Fara Palmer: News & Info

I'm on my way home tomorrow for a couple of days off and some FAMILY TIME! The next show i'll be doing is in Prince Rupert July 7th & 8th for the Elders Gathering. I'll be sharing a concert with the crew of the 7Th Generation and a bunch more talented artists! (see my calender)
Oh, & voting for the APCMA awards begins soon! So please visit the ABORIGINALPEOPLESCHOICE.COM website, register(its free), and vote for me in the 5 categories i'm nominated in!!!! Thank you. FP

So i'm back from Baffin Island and the capital of Nunavut, IQALUIT! Was invited to be a part of the Alianait festival and am sad to not be there anymore! I enjoyed being there in Iqaluit, met some beautiful people, and had a great time presenting a workshop on stickgames for the youth. The same youth, by the way, who did a great job picking up the game. To the team captains on both sides, you did a great job in your roles as leaders and i thought you were good examples for your teammates! Thank you for drumming, singing, and making the workshop so fun to present!
To all of youth who came to the Youth Concert, i had an awesome time performing for you. I've never sung Prettybrown acapella while the audience clapped out the beat for me. And it sounded so amazing, YOU ALL ROCK!! I would feel very honoured indeed to be invited back to your community again! Maybe next time i'll get to sample the musk-oxen, caribou, seal, cod, and char! I loves me some grassroots cookin'!
For all those youth who wanted a free cd, make sure to talk to Amy cuz i have donated a Cd to the youth centre. Download it, make copies of it, ENJOY IT!
All my love to everyone i met. Christine, thankx for getting all the kids dancing and for sharing your bouncy friendly supportive energy! Marie, you are a soul sista! Thank you for welcoming me to your community and for being such a great hostess! I loved throat-singing with you. Emily, heather and everyone from ALAINIAT, from my heart to yours, THANK U! I hope to see you again.
FP xoxoxox

In a couple of days i'll be heading up North to Inuit Territory! That's above the tree line in Iqaluit, NUNAVUT. When i get there, it's that time of season when there is no nitetime. It'll be light out all day long!! 24 hours of light. Isn't that cool!! The info for the workshop and concert i'll be performing at can be found on my calender page.
Peace, love, respect! Fara

I just finished 3 NAD gigs. One was on June 20th, and the other 2 were on June 21st in TWO DIFFERENT provinces!! Edmonton, the earlier 21st event, was truly blessed! I learned some lessons, shared my musical gifts with the people, and met some beautiful spirits. Grasmere, located in BC, was my evening June 21st National Aboriginal Day concert. I want to say thank you so much for making me feel welcome, for sitting out in the on-again/off-again rain and waiting for my arrival! I was overwhelmed by the gifts you all gave me and my family. My husband and daughters were thrilled to receive their gifts. You have touched my heart!!
Edmonton, Grasmere, i hope to see you all again!

Blessings all! I'll be sharing my abo-day celebrations with the good people of Edmonton, AB. Here's an event i'll be singing at on June 20th, in celebration of our YOUTH, it's called NAD youth gathering health fair 2008. Check out the poster for it on my photos page. xox

Thank you kelowna and all who attended the OCG festival earlier today. I had a great time singing for all of you and enjoyed dancing to the 7th Generations sweet beats! I met a bunch of beautiful people, and they are engraved in my heart!!
Peace all, and thank you Alternator Gallery for inviting me to be a part of the festival!!

June 10th/2008 the Prime Minister of Canada delivered an apology to the survivors of the Residential School era. As my mother is a 2nd generation IRS survivor, I want to share with you a passage she recently wrote.

[My mothers thoughts]:

