Native America Calling: The righteous rebellion of Indigenous punk rock

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Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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The righteous rebellion of Indigenous punk rock

Punk rock’s rebellious anger aimed at the forces of economic and political oppression and its low-fi, do-it-yourself aesthetic are among the reasons the genre took hold with some Indigenous musicians.

It’s a connection that continues to resonate with both players and audiences. Kristy Martinez (Yoeme and Chicanx) is both a punk performer and a graduate student researching the history of the Indigenous contributions to the legacy of punk, one short, loud, and angry song at a time. She is building an archive of Indigenous punk musicians, posters, and performances on social media.

Tune into Native America Calling to hear from Martinez about her growing archive of Indigenous punk history and what the art form has to offer to today’s listeners.

Dead Pioneers: y Spirit Animal Ate Your Spirit Animal

Guests on Native America Calling

Kristy Martinez (Yaqui and Mexican), archivist for the Indigenous Punks Archive and graduate student in musicology at the University of California, Los Angeles

Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe), visual artist and lead vocalist of the Dead Pioneers band

Toni Heartless (Diné, Choctaw, Filipino), artist and front man for Heart Museum, a band based on the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Nation