Cetan Wanbli Williams: Native Grammy wins not that Native

Monday, February 13, 2012  

"In 2011, the Grammys terminated the “Native American Music Album” award.

QUESTION: How many Grammy-winning projects did Native Americans produce?

SOLUTION: 1.5 XIT + 1/2 MIL + 1/3 MAT = ?

(This must be the same math the BIA uses.)

Let me take you through it. The first Native American Grammy award was presented in 2001. The winning production was a recording of the 1999 Gathering of Nations powwow.

I sang with Tha Tribe that year, and the first recording on the winning production featured a song with words my uncle translated. Despite our contribution, no one took home a little phonograph. I never asked my uncle how to say “Award-winning Songwriter” in Ojibwe."

Get the Story:
Cetan Wanbil Williams: My Grammy is NOT a Cherokee Princess (Indian Country Today 2/12)