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Protecting the Earth: An Interview with John Trudell | 1998

EARTH FIRST JOURNAL: Earth First! has changed a lot since it hit the scene in late 1979. Then it was about property destruction or monkeywrenching and less popular redneck-type wilderness politics. Since the late ’80s, EF! has moved strongly toward a strategy of above- ground nonviolent direct action — basically a lot of civil disobedience. Some EF! groups even publicly denounce monkeywrenching now. What do you think EF!’s role should be in the environmental movement today?

JOHN TRUDELL: To always promote and keep alive the consciousness of the Earth. I think that is what it should be about, regardless of what the difference of opinion may be about whether it is spiking trees or sitting in trees, these are just tactics that people are working out to accomplish the one thing that Earth First! needs to stick by and that is protecting the Earth. I think that one thing for people to remember is that all things on this planet are different. It is how all the different things work together that makes the balance. So, within Earth First! there must be an understanding that there are different ways to get things done. If nothing else, whether or not people agree with the differences at this point, I would say that every idea should be respected.

The Hutchinson News | April 16, 1998

“Suddenly, these lines came into my head, ‘Gently the rains of purification wash my mind.’ …Something told me to write them down and I’ve been writing since then. “I wrote a set of 20 lines. It was not something I expected. Then I started writing and I started writing a lot. And I saw, well, there’s some reason I’m doing this and I’ll see where the writing takes me.” – Regarding writing his first lyrics.

” His writing found its way on tape with friend and guitarist Jesse Ed Davis composing backing tracks for two albums. Unable to sign with any record label, Trudell formed Peace Music and released the songs on mail-order cassettes. In 1986, “a.k.a. Grafitti Man” wound up in the hands of Bob Dylan, who called it the best record of the year.

Interview with WOJB’s Lori Townsend | February 28, 1998

This interview with WOJB’s Lori Townsend took place on Feb. 28, before Trudell performed in concert in Kyle, South Dakota, part of the 25th Anniversary of Wounded Knee:

JOHN TRUDELL: Being here, to me it’s partly about acknowledging the other Wounded Knee occupation 25 years ago, but I think in a larger sense, it’s an opportunity to get back with the community. Most of the people here are from those days, from those times. We don’t get to see each other a lot any more because a lot of things have happened. In a way it’s like a family reunion to me. It’s nice to know I can come back to a nice safe place. Safe, like this is family and an opportunity to see everybody. I’m not here so much for the politics or anything. I have a lot of friends, a lot of relations from those times. And it’s also good to acknowledge the struggle itself. But I don’t know that I’m here to acknowledge the struggle, as much as to see the people again.

LORI TOWNSEND: I know that people have said, this is to commemorate a time of healing, from that time when there was a lot of division. People were separated by the very nature of the struggle. What have you seen in 25 years, as people come together, being able to heal from that time?

Of Earth And Elders : Visions And Voices From Native America, Introduction. | 1998

Crazy Horse said we live in the shadow of the real world and we really do. The coherency of our future depends upon us knowing who we are — and truly understanding who we are – because our relationship to reality and our relationship to power is based upon that understanding. Today we live in an industrial society and this technological perception of reality, this shadow world, presents a serious crisis: It is a reality where we don’t remember who we are, so therefore we don’t know who we are. We speak a language we don’t understand and because of this, we don’t know where we are. We are part of an evolutionary reality but part of the purpose of this technological civilization is to erase our memories and erase our identities.

Confronting the Spirit Eater: An Interview with John Trudell | December 31, 1997

NATIVE AMERICAS: John, I see from your performance the other night that you are still reaching for your truth about what’s going on in the world. You travel a lot, you deal with young people, that youthful energy of the music business. How is the new generation different from our generation, and how is it similar?

JOHN TRUDELL: That is hard to answer because in many ways when I’m not working I’m pretty reclusive. But when I’m out in the world, I think that the energy is the same for the youth now as when we were young. The technology is a little different and the information that new technology brings is a little different, but I think that what is really the essence of us, from our youth to the youth now, that essence is still there. In fact, I think that this essence is part of the fuel that runs America.

Judi Bari Memorial and Fund Raiser at Martin Luther King Jr. School in Berkeley CA. | April 26, 1997

I’m pleased to be here and I’m glad that you’re here and I’ll attempt to be as clear as I can while I’m up here.

