Sousa on the Rez

Tribal band to be profiled in documentaryIn production for six years, “Sousa on the Rez,” a half-hour independent documentary featuring the Fort Mojave Tribal Band, has launched an innovative web-based campaign to raise finishing funds to complete the film.

The phrase “Native American music” may not suggest tubas and trumpets, but march music has been a part of Native culture for over a century.

“Sousa on the Rez: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum,” looks at the vibrant but little known tradition of brass band music in Indian Country. The documentary challenges viewers to expand their definition of Native American music and broadens their understanding of contemporary Indian life. Partial funding for this project is provided by Native American Public Telecommunications, which supports public television projects that share Native stories with the world.Comment:  For more on Native music and documentaries, see Jerod Tate Wins Emmy and Review of For the Generations.

Below:  "Members of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe band perform in the shade during a 2011 outing. The band is featured in a documentary, Sousa on the Rez: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum, set to be released sometime this year."