Supaman brings his energetic show, during which dancing is encouraged, to the Winthrop Barn on Feb. 10.
The Native American dancer and innovative hip-hop artist Supaman has dedicated his life to empowering and spreading a message of hope through culture and music. That message will come through in an exhilarating performance when Supaman and Acosia Red Elk, a world-champion jingle-dress dancer, perform at the Winthrop Barn on Saturday, Feb. 10.
Supaman, born Christian Parrish Takes the Gun, is a member of the Apsaalooke Nation. He lives on the Crow reservation in Montana but has early roots in Seattle, inspiring his blending of Native American culture with urban-influenced hip-hop.
Supaman brings a spiritual energy to his music. “Sometimes the Creator gives us unique ideas in our spirit and minds to uplift the people in some way or another,” he said, describing his newly released album “Illuminatives.”
And he seeks to transmit that energy to others. “Those ideas just remain there — and maybe even die — unless we take action and put movement to them on the Earth. If you have an idea that’s been in your mind, I encourage you to put action to it,” he said. “Life is too short not to!”
Energized by the movement for indigenous unity, Supaman sees sharing his roots as a way of educating people about native culture and of building bridges between cultures. “When I’m invited to a non-native school, it’s an amazing opportunity to share music and culture with them,” he said. “I feel like I have a responsibility to educate about native people, and the history of the United States, and basic things like breaking stereotypes of native people.”
When he performs for an all-native audience, Supaman said, “You get to say, ‘Hey, I’m a fancy dancer … and I embrace this other culture, which is hip-hop.’ I want to show native youth that it’s OK to embrace other cultures, so long as you don’t forget who you are and where you come from.”
People can get a sense for how Supaman blurs boundaries in his 2015 music video “Why,” in which he performs the men’s fancy dance with Acosia Red Elk. The traditional dance and prayer melody soon morph into a contemporary rap about economic inequality and the struggles of parenting. “Why” won an Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Award and has racked up more than 3 million views.
Supaman has also received numerous other awards for his music, most recently winning the MTV Video Music Award. He also won MTV’s New Artist of the Week Award, the Native American Music Award, and seven Tuney awards.
The audience at the barn will be able to join in Supaman’s energy, since Supaman also likes to blur any boundaries between the audience and him as a performer. Methow Arts is treating the show as dance-floor only and offering only limited reserved seating in the balcony and along the perimeter.
The show is Saturday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Winthrop Barn. Advance adult tickets are $20 from Methow Arts in Twisp, Riverside Printing in Winthrop, and supamanmethow.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets at the door are $25 for adults. All student tickets are $10.
Students at eight schools around the county, including the entire Methow Valley School District, will get to see Supaman in special school performances sponsored by Methow Arts.
