Today's Song of the Day, as selected by KEXP DJ Gabriel Teodros in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, is "Tall Grass" by Digging Roots, from the 2022 album Zhawenim on Ishkōdé Records..
Today's Song of the Day was selected by KEXP DJ Gabriel Teodros, host of Early, in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, commemorating the importance of the history, culture, and connection to the lands that our Indigenous communities call home. More info here.
Canadian duo Digging Roots returned this summer with their fourth LP Zhawenim. Since 2004, the husband-and-wife team of Raven Kanatakta Polson-Lahache and Sho-Shona Kish have crafted an award-winning blend of folk, hip-hop, and more with traditional Indigenous music. (Sho-Shona is Anishinabe, from Batchewana First Nation, while Raven is Anishinabe and Mohawk, from Winneway, Quebec.)
The album title of "zhawenim" translates from Anishinabemowin to "to love unconditionally." As they write on their Facebook page, "Each of us has a thousand Ancestors standing with us. This collection of songs is for all our Ancestors, past, present and future. We’re dedicating Zhawenim to the children. Those living now, those yet to come and to those little ones who were stolen and never made it home to their families. We will always live life to its fullest for them, play music and dance for them, and feast for them. Niikaanaagaanah."
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