High Rock is a powwow drum group comprised of tribal youth throughout Washington and Oregon. Currently, our singers residing on or near the Yakama Indian Reservation practice weekly at Toppenish, Washington on the Yakama Indian Reservation. Our singers throughout other Indian Reservations as far away as the Colville, Coeur D'Alene, Nez Perce, Siletz, Swinomish, Umatilla and Warm Springs practice with local/family drums close to them and meet up with us at powwows throughout the year. High Rock was started in March 2005 by members of the Midnight Echo youth drum group from the Nisqually, Chehalis and Skok Indian Reservations and students of the Wahelut Indian School and evolved as we gained singers from the other areas throughout our powwow travels. Midnight Echo remains their own group with most of their original members.
OUR DRUMSTwo drums currently carry the High Rock name on behalf of our singers. The original is made from a 32" x 16" slat-frame purchased in 2004 from Toppenish Bead & Pawn, stained dark blue. The newer drum is made from a 29" x 10" maple hoop-frame wrapped in Pendleton blanket material. Both are covered with buffalo hides purchased from Rick Gartland (Red Eagle trading). All of our drumsticks were made by Jim Roberts using popular contemporary methods (fiberglass reflector poles, various padding and dyed leathers, and then decorated with sign vinyl or electrical tape). The larger drum will eventually belong to Terrell Jack (Tulalip) and the smaller drum will eventually belong to Damien Shippentower (Yakama) and be renamed when his group branches off from High Rock. The new group will be called Painting Bear.
ASSOCIATED DRUMMERS
we see at various times throughout the year:
Issiashelukas Alibadi (Everett, WA), Michael Bigby (Bellingham, WA), Nathan Brown (Bellingham, WA), Ron Butler (Siletz, OR), Jalen Calvert (Goldendale, WA), Matt Clements (Warm Springs, OR), George Clements (Warm Springs, OR), Jo-Jo Creed (Kelso, WA), Levi Dale (Kelso, WA), Richard Dougherty (Molalla, OR), Kiowa Dougherty (Molalla, OR), Mason Dougherty (Molalla, OR), Everson Eaglespeaker (Yakima, WA), Kendall Edwards (La Conner, WA), Trent Heath (Beaverton, OR), Jovon Heath (Beaverton, OR), Osprey Gibbons (Dallas, OR), True Gibbons (Dallas, OR), Jovani Gibson (Wapato, WA), Dale Green (Harrah, WA), Keoni Heemsah (Harrah, WA), Samuel River Jim, (Goldendale, WA), Warner Jim (Celilo Village, The Dalles, OR), Bryan Jim (Celilo Village, The Dalles, OR), Nuku-Nuku Krause (Spokane, WA), Justin LaLiberte (Warm Springs, OR), Martin Lopez (Portland, OR), Dustin Miles (Seattle, WA), Neil Morning Owl (Warm Springs, OR), Jonathan Nomee (Worley, ID), Michael Raye Rounds (Nespelem, WA), Marlin Suppah (Salem, OR), Jackson Taylor (Albany, OR), Jordan Taylor (Albany, OR), Tristan Valdez (Shoreline, WA), Issac Villatorres (Portland, OR), Sulkanim Washington (Tahuya, WA), Shaolwis Washington (Tahuya, WA), Joseph Washington (Tahuya, WA), Aaron Winishut (Warm Springs, OR), Tommy Lee White Plume (Lapwai, ID), Noah Yallup (White Swan, WA)
ELDER/ADULT ADVISORS
whom we wish to acknowledge for their help over the years:
DRUM LEADS ... Henry "H-Bomb" Aleck (Small Town), Rod Begay (Chute Number Eight), Willard Bill (Flickertail), Robert Brien (Windy Point), Ron Butler (West Coast Boys), Dan Cayou (Indian Chrome), Raymond Cree (Cree Star), Octave Finley (Drum Hoppers), the late Darnell Greg (Rez City), Steven Iyukes (Golden Eagle Jr's), Roger Jackson (Lonesome Creek), Rodney John (Eagle Heart), Slim John (White Swan Intertribal), Gus Kaklahmet (Spearfish USA), J.J. Menninick (Red Tail), Jeremy Miller (Northern Bad Medicine), Brycene Neaman (Northwest Medicine Horse), Harold Paul (Four Directions), Johnny Sam (Parker Dam), Mathew Warbonnet (War Bonnet), Nathan Williams (Deception Pass), Ted Williams (Toppenish Creek)
OTHERS ... Harold Belmont, Gilbert Brown, David Browneagle, Rocco Clark Sr., Mayor Jesse Farias, Judge Hamilton Greeley (ret.), Judge Lorintha Umtuch, Fred Hill Sr., Willard Hillaire, Frank & Janet George, Mary Jack, Sam & Bernice Jim, the late Ron Morning Owl, Thomas Morning Owl, Soy & Sharon Redthunder, Allen Sr. & Rose Retasket, Lee & Angela Sorrel Horse, Charlie Sitting Bull, Walt Swan Jr., Craig Young.
MIDNIGHT ECHO SINGERS
who became the original High Rock March to August 2005:
Neil Blueback, Mylan Choke, Kyle Franklin, Gabriel High Eagle, Marquise Hopgood, Christian Pillsbury, Rikki Sutterlict, Michael Sutterlict, Ernie Sutterlict, Jason Slighte, John Sanders, Scott Sanders, and some of the "old group" from long ago.
GROUP COORDINATOR:
Jim Roberts (Lakota/Chippewa)
3206 Butterfield Rd,
Yakima, WA 98901-1133
(509)910-1500 (preferably after 7pm Pacific Time or on weekends)
Ironically it costs me to send texts even at night during my "free minutes" so if you text me I might try to call you back instead of texting you. email: [email protected]
VETERAN (YEOMAN), UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
(Polar Operations & Marine Safety)
Jim has previously assisted with the Monroe/Sultan School District Skykomish Valley Indian Education Program NATIVE SPIRIT youth drum (2004-2005) and taught drumming for the Tacoma School District Indian Education Program for part of the 2006-2007 school year, led the MIDNIGHT ECHO youth drum from 2004-2005 and established HIGH ROCK with help from members of that group. Jim also sings with Northwest Medicine Horse, Battle Horse, Cree Star, Parker Dam, drumhops with several other groups (don't we all?) and will be the leadsinger of the newly forming DD-214 drum of the Yakama Nation Warriors Association (the membership form is still on his desk). Jim has also been a committee member for the Sauk-Suiattle Celebration of Generations Powwow (2004 & 2005), was founding Chairman of the Skykomish Valley Powwow (2005, first year), and is currently a committee member for the Pow-wun-putt Powwow. On the web, Jim is the Webmaster of www.powwowtime.com and a forum moderator on www.powwows.com .