"I am stunned, which should not come as a surprise given my continued historical encounters with No Justice, that the predessors of Non Aboriginal Leaders -who on hand fully acknowledge that laws were put in place to committ horrific crimes to thousands of children in residential school- continue to reiterate and broadcast their verbal barrage of compensation complaints to the rest of Canada. I am now addressing the statement made by the Conservative MP, in light of expending tax payers monies. For those who are in the dark, and it is shamefully apparent that many of our country's citizens are definately in the dark, let it be known that a majority of First Nations people pay taxes. First Nations tax breaks are applicable only on Native reservations (reserve lands) and for those who choose to acknowledge the geography of Canada it isn't hard to see that reservations lands represent approximately 1/3 of the country. That being clarified, when you talk about spending 'tax payers dollars' you are also referring to and representing the First Nations taxpayers and their dollars earned, spent, and distributed in support of the Canadian economy. To add insult to injury, the taxes levied upon First Nations people off reservation lands are in direct violation with the policies and laws applicable to First Nations as defined by the Indian Act, an act legislated, but not enforced, by the government of Canada. Certainly intelligent and compassionate human beings are able to discriminate that the residential school era was a dark chapter in Canadian History. However, for those individuals who are less compassionate and who remain ignorant of the basic human rights guaranteed to all Canadians, of which First Nations people are most definately a part, the dark chapter i refer to is far from over. All actions have reactions. The legacy of the Indian Residential School era resulted in far-reaching consequences. Indeed, many of the dysfunctional behaviours of the decendants of the Indian Residential School survivors are a testament to the atrocities forced upon and endured by their elder relatives. Imagine Sir, if the government of the day violated your home and family by kidnapping your children. Just up and decided that your race was inferior and was in dire need of assimilation and re-culturation. Further imagine the look in your five year old childs face when you try to explain why you are 'allowing' them to be taken away. Does a five year old fully understand or comprehend the consequences involved in defying law? Did you yourself know that the First Nations parents who chose to protect their children from being taken away to residential school were jailed? Probably not. In many situations, children were forcibly removed and often outright tricked into custody or stolen. Can you imagine the devastation and trauma you, as a parent, might experience when you visualize your flesh and blood being ripped from your arms?? Then try to shut out the screaming silence left behind by a village without children?? A life without your children?? The denial, pain, injustice, and righteous rage you might suffer?? Worse the acknowledgement to self that your power to 'right the wrong and get your child back' is impotent. And just when you think it won't get worse, you start to understand that you might never again see your child and that you have no idea of what your child is going through. The unfortunate and brutal truth is, many children disappeared, died, were beaten to death, were raped, and endured inhumane atrocities sanctioned by religion and government all in the name of assimilation and cultural genocide. Yet these crimes weren't suffered by warriors or war vets, but by children. Babies. Yes, these events did occur more often then we are led to believe or even mention.
Getting back to the Conservative MP- do the comments surprise me, sadly no but they still stun and shock me.

Respectfully,
A 2nd generation Indian Residential School Survivor
Mary Anne Katcheech Bear Palmer"

NDN's all across the nation witnessed the historical apology. It's been a long time coming. Did you know that the last residential school was shut down in 1996?? To all my relations who attended RS, and who have felt the devastation of its legacy to our people...i honour, validate, acknowledge, thank, love, and pray for you and yours!

The concert in Portage La Prairie was awesome! I was commissioned by the CBC Radio2, who will be airing the show nationally and making it available as an online "On Demand", to write a new residential school song. I chose to write an honour song and used my hand-drum to sing it for my elders. I was super nervous, as it was my first stage appearance with my hand-drum! I ain't no Joanne Shanendoah yet, but i'm on my way! I had a great visit. Thank you to my relatives of MANITOBA!!!
xoxoxox
For anyone who would like to catch the radio broadcast, tune in to:
CBC Radio 1, Sat June 14th & Sat 21st at 5PM
CBC Radio 2, Fri June 20th from 8-10PM
NCI FM, June 27th & July 4th

I'm almost on my way to attend the Honouring our Survivors of Residential School Conference and Concert!! I have a feeling there will be a healing, a group unified releasing. I'm honoured to be invited and to sing for my elders!

My New Music West VIOLET FEMMES showcase is tonite in Vancouver, BC at THE LIBRA ROOM(see calender for more info). The show starts at 7:45PM and i go on at 8:45PM. Tix are $10. bucks at the door. Also showcasing/gigging are: Beth Southwell, Zoe Scott, & The Jilted Brides. For further info, visit the New Music West website!

My cd PHOENIX has received an 'early' nomination in 5 categories!! I say 'early' because i've been accepted for the 1st round of voting which begins shortly. It's WAYYYYY early in the game, but head on over to http://www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/artist-search?eid1120=488&cs1120=Category.Aboriginal+Entertainer+of+the+Year and have a look/listen. Get familiar with the site because i have a HUGE favour to ask every single one of you who visits this site:

1) Click the link above. Note that i am nominated for "Aboriginal Entertainer Of The Year", "Best Folk/Acoustic CD"(there isn't a Pop category yet), "Best Producer/Engineer", "Best Songwriter", & "Single Of The Year".

2) When you get to the APCMA site, select the SIGN UP tab & register to become a member. It's FREE & takes 2 minutes(unless you're like me & still on dial-up, in which case it'll take 7 minutes)

3) Tell all your friends, relatives, etc to do the same!

I've got about 2 months to get my voting forces together! Follow the steps above, and get everyone to come to my website to join my emailing list!! Because the super-cool thing about the APCMA's is.....all winners are decided by YOU: THE PUBLIC!! If nobody votes for me, i won't win. And here's the catch: you can only vote for me once per category.

First Round of Voting begins July 8th, 2008 at 11:00am CST
First Round of Voting ends August 15th, 2008 at 12:00am CST
Nominees Announced August 20th, 2008
Final Round of Voting begins August 20th, 2008 at 11:00am CST
Final Round of Voting ends October 17th, 2008 at 12:00am CST.
As you can see, there are 2 ROUNDS of voting!! SO...i really could use an army of loyal FARA-VOTING FANS!!!!! Thank U!! xox

SPREAD THIS BLOG TO EVERY1 U KNOW....(this message will self-destruct in 10 seconds).....(just kidding)......(or am I??)....

