of my influences. 

Continue reading “The Seminole Tribune Interviews John Trudell | September 21, 2006”

[In a running conversation with Indian Country Today Senior Editor Jose Barreiro, Trudell seeks to address lingering issues in the dissolution of AIM and particularly in the case of Annie Mae Pictou-Aquash, the Micmac woman and AIM activist murdered in South Dakota during the winter of 1975 – ’76. One man, Arlo Looking Cloud, has been convicted in the murder while a second indicted man, John Graham, awaits extradition from Canada to the United States to stand trial.

This series covers Trudell’s perspective on the issues of violence in the activist movement where the renowned poet proposes a theory of the ”deeply embedded government operative” and the role of rogue government infiltration programs in stimulating violence in social and political movements. Trudell also addresses his own shift from political organizing to the musical poetics of stage and film.]

Jose Barreiro: It’s been 30 years since the killing of Annie Mae Pictou- Aquash. The case remains largely unsolved, although there has been one conviction in recent years. You’ve expressed interest in advancing some thoughts on the subject. I wonder how you’re feeling about where that investigation might be at and where you would like to see it go?

John Trudell: It’s interesting how the investigation into the killing of Annie Mae has unfolded. Where it stands right now, Arlo Looking Cloud has been convicted and he is serving time in the U.S. for his part in the crime. John Graham, ”John Boy,” is in Canada fighting extradition back to stand trial for murder, and my understanding is that he has been ordered to be extradited back but he is on a final appeal.

So we understand that the extradition is imminent.

Continue reading “Still Confronting | 2006”

With a Natural American Spirit cigarette in one hand and a cup of hot black coffee in front of him, legendary Native American poet and activist John Trudell sits across from me at an outside table at Rose’s Café in Venice Beach, CA. I have been looking forward to this interview since I saw Heather Rae’s documentary Trudell last January at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

John Estherent: What did you think about the idea of having a film made about you?

John Trudell: I was curious. Heather was from the next generation and I wanted to see what she knew and what she would do with the material… I think they did a great job. 

Do you find it ironic the film is illustrating a well-known figure such as yourself when much of your philosophy and rhetoric emphasizes mass populace conscious and mobilization?

Continue reading “Oral Examination: An Interview with Native Spokesperson, Poet and Activist John Trudell | 2006”

Interviewer: Why did you choose to let Heather Rae make a documentary about your life?

John Trudell: I had been approached by another party, which was interested in doing a documentary, but it meant that they would be traveling and living with me for two to three months. I wasn’t interested in having to live with a camera—I have a hard enough time getting along with myself. I don’t need cameras around and all that action. Being followed by a camera…means whatever documentation is being made, it’s being limited to a certain timeframe—the time they’re there with the camera—so it’s more personality oriented and interaction and things of that nature. It’s a different kind of documentary.

Continue reading “Independent Lens | February, 2006”

Patty Martin: So I’m Patty Martin interviewing John Trudell. 

John Trudell: Hello Patty. 

So, I have a couple questions for you, and mainly about youth and the messages you want to send to the youth.

Well, I hadn’t thought in terms of anything as a message. But what I would say to young people is basically what I would say to anybody, because I think we’re as human beings, we’re all equally at risk in this world, just the same as we’re all equally entitled to joy, so to speak, alright, but I think, but because youth are younger yet and they got a longer time to be here, right, I think that it would be very important that they understand the value of their intelligence. And that young people understand, you know to use their intelligence as clearly and coherently as they can. To think before they act. To think about things. And you know, to think. And recognize as much about the issue that they’re dealing with as they possibly can. To see things for what they are. Because too many times we’ve been programmed to emotionally react to situations and we generally react based upon our beliefs and what we believe. So then something happens and we react with how we believe. By how we believe. And I think that’s what helped to create the mess that the world is in today. Because if you’re reacting out of emotion and beliefs, then that means–you can’t have emotional reaction and clear and coherent thought at the same time. One is at the expense of the other. And I think for young people to understand the value of their intelligence, I would just, I don’t know how coherent I’m being with this, but that is what I would say. Understand the value of your intelligence and your own worth. 

Continue reading “Youth Speaks Out! | 2006”

[NOTE: The discussion covers Trudell’s worldview that encompasses his call for humans to return to their intelligence and their humanity to forge a pathway forward.  His responses to the questions now seem prophetic.]

Leila Conners: Just for the camera, what’s your name and where are you from?

John Trudell: My name is John Trudell. I’m in California. I know that humanity is not living in balance with nature. It’s not happening. And actually it’s more than a little out of balance. Humanity is actually at this point, almost going against nature. It’s beyond living out of balance. But I also think with humanity going against nature that there’s a small percentage, a small number of human beings that are behind this and driving it and imposing it upon just humanity in general. 

In going against nature, what does that do to the survivability of humanity? 

Continue reading “The 11th Hour by Leila Conners | 2005”

Trudell participated in the occupation of Alcatraz Island by Indians of All Tribes, becoming a spokesman for Indians of All Tribes. After the occupation ended in 1971, Trudell worked with the American Indian Movement, becoming national chairman of AIM from 1973 until 1979. In February of 1979, Trudell’s mother-in-law, wife and three children were killed in a fire of unknown origin. It was through this horrific tragedy that Trudell began to find his voice as an artist and poet. Trudell now lives in Southern California and performs around the country to both Native and non-Native audiences. He believes that his purpose and that of the movement was, and is, to “Light the fire of Native spirit…of Native consciousness.”

