We Are the World for Natives?

A Native musician named Dominique Vantell Lonehunt has started a drive to create a Native version of We Are the World. Here's his pitch exactly as I received it:" We Are The World ". Now What About Our Nation Wide Rezervations? - 2010 Is The Year For All Native Artist & Musicians - A must come out with " We Are The Rezervations" - Make It Happen & all do respects to haiti's great loss...

All Proceed Should Be Placed Amongst Rezervations In Need with this Joint effort from participating Speakers & musicians... It is a matter of Gathering Them In unity... Because, Previously & This Winters Cries Alone, Have Not Been Heard From Many Who Choose Not To Listen.I thought this was a great idea that needed a total rewrite. (I leave it to readers to tally the number of capitalization, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.) My version:In 1985 a supergroup of musicians produced We Are the World to help Africa. Now people are asking, "What about our endangered reservations?" This year it's time for top Native musicians to come together and create We Are the Reservations.

A powerful pop song like We Are the World or Do They Know It's Christmas? would raise funds for Native people in crisis. Just as important, it would raise awareness among the public and interest among the media. A catchy, chart-topping tune could get everyone thinking and talking about Indian country.

The proceeds from this effort would go to struggling reservations, such as those hit by recent storms. Some proceeds also would go to at-risk communities around the world, such as those in Haiti. Nobody would benefit from this except the people who need it.

As we've seen, some Indians suffered alone this winter, unheard by those who chose not to listen. Let's make people listen with a memorable pop song. I ask you to work with me to make it happen.

To build momentum for this project, please join the We Are the Reservations fan page at xxx. To volunteer your services, please contact Dominique Vantell Lonehunt at xxx.To the person who forwarded Lonehunt's message to me: This is basically the same message, but I've rewritten it totally. I trust you see the difference.

You can fill in the xxx's with actual information. Helping Dominique manage the process could be a good job for you.

If and when the project gets a few thousand fans, then we can talk about the next step. Perhaps I can get Indian Country Today to write an article about it.

Once it gets momentum in the national media, then the biggest Native stars will think about joining. Until then, it's unrealistic to expect people to jump into an unknown project by an unknown musician.

For more on Native music, see Natives Sing It Their Way.