Me & the sisters of Violet Femmes are showcasing at THE LIBRA ROOM May 17th in Vancouver, BC. New Music West will be full of bands rockin it up all over the city. If you're in our hood, come check out the show! See my calender for more details!

The Los Angeles FAITA Awards are being held tonite at the Beverly Hills Hotel, 90210!! Right now actually....and i'm sitting here typing this blog, which means i didn't make it to LA to receive my award in person. Interestingly enough, i'm pontificating and deliberating over the notion that perhaps at this very moment they are announcing my category, my name, and someone is accepting the award on my behalf. And hey...i'm thinking that maybe we should've had one of those pre-taped video feeds. You know, where the announcer says, "Fara Palmer couldn't be here tonite to receive her award, however we do have her on tape. And she had this to say..." and everyone looks at the big tv screen way up on high and they roll the 'fara says thank you' clip. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUPER COOOOOL!
Anyways, that didn't happen...i'm still here in Canada...still grateful for the honour & acknowledgement....hungry....thirsty.....leaving........gone..........xoxoxoxo

I've added a "Donations" option on my SHOP page. I often joke about anonymously donating money to me, and it's funny but i have had alot of replies from people who actually want to send me money! Sooo....i set up a cool Paypal account and now everyone can send me their cash! lol.
We'll see what happens!
Peace, love & happiness to all! FP

One Mr. Indiana Jones(whoevers playing him now) plus cast & crew are busy filming part of the movie across the street from my house! Kewul, aye?? I thought about cooking up a whack of fried bread and then going over to their trailer camp and makin some dough! But decided that it would be too much work & that i was happy to check em out from afar. I know this has nothing to do with my career, but i grew up watching Indiana Jones and his adventures and i'm a fan!!
Must be some new marketing strategy cuz now i can't wait until the movie is realeased so i can go see it!! Fricken marketer people. xox

So far the hardest working Fara Palmer STREET TEAM MEMBER i have is......(drumroll please...): DOREEN LESPERANCE. Thank you D, for all your support and for putting in time to assist me in promoting my music!! U RAWK LADY!!!

Anyone else interested in being a part of my STREET TEAM can contact me via email. Do it cuz u love my music or cuz u want the cool perks(backstage passes, free merch, concert tix, etc). Either way, you'll have my gratitude!!

Thought i'd do something different & include this thing below. Listen, buy, or whatever! All my love 2 u all! FP
http://www.greatindie.com/ipnmusic/cart/xspf/xspf_player.swf"/> name="quality" value="high"/>..
Buy mp3 At GreatIndieMusic.com

Want the Physical CD? Head to cdbaby.com/cd/farapalmer1 or order one off me and i'll sign it for you! Just email me with your request & i'll give u the hook-up. PEACE

Track #1: Blah, Blah, Blah off of my latest cd PHOENIX is getting madd airplay in Toppenish, Washington USA. Blah....is one of the top requested songs! A big shoutout of love & thanks to all the ladies of Yakima & Toppenish who are diggin the song. Thankx for calling in every day to hear it!! Sista's gotta stick together, RIGHT??!!
Big ups to KYNR Radio for playing my music and for always showing their support! Thank you Roy, Reggie, & the whole team running KYNR.
One love, F

URGENT! 911: Call your local radio station & demand to hear my tunes. If they don't got the cd, send em to my website! Thxxxxx

Guess what? So like the day after my Juno loss, i check in to my email and find out that i WON the award for "Outstanding Musical Achievement In A Contemporary Field" for the 2008 FAITA awards.
FAITA stands for "First Americans In The Arts" and is based out of Los Angeles. So not sure yet, but may be heading to L.A.
Thank you FAITA for acknowledging my cd PHOENIX, and for honouring me with such a beautiful award!! xox

I am pleased to report that Derek Miller won the "Aboriginal Recording Of The Year" category. So yes, i did not win. Ahh, shucks eh??? lol.
The Juno's absolutely RAWKED!! Got to see & meet Serena Ryder, Hedley, Tegan Quinn, Corb Lund, Alex Cuba, Jill Barber, and so many many more talented artists. I tried stocking Jacob Hoggard, and for some reason was making it my Juno weekend mission to creep him out. I don't think i achieved my goal, and will have to try again next time i'm in the same vincinity as he is!
Thank you Calgary, Caras, Radio Starmaker Fund, EMI for the kick-ass afterparty!!, Songwriters circle, Juno Abo showcase & CBC Radio2 for the ONDEMAND radio broadcast of our show!
And finally, to all of the people who love me and my music and really wanted me to win the JUNO.....thank you for your love & support! I did win a different award, check out the title above(FAITA). xox