The Soul of Stone, Sound and Story

As Base31 prepares to celebrate the extraordinary artistic achievements of Mohawk artist David R. Maracle at his concert on Saturday, March 22, we are honoured to sit down with him to discuss his journey, inspirations and the powerful messages woven into his work. From his breathtaking stone sculptures to his soul-stirring music and poetry, David’s artistry is a bridge between past and present, carrying the wisdom of his Haudenosaunee ancestors into the present-day world.

Check out the interview with David below!

B31: We’re coming up on what will be your third performance at Base31! What do you hope the audience can take away from your celebration on Saturday, March 22, and what can they experience at your show?

DRM: I hope that people can take away a clear understanding of who we are as Mohawk/Indigenous people. What we stand for. You’ll hear some of that in my music & poetry, of struggles and triumphs. And it’s going to be a nice way for people to get to know some of my people and why I travel with this music. I travel as a kind of ambassador for my people and share, teach and educate on our Indigenous arts and music.

This year, I’m going to be doing a lot of reciting, a lot of poetry. I’m going to be having other surprise guests do a couple of poems. I’ll be featuring a very talented young lady from our territory—Janice Brant—and she’s going to be singing in our language Kanien’keha. She mixes the English and Mohawk together in her lyrics. She’s a beautiful soul and she writes great music, and I was featured on her recent CD she has released. I have another gentleman—a Kingston artist named Michael George, who wrote a beautiful song and he’s going to have me sing it.

Some great musicians are coming as well. We’re going to have a big jam at the end of the night, and we’re going to jam to one of my most well-known songs—it’s called Sweetgrass. I’m just hoping people will get up and dance and have a great time at the end of the evening to  help me celebrate my 40 years, and maybe get to know each other a little better.

B31: Your latest album, The Path of Totality, is a deeply moving tribute to Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools. You chose to record the album on vinyl, can you tell us more about that decision?

DRM: This is my first vinyl record, and I wanted to be able to say that I was a part of that era of music again. I’ve written in the book about why I chose to do the vinyl. Vinyl makes me feel different and it brings back childhood memories. You know, guys going around with boom boxes, hanging out playing records on the turntable, searching for your favorite bands at the Record store, and playing that type of music.

B31: Your upcoming coffee table book, Elemental Daydreamer, is a retrospective of your poetry and artistic journey. What can readers expect from this collection, and how does poetry complement your visual and musical artistry?

DRM: In our Haudenosaunee tradition, it’s mainly oral. When we take the time to sit with these people and learn these precious stories, they’re actually tidbits of knowledge and gifts that are handed to our people. It gives them encouragement and inspiration to travel on their own paths.

I look at the book as a teaching tool and how to really pay attention when you find that niche in your life that you want to be a part of. And I didn’t get the best pictures when I was younger, and I wasn’t thinking ahead that maybe one day I would have a book. So I took the oral traditions and I put it to story, put it on paper, and hoped for the best that it would fall into the right hands, and people might be inspired. And you know, the young people are gonna be inspired to actually pick up on my thoughts and maybe work to enhance it and apply it to their own life. I try to be a role model in my community for our youth.

I see the importance of what I’m doing, to leave something behind for my own family. I hope it will inspire other artists to start documenting their life and to have something beautiful to leave behind to talk about our Indigenous ways and maybe make it around the world.   And finally, you can expect to see some really cool highlights of special moments, stories, artwork and poetry- 40 years in the  Arts and Music Industry; some awesome stories about my life and my adventures.

B31: With a career spanning decades and so many artistic accomplishments, what continues to inspire and challenge you in your creative journey?

DRM: The challenge and inspiration is to appreciate everything around me, to give thanks for everything that sustains our life, to seek that knowledge, continually be fed by our spiritual leaders and faith keepers, language keepers, and our Indigenous Youth.  Applying all of that to my path. I don’t think we’re ever too old that we can’t continue to keep growing with our mind and using that in our everyday livelihood.

It’s about trying to be a positive Role model, a leader. It takes each and every one of us on this planet to make a difference. I think people are banding together right now over different situations, so I’m really happy and you know if I can continue on doing the right thing and putting out the right message, that’s all I really care about for the rest of my life.

David R. Maracle’s artistry is a testament to the power of creativity in preserving history, fostering healing, and inspiring future generations. His presence at Base31 is a special opportunity to witness an artist whose work speaks to the soul.

Will you be there to experience it? Grab your tickets now! The show takes place in Base31’s historic Sergeants Mess Hall on Saturday, March 22 at 7:30pm.