From the TUC Radio Archives
The many remembrances that were written about John Trudell after his passing on December 8, 2015, showed the extraordinary width and depth of his engagement. Most know of his music and poetry, or of the films that he participated in. Not everybody knew that up to 1979 writing and performing was not even a thought or plan or dream of his.
In this part TWO John Trudell opened with a surprising analysis of the practice of voting for the lesser of two evils and continued with thoughts about democracy, technology, and dominance. Trudell described Columbus as one who did not know what a human being is, and tried to activate ancient memories of those who arrived with and after Columbus and their long submerged links to their own tribal ancestry that was erased by the Inquisition. Respect and responsibility are the leading values Trudell referred to and he asked what the repercussions of the fears and doubts and insecurities are that we experience in today’s culture.
John Trudell spoke in March 2001 at a benefit for the U’wa of Columbia who were resisting oil drilling on their ancestral land.
He died on December 8, 2015. Trudell had someone make one final post to his Facebook page 13 hours after he passed.
It read, simply:
“My ride showed up”
“Celebrate Love. Celebrate Life.”
John Trudell
February 15, 1946 – December 8, 2015
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 19.9MB)