It’s about our D and A. Descendants and ancestors. We are the descendants and we are the ancestors. D and A, our DNA, our blood, our flesh and our bone, is made up of the metals and the minerals and the liquids of the earth. We are the earth. We truly, literally and figuratively are the earth. Any relationship we will ever have in this world to real power, the real power, not energy systems and other artificial means of authority, but any relationship we will ever have to real power is our relationship to the earth. So whatever Judi was doing and what Earth First! does, they were establishing connection with the basic reality, that we must take care of the earth.

Spirit Of Survival – Leader Turns Activism to Art | March 23, 1997

“Hope came out last, but why did it come out last if the box was supposed to be filled with evil? I always wondered about that when I first read the story. Did that mean that Hope was an evil? Should we not hope? Maybe we should pray more than we hope — because at least when we’re praying, we’re participating.”

“We need to take responsibility as individuals and let that evolve into leadership. Instead, it’s clarity of thought that’s important. That’s what should be passed on.”

Activism Planted Seeds of Genuine Inner Spirituality | March 21, 1997

“I learned a lot from the political activist days. It was very valuable to me. But at some point in all of this, I personally came to the conclusion that maybe we can speak our truths more realistically, individually and collectively from our culture and art. That’s really who we are. The political system that surrounds us, it’s something that is there and we have to acknowledge it and deal with it. But it didn’t emanate from us. so it’s not really who we are.”

“It’s the most natural way. It’s encoded in the DNA for us. To go into a sweat ceremony, it’s you, the earth and the willows, the darkness, fire and some water and prayers. It’s a much different experience than dressing up in your Sunday best and going to a temple. The right to pray the way we pray. I do not see how anyone could deny that. That to me is anti-spirit and anti-Christ.” – On Sweat Ceremonies

SOURCE: Albuquerque Journal

The Occupation of Alcatraz Island (Book) | 1996

“You just can’t take a people and keep them uneducated and give them nothing–for example most of their early life, and just send them to a city and say here, here is a job doing this and then cut them loose. I think I would just as soon stay on the reservation, and be poor as to move to a city on relocation and have to live in a ghetto area, and that is exactly where they put us.” ~

Trudells Truths | February 24, 1995

“One of the things I feel on the part of my audience is that they’re willing to hear it, even if they don’t agree with it. What I do, it’s culture, it’s music, it’s art. I’m not trying to tell anybody to follow my line of thinking.”

“Between the right and left and political jingoisms, the world has evolved to where there is a corporate, multinational world order…even the illusion of democracy is starting to disappear. There’s a planetary ruling-class rich, and everyone else is here to serve them.”

Spoken Word Tour – Evergreen State College – Olympia, WA. | 1994

I’d like to first of all thank you for being here. I’m glad I’m here. And if I say anything that you don’t agree with, let’s just leave it at that. It’s not about anything other than whatever comes out, comes out. I’m gonna start with some poems.

[John Trudell reads one of his poems]

Just so we have an understanding. I come from the tribes, I have that much of my identity. And when I look at what’s happening here, in the Western Hemisphere, I can’t forget that tribal memory. I may not know the language, I may not know many things, but I do know many things also. But what I remember with my genetic memory, which is the basis of many of my realities, is that the way that people need to live with this hemisphere, with the earth in reality, but with this hemisphere, is the people need to live with the earth. Not on it. Not from it. With it. To me democracy is the enemy of the tribes. To me, technologic industrial civilization is the enemy of the tribes. It is the enemy of the natural world, to me. The concept of male dominating gods, to me is the enemy of the natural world.

After Personal Tragedy, Indian Activist Turns to Poetry | December 1, 1994

“The entire history of the Indian is genocide. It’s alien terminology, and it messes with our identity. We are older than America. We’ve been part of the land. We are ancestral.” – To Trudell, the term “Indians” means only the last few hundred years of his people’s heritage, by no means its entirety.

“When the fire happened, it absolutely changed reality; it altered reality for me forever, and beyond forever.”

“I don’t belong in this world any more. It’s not changed for them, but it was altered for me forever.”

“Hoping and wishing are heroin for the thought process; we need more time thinking and doing.”

“I wore politics as an identity, but I came to understand it as a limited identity…This is all about my perceptions. I’m headed in a direction, and I will continue to see where it takes me.”

