November 18, 1998 - LIONS EYE - Page 5 ss Rufus Harley, jazz bagpiper o love. An Insightful Navajo Book By Regis Fields Lions Eye Staff Writer “Already, in the sultry Streets, the mean quotient of suspi- cion settles at his crooked mouth, but Just inside himself he perceives, in the still landscape of legend, the cold of his dark destiny; already, in the sultry streets, he resembles himself in death.” “The Ancient Child,” by N. Scott Momaday, is full of cryptic Navajo poems such as this that are used to set the mood of destiny ful- fillment. As many stories of Native American origin, the purpose is to express some meaning of their peoples. In this story the main char- acter, Set, is a Navajo-Kiowan man who as a child was orphaned due to the passing of his only immediate family, his father. As a testament to the artistic achievements in areas such as the southwestern portions of the United States, Set is a brilliant yet unguided painter. In contrast to Set’s character is Grey, a young Na- vajo woman who lives in Oklahoma both Set and Grey’s homeland, who as a teen wandered onto the home- stead of Set’s distant family and is immediately accepted by Sets’ grandmother Kopeh’mah. Her char- acter is that of medicine woman in training, in the Navajo culture the medicine woman takes on more meaning than what westernized medical practice may have many believe. She embodies the spirit of her peoples as a torchbearer for the continued customs and rituals they perform. Without giving away the gist of what makes the story, the basic ideal expressed by Momaday is that of right and purpose of being. The story itself is set in the American southwest and incorporates such leg- ends of that area like Billy the Kid, and Pat Garrett the man who brought “All these characters enter into this world of fiction as icons of what the American southwest stood for at a time in history.” Billy the Kid to justice. Figures of Navajo ancestry are also included in the story like Chief Set-angya who was leader of the Kaitsenko society, a warrior troupe of honored men who fought for the preservation of Kiowan land. All these characters enter into this work of fiction as icons of what the American southwest stood for at a time in history. Also, to show how their spirits should be reflected in the manner in which the main characters exist, in the text Grey often has visions that entail deep con- versations with the late Billy the Kid. The novel is beautifully writ- ten in the Native American folklore style, giving the reader insight into the pride of these peoples. Momaday has written numerous works like this in the past such as “House Made of Dawn” and “The Gourd Dancer,” and in the process he received a Pulitzer Prize for his writing. The Ancient Child is an excellent novel for anyone interested in the Native American culture and its effects in writing. Jazz Player Shows Off His Skills for Penn State By Lori Craddock Lions Eye Staff Writer On November 20" in the Main Lounge at 12:30-1:20(Com- mon Hour), Penn Staters have the privilege of experiencing one of the hottest pioneers in the music world here at Delco. Rufus Harley is the world’s first jazz bagpiper player. Harley was first inspired to play the bagpipes when he heard them played in 1963, by the Black Watch Bagpipe Band, at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral procession. He promptly purchased a set of his own in a New York pawnshop. Although learning to play the bagpipes is hard, he has mastered this instrument and made the music his own. This original music style, in- volving jazz and bagpipes, fuses to- gether musical traditions which oth- erwise would rarely be combined. Harley hopes through this fusion to deliver a message of peace: that dif- ferent societies and their music can come into harmony. Harley explains, “You blow the bag up and the wind travels in a circle sustaining one note. Then you view the bag as the universe, every person sustaining one note and the variety connoting different degrees of how to understand life.” He pro- ceeds to say, “Once an individual understands himself, he can under- stand the rest of the world.” Rufus Harley has received some press not only for his unique poetic speaking style and awe inspir- ing music, but also for his practice of handing out liberty bells during lecture-performances. This artist has been interviewed and written up in magazines such as Ebony and Look. 2X Near both the Tonight Show and I’ve Got A Secret. He re- ceived a standing ovation at the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg and was invited back for former Gov- ernor Dick Thornburgh’s inaugural. This multitalented musician plays the soprano and tenor sax as well. And, he played the latter in the movie, Eddie and the Cruisers. This Germantown native has made his mark upon music culture. Rufus Harley is a perfect example of what we all want to achieve: To in- spire and entertain others through something we find personally fulfill- ing. His originality in music is widely appreciated and has possibly opened a new door in the era of mu- sic today. - Fellow Penn Staters, I en- courage you to come out and see this talented man perform and hear his music. It is an experience you will never forget. Also coming to our school.... Dec.4: Ethnomusicologist Jeremy Wallach. Grunge, Rap, heavy Metal, and House Music in Indonesia To- day. 12:30-1:20 (Common Hour). Main Lounge. Jeremy Wallach is a Ph.D. student in ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania. His area of specialization is Indonesian popu- lar music, and he draws on a back- ground as a heavy metal and grunge performer. Mr. Wallach will lecture on a summer field project he has con- ducted in Djakarta, studying Western popular styles and their meanings in Indonesia today. Mr. Wallach will also comment on the music’s mean- ing to youths that are now spearhead- ing political change. Pt We Ye lle ALTE iE LR EL NE aw ] “A tour-de-force of clarity and brilliance.’ — San Francisco Chronicle TH E A NOVEL RN. SCOTT MOMADAY PULITZER PRIZE—WINNING AUTHOR OF HOUSE MADE OF DAWN a Ca Trea Tne in: PA Ve Je 2 RS fg TS AE » AND, The novel can be found at PSU-Delaware County’s library.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers