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The Blessed Blend / Blog

What is The Blessed Blend?

The Blessed Blend, based out of Marble/Murphy, NC, unveiled their new musical lineup this past weekend at the new Tartan Day South Highland Games and Celtic Celebration in Columbia, SC. Their music combines elements of both their Native American and Celtic roots with a touch of contemporary rock driving their sound. Laralyn and Joseph RiverWind handle the front work singing and playing a combination of harp, flute, drums and bagpipes. The music encompasses the traditions of both cultures and delivers a punch when the rhythm section kicks in with guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and fiddle by Appalachian born & bred Jarrett Palmer, Devin Ruff, Daniel Nichols, “Chip” Siller and Michael Roderick. The crowds seem to not only enjoy the music but the story of where The Blessed Blend came from. It was a term given to the children of Scot and Native American unions. The similarities of the two cultures seem to overlap as both were based on a clan or tribe, the use of the drums and dance in ceremonies and the kinship with their natural surroundings. The Blessed Blend kicked off their performance season in Columbia and is slated for more appearances in the southeast, including the Smoky Mountain Highland Games in Maryville, TN, a concert at Reinhardt College, and a return to one of the most popular Scottish festivals in the US, the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in July. There are also plans for a tour in Ireland in the fall. For more information on the group visit www.theblessedblend.com and for booking information contact their agent, Celtic Force Enterprises at www.thecelticforce.com Joseph & Laralyn RiverWind

Frank Fools Crow and other First Nations elders

What is right? I want to share this with you, When these issues first came up in the 70's Some people wanted to get the non-Indians and mixed bloods out of ceremony. A hand full of full bloods many whom today are rich, living in big cities (you can find ma...ny books about them) from the sale of ceremony, came to Fools Crow asking him to take a stand. He did. He quoted Black Elk, who said " The only way our old ways will survive is though education of all that come to us." Fools Crow highly respected Black Elk's teachings. When asked again, Fools Crow stated that, "the only threat to our Sacred ways is by our own people turning their backs on the words and ways of our Grandfathers." When asked again he became angered and said, "who are we to choose who pray's in what way?" Before his death when asked what to do about those that steal our Sacred way's he said, "You can not steal prayers. Our way is the way of the Sacred Pipe, the Sacred Pipe is a tool of prayer. The Seven Ceremonies belong to the people, all people that come looking for Creator. They do not belong to us, they belong to Creator and are for us to use." He was then told, "but they will steal our religion." To this he laughed and asked "how can anyone steal what is in your heart? If it can be taken from you it is not yours. You can not steal a belief, or what is carried in the heart. People can imitate the things we do, but they can not take them from us. It lives inside us. When a person comes and stands next to you and pray's it can not steal your prayer. If you believe it does then you need to look inside yourself and ask, why is my belief so weak." he later went on to say, "today so many Lakhota pray in the Christian Church's, are we stealing their beliefs, their faith, their ways? why do we believe two way's?" He said "If our religion is so weak as to be able to be taken then maybe it should be set down." When asked about those that conduct Ceremony with out teaching he said, "many of our people do this today, the Sacred takes care of itself. I am not going to those ceremonies so why would it affect me. There are lessons to be learned by those that go and those that lead those Ceremonies, it is not my job to take those lessons from them. My responsibility is to my connection with Creator. I do not find it necessary to fill my time worrying if others are living a good life, if I am, I am not focused on my life." The Indian rez politics are never ending. It's great men like Fools Crow, that will remain known through time. Our ways will always be in my heart, no one can steal them from me. The negative ones will fall away in time. In this time when so many thousands of people are searching for Spirituality we need to open our hearts and arms to them. It can be the mending of the Sacred hoop we search for. The healing of our people. Fools Crow thought that the old ways changed so much that they often held no connection to the original Lakota Ceremonies, he would say "they have been changed so much by our own people that they are no longer ours. So how can we claim our ways are being stolen? He found it amazing that the oldest existing Sweat Lodges were found in Scotland. He joked saying, "we must have stolen it from them". Every day I wake up and strive to live and carry myself as the old ones did. Not always easy in this world. I am not my grandfather or any one before me but my respect for them and there teachings inspires me to try to live the lessons they taught. To do anything else would be disrespectful to them. I could never be as the old ones were, but I can try every day to show them my respect for them by trying. MITAKUYE OYASIN

Gatlinburg Scottish Highland Games May 13-14th

Our next show will be at the Gatlinburg Scottish Highland Games. This is right around the bend of our mountains and we are looking forward to playing in our backyard. Here is the link to the main site for directions and more information: http://www.gatlinburg-scottish-highland-games.org/

Tartan Day South Carolina

Excitement is building with all of us as we get ready for Tartan Day in South Carolina. Celebrate your Celtic heritage! Yeah we just had St. Patrick's Day but any day is a good day for a Shindig and any reason is a good reason for a Shindig!

Booking for 2011

Hey everyone! Things are muddy and snowy up here in the mountains and we are excited about the concerts we will be playing this year; plus we are working on a few more new venues for this year. Let Donovan Murray from The Celtic Force know that you wants us to come play at an event near you. To all of our Florida fans we are working on getting down there this year so keep an eye out for new updates. If you want to help us out join our street team and help spread the word about The Blessed Blend!

Highland Games are the Best!

There is nothing quite like playing at a Highland Game and then relaxing afterwards with everyone. Come join us that Highland Games on our concert tours next years. Check our schedule as we will be adding more shows for next years line up.