“I write lines. I don’t write poetry. I don’t write lyrics. Some of the lines become poetry, and some of the lines become lyrics, but I always write what I have to say. If I sat down to write a song, I would have to pay attention to the math of music.” ~

After Personal Tragedy, Indian Activist Turns to Poetry | December 1, 1994

“The entire history of the Indian is genocide. It’s alien terminology, and it messes with our identity. We are older than America. We’ve been part of the land. We are ancestral.”

“When the fire happened, it absolutely changed reality; it altered reality for me forever, and beyond forever.”

“I don’t belong in this world any more. It’s not changed for them, but it was altered for me forever.”

Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say | November 29, 1994

ALIBI: You’ve lived many lives so far during this earthly lifetime. You’ve been a Marine during Vietnam, an AIM member, you’ve been involved in battles with the federal government and have endured subsequent personal tragedies. You’ve been in documentaries and have acted in movies. You’re a poet/musician and now you’ve just published a book of conversation, lyrics and poetry. Where do you think this continuum of experiences is taking you?

JOHN TRUDELL: Into madness. I mean, don’t rule it out, right? I’m not really sure. In my own mind I’m headed in a direction. I can’t really deﬁne that direction. It just seems that all of these things are consistent. These are just like worlds I’ve been through. But each world seems to put me dead center in the next one. In reality, we, at this given moment in time, are an accumulation of all of our experiences. That is a part of our physical identity within this life. We’re all affected differently by our experiences. But in the end that’s what we are, a continuum of every experience we’ve had since we entered into this life and probably, way in our DNA, a continuum of other experiences.

Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say | November 29, 1994

ALIBI: You’ve lived many lives so far during this earthly lifetime. You’ve been a Marine during Vietnam, an AIM member, involved in battles with the federal government and have endured subsequent personal tragedies. You’ve been in documentaries and have acted in movies. You’re a poet/musician and now you’ve just published a book of conversation, lyrics and poetry. Where do you think this continuum of experiences is taking you?

JOHN TRUDELL: Into madness. I mean, don’t rule it out, right? I’m not really sure. In my own mind I’m headed in a direction. I can’t really deﬁne that direction. It just seems that all of these things are consistent. These are just like worlds I’ve been through. But each world seems to put me dead center in the next one. In reality, we, at this given moment in time, are an accumulation of all of our experiences. That is a part of our physical identity within this life. We’re all affected differently by our experiences, but in the end that’s what we are: a continuum of every experience we’ve had since we entered into this life and probably, way in our DNA, a continuum of other experiences.

A Man of Realities | November 23, 1994

“I don’t think politics allows us to speak the truth. Because in order to maintain some semblance or pretense of unity or pretense of getting along, people have to suppress their realities.”

“I don’t trust anyone enough to go sit in a psychiatrist’s office and let them go through my brain. Yet, I’ve got to rant.”

“This society, they refuse to recognize who we are. We’re not Indians–Indians live in India. And we’re not Native Americans–Native Americans are anyone born in the United States of America. We’re the People. We’ve always called ourselves The People. In my way and manner and fashion, maybe I’m trying to address that. So if anyone hears any of this in any way and it helps them remember they’re a human being, then I’m doing my job.”

SOURCE: Sentinel

A Man of Realities | November 23, 1994

“I don’t think politics allows us to speak the truth. Because in order to maintain some semblance or pretense of unity or pretense of getting along, people have to suppress their realities.”

“I don’t trust anyone enough to go sit in a psychiatrist’s office and let them go through my brain. Yet, I’ve got to rant.”

SOURCE: Sentinel

Activist/Poet John Trudell to Perform | November 11, 1994

“I need to record another album. I’m doing a little writing. But I write because I have to write.”

“It’s about being human beings in a technological world. We can’t avoid (technology), but we’ve allowed it to feed off us, eat our spirit. We can alter this. If we live in the illusion of reality, we become the illusion. Let’s try to be coherent and seek clarity. Through that we will understand ourselves.”

“It’s not about hope, it’s about hangin’ in there. It’s not about consistency, it’s about persistency.” ~

SOURCE: The Seattle Times

Activist/Poet John Trudell to Perform | November 11, 1994

“I need to record another album. I’m doing a little writing. But I write because I have to write.”

“It’s not about hope, it’s about hangin’ in there. It’s not about consistency, it’s about persistency.” ~

SOURCE: Seattle Times

Former American Indian Advocate Writes His Poetry To Ease His Pain | October 27, 1994

“There are no words to explain [my feelings]. I’ve tried many times, but those words just don’t exist.”

