robert and joywind Tribal Spirit profile picture

robert and joywind Tribal Spirit

Tribal Spirit is made up of Robert and Joywind who are Native Artists. We make Powwow Drums, Hand Dr

About Me

Tribal Spirit is Joywind and Robert Todd, native artists of Shuswap*, Mohawk and Celtic descent. Our passion is Native Art and Spiritual Craft, with a special emphasis on sharing the traditional teachings of Canada's tribal peoples through our work. Our original works include powwow drums, hand drums, caribou antler dreamcatchers, white ash baskets and a wide range of native jewelry. Our art is unique, superbly hand-crafted, and always beautiful, the result of over 20 years of gathering stories, traditions and techniques. All our work is "functional art", as it is not only decorative, but carries with it a deeper spiritual intent. We offer teachings to go with our art so people can understand the tradition behind the craft and be able to pass it on. Creating art is a spiritual quest, and this process takes so much effort and commitment that we believe it is important to share what we learn with others. We attend many powwows and art shows throughout North America, and at most events, we can be found demonstrating and explaining the techniques of our various creations. Sharing with people is important because it preserves traditional art and teachings by simply passing them on, and creates an exchange of ideas and experience...which is really what the Powwow is about.

My Interests

The following Drums Groups are singing on the Trail on our Drums. Aim (San Diego),Big Stone (on), Big Star, Black Bear (Manawan qc), Black Bear (ny), Black Mountain (az), Black Thunde, Cedar Rose, Crowe Singers (sk), Dakota Nation, Eagle Whistle jrs, East Boyz (ns), Eastern Eagle (ns), Eagle Spirit, Eastern Suns, Ghost Horse (az), Iron Boys, Kitpo (ns), Lac Simon (qc), Many Nations, Naahi (on), Pay-Sha, Porcupine Singers, Recognitions Boyz, Red Elk (nm), Red Stick, Red Tail Spirit Singers (qc), River Tail (nm), Sic Fly, Smoke Stack (nm), Smoke Trail, Southern Tribe (az), Spirit eagle, Spirit Whale, Spotted Eagle Singers, Sun Eagle Jrz, We-Ho Boyz, Wemotashee (qc), White Cloud (ca), White Tail Cree (on), Wild Boys (nm), Ya-Ta Nand, Yaughtanil, Young Kingbird, Zotigh Singerz, Them Guys all over, Southern Xtreme (nm) Cree Society (sk) Praying Eagle Singers, Clound Breaker Society, Native Way, Kokum Boyz, Southern Company, Southern Blackhorse, Taabik, Chippawa Travellers, Footprint, Bear Boyz, Rice Lake Thunder Singers, Algonquin Nation, Star Lodge. PS if your group is not mentioned here and you are on one of our drums Please let me know. Thanks Rob

Television:

Hide Gathering!!! We live in the Laurentian Mountians north of Montreal and each year hundreds of deer and moose skins are thrown in the garbage cuz there is just no system to use them. Each year during hunting season we run around picking up the hides after they have been skinned. Throughout the hunting season, twice a week we fill up our pick up truck with deer and moose and salt down the hide to preserve them. At the end of the season we move all the hides to our tannery and by spring we recieve enough raw hide and leather to keep us going for the following year. Last year we gathering about 700 deer and 150 moose. All of our drums and other leather work come from these recycled hides. Drums made with wild hide have far more spirit than farmed ones!!This year has been a busy one. A combination of a fairly open season and the warm weather has lead to a good hunting season. Just to be clear, the hunters I work with are living with the land. They are hunting for food. There is a clear loathing of imported trophy hunters, who should be warned that in the Laurentians ducking would be a good idea. ( as in, Is some one shooting at me? DUCK)

Books:

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Heroes:

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My Blog

The Day of Protest

Up here in Canada, Natives are represented to our federal government by a group called the Assembly of First Nations. (AFN) Their job is to represent the interests of the People and fight for their ri...
Posted by robert and joywind Tribal Spirit on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 06:34:00 PST

Anti-Whaling ships sail under Mohawk Flag

Hi FolksCool little story. There exists this left wing direct action group out of Canada called the Sea Shepard Conservation Authority. www.seashepherd.org The director, Paul Wilson was one of the f...
Posted by robert and joywind Tribal Spirit on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:51:00 PST

The Shields at Kitigan Zibi Powwow

So last weekend we were in Manawaki for the Kitigan Zibi Traditional Powwow. We arrived a day early cuz this was going to be a social weekend. We set up our booth beside our friends David and Kim Ma...
Posted by robert and joywind Tribal Spirit on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 05:54:00 PST

Post Gathering

Well we had an amazing time in Ab. GON is a marathon and we survived. We gave the powwow two drums for Northern and Southern and we were thrilled that The Boyz and Sizzortail won the two drums. We ...
Posted by robert and joywind Tribal Spirit on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:14:00 PST

Gathering of Nations

Greetings!!We are in Desert Hot Springs at Sam's Family Spa working hard getting ready for Gathering. We are building drums, Lots of drums. We have two orders, one from Southern Blackhorse, and anot...
Posted by robert and joywind Tribal Spirit on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:54:00 PST