Frank J King III: So what do you think of the American Indian Film Festival? You’ve lived in this area for quite a while now.

John Trudell: Well, you’ve got to define “this area.” I’ve lived in California for a long time, but I live in L.A. Actually I like it. I like the fact that they’re here and they have been for a long time so it’s almost like a powwow. It’s a gathering point for Native people that are in film or various aspects of the arts. People get together. Then you get into the fact that they showcase different Native people, acknowledge different Naive people by showcasing their work. I think it’s good all the way around.

Continue reading “A Native Voice Visit Activist/Actor/Artist John Trudell | November 30, 2003”

Interviewer: So there’s his obvious imbalance here. If you were going to try to describe it to a young person or to a visitor who got here five minutes ago to Earth and had no clue. How would you describe what the problem is here? 

John Trudell: They have entered the reality of the already dead, who are just spending their lives waiting to die. The reality of the spiritually disconnected. This is the reality that seems to be prevalent, because it’s like you look at the leadership or you look at the institutions or the things that are held up in these esteems and none of these things seem to have any spiritual relationship to life. You know, so it’s like, no spiritual relationship to life it’s almost like no spiritual recognition. We’re in a time in reality where the human beings, at least in the technologic world no longer remember the the original dream. They no longer remember their ancestors or the teachings or the knowledge. They no longer have these things of their ancestry. So it’s almost like they’re spiritually disconnected from the past. And when you look at the situations, the conditions that we live in now, the way that the cancers of greed and war, the way that these viruses, these diseases have spread, and everyone, and no one is really taking responsibility to effectively deal with these things. People are having emotional reactions and emotional outbursts and these types of things, but no one’s taking clear and coherent action to deal with this disease of aggression that is taking place. So it’s almost like because of that they have no spiritual relationship to their own descendants. So it’s like you know, no spiritual relationship to the past, the ancestry, no spiritual relationship to the ancestry in the shape of the future. So whatever this disease of aggression and violence and greed, whatever this disease mentality is, it lives in this life system now. It’s eating up the spirit of the diseased. And they don’t even know it’s happening. They have no relationship to being. They only function and react as humans. They have no relationship to being, being always is, this is with our ancesters, with our descendants. Being. When we leave as humans, we go back to being. Being. Human being. That really means something. But we live in a reality now, or in a time where I would say to anyone, you know,  protect your spirit. Protect your spirit because you’re in the place where spirits get eaten.

Interviewer: A few years ago, you were asked about your AIM days, and you said, “That was a different me.” 

John Trudell: A different me? I wonder which me said that. When we’re infants, we’re infants. When we’re crawlers, we’re crawlers. And when we’re young people, we’re young people. AIM was a very crucial part of my learning experience, my life test. Things happen in life, and I headed in another direction with writing and things. 

AIM celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year. How do you look back on those times? 

Continue reading “Throwback: The High Times Interview with John Trudell | 2003”

Mali: What drew you to the work that you do today?

John Trudell: You mean with the music and the writing and things? It just kind of happened. What I’m doing now… the writing and the poetry and this aspect of it… I started this writing, maybe 1979, the end of 79. I was 33 years old then – it had never been a thought in my consciousness that I would be doing what I’m doing now. Prior to that, I had spent ten years, actually, as a political activist with Indians of All Tribes and Alcatraz, in the American Indian Movement.

It was a ten year block of time. It just turns out that it ended up being ten years where I was actively a political activist and we had our confrontations with the government about many issues, mainly over treaty laws.

Continue reading “Despite Federal Violence, Trudell Carries on In-Depth Excellence | October 23, 2002”

Very excited about what’s coming up, American Indian poet, musician and activist John Trudell visited the Bay area recently as an artist in residence at the Intersection of the arts in San Francisco, where he gave readings of his work and heart talks in small intimate settings. Here in a conversation with actor activist Peter Koyote, Trudell discusses his personal genius as a key player in the American Indian Movement, highlights defining moments of Native American struggles, and shows us how to recreate our language to reempower us all in the face of today’s monocultural monalith. We start out with Peter Coyote. Here it is. This was recorded, I should say one month ago at Intersection for the arts in San Francisco. Here’s Peter Coyote. 

Continue reading “John Trudell And Peter Coyote | April, 2002”

During a recent visit to Albuquerque, poet and Native leader John Trudell sat down for an interview about native people’s past and future. Trudell is a former national chairman of the American Indian Movement. He lost his family in the war being waged against indigenous people. Born on February 15, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska, Trudell grew up on and around the nearby Santee Chicano/Mexicanos Sioux reservation.(His father was Santee, his mother’s tribal roots were in Mexico). 

Interviewer: It has been 509 years since the invasion of these lands. What form do you see  the struggle for Indigenous rights taking right now? Or do you even see the Native Pride movement still existing? 

John Trudell: We have to understand, in the evolution of our people, there is a reason why we are who we are. I don’t think its a matter of being proud. It’s a matter of living as native people. A matter of being who we are. We represent several generations as survivors of genocide. We are physically still here and we all carry parts of the original dream memory within us. You see, in the real world all parts are different, but it’s how the parts fit together to create a balance. Things change – that’s the nature of reality. So we must live as today yet retain who we are. Our responsibility is to recognize and not judge. Because that is what Native factionalism is all about – arrogance, pride and judgment. 

Continue reading “Q&A with John Trudell | 2001”