“I started writing as a result of that [fire]. In my realities it was the parting gift from Tina. So when she gave me that, I hung on to that because I didn’t have a lot of things to hang on to.”

“I don’t think politics allows us to speak the truth, because in order to maintain some semblance or pretense of unity or pretense of getting along, people have to suppress their realities.”

“It’s all therapy for me. I don’t trust anyone enough to go sit in a psychiatrist’s office and let them go through my brain. Yet I’ve got to rant.” – On his poetry.

“I’m not sure, because at times I hear a lot of positive feedback but nobody will put me on their stage. I just know that some people like it and some people don’t, some people get it and some people don’t. So I don’t really concern myself. I do it because I have to.”

“In my way and manner and fashion, maybe I’m trying to address that. So if anyone hears any of this in any way and it helps them remember they’re a human being, then I’m doing my job.” ~

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News

Former American Indian Advocate Writes His Poetry To Ease His Pain | Oct. 27, 1994

“There are no words to explain [my feelings]. I’ve tried many times, but those words just don’t exist.”

“I don’t think politics allows us to speak the truth, because in order to maintain some semblance or pretense of unity or pretense of getting along, people have to suppress their realities.”

KLOS-FM | October 10, 1994

FRANK SONTAG: I have John in studio across from me and John, I want to welcome you to Impact this morning.

JOHN TRUDELL: Glad to be here man.

So you’re a late-nighter, and you said you like the night.

I’m a slave to the night. I like the night world.

We are slaves. A lot of us are slaves to other things as well.

Everybody’s a slave.

What do you mean?

Interview with Andre Tababoo | 1994

ANDRE TABABOO: You have been involved with the American Indian Movement since the early 1970s. What has been your experience? Where do you see us now?

JOHN TRUDELL: We are part of an evolution. The cultural spirit is still very strong amongst the people and I think we are still quite active. The Movement is about consciousness. Political structures, they’re at different levels and forms, you use them for a while, then you use another one. It’s the spirit I’m concerned about.

Artist Refuses to Apologize for His Anger | April 16, 1994

“I just think I express my consciousness. I wrote a song about women, but I’m not a woman. I wrote a song about the Earth. I’m a part of the Earth.”

“I get confronted with that a lot, ‘You’re too angry.’ My anger frightens them more than homelessness. All I can say to those people is goodbye. We don’t want them in our way later.”

“They have rage in their name, but it tells you where the rage is directed.” – On Rage Against the Machine. ~

SOURCE: Statesman Journal

Artist Refuses to Apologize for His Anger | April 16, 1994

“I just think I express my consciousness. I wrote a song about women, but I’m not a woman. I wrote a song about the Earth. I’m a part of the Earth.”

“I get confronted with that a lot, ‘You’re too angry.’ My anger frightens them more than homelessness. All I can say to those people is goodbye. We don’t want them in our way later.”

“They have rage in their name, but it tells you where the rage is directed.” – On Rage Against the Machine. ~

SOURCE: Statesman Journal

Ghost Dancer | April 15, 1994

“My family was killed in February 1979. Somebody burned down the house where my wife, Tina, my mother-in-law and my three children were living on the Shoshone Paiute Reservation in Duck Valley, Nevada. It happened about 12 hours after I burned an American flag on the steps of the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the government said the fire started in the fireplace and was an accident. But I had some people investigate it and discovered that it wasn’t an accident, but a fire of ‘suspicious origin.’ Soon after that I started writing. When I look at it now, I needed something to hang on to.”

“After the fire, I needed to look at what was going on because I was no longer in the same world.”

“I was entirely in a different world. It gave me a chance to step back and look at all the things that were going on around me and start to understand how I was going to, let’s just say, participate.”

“One of the things we accomplished in the political movement of the 60s is that the spirit was rekindled. The government, through its paramilitary war of deceit, smashed our political unity. But what happened is that simultaneously came the reawakening of the memory, our ancestral memory.”

“It’s important to communicate because somebody’s got to say something. Silence is dangerous. What’s missing in this society is people speaking their feelings. That’s how the spirit speaks to human beings. This is a time historically when we need everybody to communicate about how we feel. That’s all I’m doing.” ~

SOURCE: Petaluma Argus Courier

Ghost Dancer | April 15, 1994

California State University/ Hayward | 1994

“We’re all children of earth. It’s about the DNA, the ancestors and the descendants. Us. We have the responsibility to take care of the life that this planet is.”

