The 1st Feel Good Friday

The first Feel Good Friday at WüNüT’ Novi went down this past Friday night. Starting with a Writing Circle to provide a creative breeding ground for writers, poets, emceeś́́/rappers, storytellers, songwriters and the like, the building pulsed with instrumentals from the boombox and words lifted off pages by voices determined to be heard. The small but spirited trio of Willie Shay, Derek Sierra and Kris Hohag shared their thoughts and outlooks on life and their community via prose and rhymes while discussing how to achieve their artistic goals.

After an hour or so, the room shifted from beats and rhymes to a steady pounding of the big drum and the sounds of northern and southern style powwow songs. Bobby Piper led the way until Mike Harrison showed up and joined the circle, strengthening the singing and power of the songs. The thumping of the drum could be heard from the street, spreading blessings throughout the rez and beyond to open the weekend in a good way.

The drummers sang until they could no more and called it a night, rejuvenated for the next go round. The night transitioned into conversation and then more music as Sage Romero showed up with his trusty P.A. system. After the P.A. was ready, the stage was set for a freestyle cypher session as the mic was passed amongst the crew. Local rapper Illest-rated Abilities (Billy Barlow) and James Napoles, freshly home from his first year at Haskell Indian Nations University, trickled in and joined, spitting flows off the top, unrehearsed, stream of consciousness thoughts to the rhythm. Youngster Cal Omohundro, 8 years old, could be seen bobbing his head as he watched and listened to his older brethren express themselves to the beat. By the end of the session, he had a pencil and paper in hand writing his own raps.

Check it next Friday nite to get in on the movement...There will not be drum group as our leader will be powwowing it up, but writing circle and cypher sesh is no doubt on the schedule. Be about it.

WüNüT’!