The Nammys

"Nammys" stands for Native American Music Awards.  Voting is underway at the Nammys website, so go take a look and a listen.  They have several categories of music that are exclusively Native American, like Powwow, NAT chants, Waila (aka Chicken Scratch), etc. and also all the regular categories that anyone would expect to have in a music award show. There is even a special category for non-Natives who enjoy performing native music:  Native Heart.  New category this year:  Native Latin Music Award

They are holding the award show a whole month early this year, so voting will close soon. The award ceremony will stream live on the web site on Friday October 7 from the Seneca Entertainment Center in New York (if you happen to be in the area, tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster).  This year's host is Ted Nolan, an Anishanabe (Ojibwe) hockey coach and inspiration speaker, I'm guessing that he also has a sense of humor, one has to, to host this show!  He currently the head coash for the Latvian national hockey team in Europe.  Some well known names in Native music that will be there include:  Janice Marie Johnson, Pipestone, and Montaukett tribal teen sensation Dylan Jenet Collins, who is also nominated.  Native music giants Keith Secola and Nokie Edwards of Ventures fame (you know, the Hawaii Five-O theme!) are being inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame.  Host Ted Nolan will be presented with the Jim Thorpe Sports Award. 

So, go listen, enjoy and vote!  Wado (thanks).