“We’re not here to run high tech economic slave states, and pretend that that’s not what’s going on. We’re not here to mentally beat one another up, or be abusive towards one another, or ourselves. That’s not why we’re here. We’re here to take care of life. We need to understand about our spirit. We have a spirit. We are Spirit. But see, the religious mindset of the male-dominating god doesn’t recognize spirit. It recognizes religion. And authority. And chain of command. And obedience. But it doesn’t recognize spirit.”

Nye Beach Hotel Interview with E. K. Caldwell | October 23, 1993

“As we take on these labels, we must remember that they describe what we do, not who we are. We are the People—we are human beings—that’s who we are. We have to accept all the parts of us as being part of a whole. When I called myself a ‘political activist’ and started saying that’s who I was, then that’s all I saw. I didn’t see a lot of important things, and I missed a lot of things. I was locked in there and looked at only a part of me as being the total. It’s the same with the label ‘writer’ or any other label. It limits us if we confuse what we do with who we are. At the basic core of reality, we’re human beings. If we don’t forget that, it will help make our way a little better. We are the People. Our ancestors and the ancient ones were the People. And I am just one of the People, doing the best I can with the best I’ve got.” – On being labeled a radical, militant, political activist, visionary, subversive, poet and writer.

John Trudell Hasn’t Lost His Activist Edge | September 16, 1993

“I look back at that period and I still really don’t know how I got through it. The world literally changed. On Feb. 11, 1979, I was in one world. On Feb. 12, the world looked the same, but it was completely different. The best I can remember it or see it, I went off into madness. I went a lot of places. I went to the future, to the past, in people’s minds. I went everywhere. I didn’t try to fight it, I just went where it took me and trusted I would get through it. When I started writing poetry, that was a real outlet. If I hadn’t, who knows what would have happened?”

His Aim Still True | August 27, 1993

“When I began writing poetry in the early eighties I felt music was dying because the same old stuff was being sung about. What I felt was needed was an infusion of human energy.”

“It’s obvious people can no longer depend on institutions of civilization to tell them the truth, so the only way it can be expressed is through art and culture.”

“Music is dangerous when it expresses feelings and coherency.”

Farm Aid VI | April 24, 1993.

“I can’t let this opportunity pass without remarking on a couple of things. I come from the tribes. And we are in support of anyone that understands the relationship to the earth, and to the land. And we see what’s happening to the farmers. You’re the new Indians. They will drive you off your land. But the Cavalry is a banker now. It’s a mortgage. And they talked about giving 3.4 billion dollars to the Soviets and I think they should give it here and let the multinational corporate state invest in the Soviet Union, because that’s who wants to make the profit.”

“The other thing. I’m from the tribes. And a terrible thing happened in Waco, Texas on Monday. And there is no excuse. There is no rationalization for doing what was done to those people in that house.”

John Trudell, Native American Activist/Poet/Singer | 1992

IINTERVIEWER: On the notion of the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage to the New World being an opportunity to re-evaluate the history of the Americas.

JOHN TRUDELL: Among indigenous peoples, we don’t need to re-evaluate. This predatory energy arrived on our hemisphere 500 years ago and there’s only one evaluation…it has been genocidal and destructive to all living aspects of the hemisphere. And that behavior has not changed at all. It still continues on its destructive path. Many indigenous peoples will protest this anniversary and tell their truths. I haven’t found many people in the circles I move in who endorse it or find anything to celebrate.

Trudell Merges Real Life, Movie Roles | July 31, 1992

“These movies address the reality of what Native Americans go through.”

“I’ve always played by the rules even when the game is rigged and I’ve had problems with the law, especially after I questioned laws that are unfair.”

“The government expected a violent reaction from me in these movies but didn’t get it. They wanted violence so they could arrest me. I’ve seen what happens to those who get arrested and question the law.”

“I served in the military in the 1960s because I had no other way of making a living. I saw racism in the military, not only toward the Vietnamese but also toward minority groups by their fellow Americans.”

“The government waged war against AIM, and the FBI was specifically after me.”

“If the flag is desecrated, it is supposed to be burned. Desecration can also mean injustice and racism.”

Trudell Lends Voice to Native American Cause | July 15, 1992

“That is the value of the film. This is reality. This happened to us. Incident at Oglala is a history book, but it’s also a current social issues book. It’s talking about one of the faces of a democracy, one that you don’t ordinarily see.”

“In May I got a call from the casting people. I made an agreement to play Jimmy. Then I didn’t think about it anymore. That was my approach. It was up to me to be as real as I could be. I decided I was Jimmy Looks Twice.”

“My reality is to go and see where it takes me as an individual — do what I can and do the best that I can.” ~

True to His Calling | June 28, 1992

Phone Interview:

JOHN TRUDELL: I’ve not agreed with them about that. I’ve felt that people are open to hearing much more than they’re allowed to hear, and that people have a right to hear these things and make up their own mind. So I feel vindicated in some ways.

INTERVIEWER: There’s a line in Baby Boom Che: “Rock ‘n’ roll is based on revolution.” Tell me about your Influences, as far as rock ‘n’ roll goes — when you started listening, some of the artists, and why.

I started listening to Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Bo Didley, the Everly Brothers and Brenda Lee way back when all this first started. When I came in contact with this phase of music I sure liked it a lot more than the music I had been hearing before.

Trial By Fire American Indian Movement Co-Founder John Trudell Finds a Life Line in Words and Music | June 17, 1992

“What happened to my family tells me that I was closer to the truth than even I knew.”

“Not having a permanent address sounds great, but it has its drawbacks, believe me.”

“What my FBI file reflects to me is their absurdity…Seventeen thousand pages is a lot of trees to assassinate to spy on someone. On the other hand, I don’t know how many agents I’m keeping off the streets, but if they’re spying on me, at least they’re not out killing someone else.”

Native American Poet Actor John Trudell | June 9, 1992

“The violent rap we got laid on us, it was all our people that died. You don’t see no long list of feds and death squad members and any of these other people. You don’t see any long list of their dead. You see a long list of our dead, and you look at that list and every one of them’s got an Indian name.”

Indian Leader/Film Consultant Loses Family Amid Turmoil | May 17, 1992

“This fire took off too damn fast, and it was very intense. My family was murdered. This must be dealt with and that’s not some emotional ranting coming out of me. I can’t say all the things that I know at this time, but I know who knows and it’s only a matter of time. This cannot pass silently into the night. I can’t bring them back but in my own mind I can’t let the ones who did this just go away.”

“The government will try to discredit or propagandize but I think the public will relate to the injustices shown and there’ll be a ripple effect.” – On documentary film Incident at Oglala.

“The government perjured itself to get Leonard back into the country from Canada and then made up ballistics evidence that convicted him. But if the people think the government just does this to Indians, then they’re being irresponsible with their thinking process. It’s become a method of operation [against all races] in America.” ~

SOURCE: The San Francisco Chronicle

Incident At Oglala (Film) | 1992

“They were there to make trouble.”

“You’ve got two FBI agents, there to serve a warrant, that they don’t have, on someone who’s not there. It’s pretty thin.”

“In 1972 during the Nixon election we went to DC and we ended up occupying the Bureau of Indian Affairs national headquarters. We kept it for like a week but it was highly embarrassing to the Nixon administration. We had gone too far. It seemed like by January of 1973 that the FBI had sent some people into Pine Ridge to start training the BIA and tribal police on how to deal with subversives or counter-subversive activity, whatever the thing is. They started bringing heavy weapons in. Now this is before the Wounded Knee Occupation…it’s like they had picked this as the grounds to have this stand off.”

‘Accidental’ Deaths of Family Still Plague Native Actor | May 8, 1992

“It was murder. They were murdered as an act of war.” – On the killing of his wife, three children and mother-in-law.

“They waged war against us. They hunted us down. They killed, jailed, destroyed, by any means necessary. They saw that magical thing that happened with Alcatraz…all of a sudden this spirit was popping up and gaining momentum through AIM, and this is why the spirit-hunters, those who hunt free thought, came after us.” – On the U.S. government and FBI.

Films About Indians Now the Rage In Hollywood | May 03, 1992

“Whatever their reasons. Hollywood, or the entertainment industry, is saying something about Indians. I don’t see the rest of the media knocking down any doors to do that. Actually, we wouldn’t even be having these kinds of discussions if Hollywood hadn’t done this. For me, the issue around ‘Thunderheart’ is, hey, these things did happen. This type of warfare and storm-trooper activity took place, and it took place in this country, and it took place against a certain segment of the population because of their political, racial and cultural identities. And I respect the idea that the people involved in this project expressed that.”

From Activist to Poet to Performer, Trudell Sets His Message to Music | April 24, 1992

“I’ve always been able to work from the stage. From activist stage, I just spoke and said whatever I had to say. When the writing started, I would just read it. Then I had the interest into going into musical aspects. When that happened in ’86, I liked the result of work we did in the studio.”

“We never had a problem with their audience. Maybe by the third song, they would catch on that I was not going to start singing. They started paying more attention when they realized I was just going to stand there and say these things.” – Opening for Midnight Oil in 1988.

Trudell Draws from Personal Tragedy | April 17, 1992

INTERVIEWER: You claim that the fire that killed your family was set on purpose by the US government. Do you have any evidence to support that?

JOHN TRUDELL: The fire wasn’t an accident. When the fire happened on Feb. 12, 1979 the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the government — whoever their federal fire people are — had stated the fire was an accident, that it had started in the fireplace. This was not true. When I came back home, I had some other people look at it and they said it was physically impossible that the fire was an accident, but I can’t discuss the particulars right now. In good time, it will be settled, because this was mass murder.

Using Music as a Soapbox | April 17, 1992

“When I basically look at politics, it’s too competitive and confrontational. It’s the nature of it. It’s very territorial, and at some point you have to adhere to the party line.”

“Through the music, the edge is taken off, and I think that we need to find a way to communicate with each other as human beings, without those edges.”

“My main means of communication is through this form. It’s the most effective leaflet I’ve found.”

Sounds Triumph Over Tragedy – Trudell Channels Passion Toward Career and a Cause – Trudell Meshes Poetry, Music On New Album | April 17, 1992

“It was a character I could identify with.” – On Thunderheart.

“I happened to be in Oklahoma when the firefight with the FBI started. I drove up to South Dakota the next morning. I was very concerned about the people living in that camp and very skeptical of the government’s side of the story.”

“There were no FBI agents that became nice guys. In reality, it wasn’t even close to that.” – On Val Kilmer’s character in Thunderheart.

“It speaks to the paranoia of those in power, because I know how I lived my life. I didn’t do anything that would justify 17,000 pages. At my most extreme, I did nothing to warrant that kind of coverage.” – On FBI file.

Indian Activist’s Life Mirrors Role in Thunderheart | April 14, 1992

“That was one of the things I liked about the role. My character is mentioned a lot. I’m the central theme, but I don’t have to back it up with too much acting.”

“I didn’t rise up in armed rebellion against the American government. I supported the people that did, and I didn’t separate myself from them, but I never physically did that. I always spoke whatever my mind was and I organized with whatever abilities I had.”

“The fire was consistent with the history of democracy and its treatment of the Indigenous peoples. If we place this in a historical perspective, what they did was they attacked a winter camp and killed the women and children.”

From Los Angeles by Phone w/ Larry Katz | April, 1992

LARRY KATZ: The Boston Herald calling John Trudell?

JOHN TRUDELL: Yeah, speaking.

John, how are you?

Just fine man.

Good. Hey, I been listening to your album a lot. Really enjoying it.

Well I’m glad to hear that. I really am.

Land is Soul of Thunderheart | April 3, 1992

“It places the struggles of the Indian people in a contemporary historical setting. This story addresses the reality of a traditional political struggle that took place…the government responded with hatred and violence to destroy that political voice.”
~

SOURCE: Argus Leader

Thunderheart Role Befits Actor Trudell | April 2, 1992

“I know what I’ve done, and I think the FBI murdered a lot of trees unnecessarily. What is really freaky is that anyone would take that much time to spy on someone else, especially in a free society.” – On FBI file.

“It’s hard to trust a bunch of Hollywood people, but once we sat down and talked, these were no longer Hollywood people. I trusted their integrity and finally had to ask myself if I trusted my instincts more than I trusted my paranoia. My paranoia tells me not to trust Hollywood, but I went with my instincts. Besides, this was too important a story not to trust them. I liked that this was a story in a contemporary setting, not a historical setting, which is usually where you find the People. And I liked that it was based on the facts of what happened. I liked that somebody was finally telling the truth.”