SKYLAR WOLF

John LeKay: What was the experience like for you, going to one of these boarding schools as a kid?

Skylar Wolf: The boarding School was a way out for me when I was a youngster. It ment that I didn't have to work very hard at all, then it was when I was home. You see, I grew up old fashion!  I worked my fingers to the bone, worked a life, an old life style, of some Navajo's Shepherd in the hot sun into the dead of winter. We, didn't have snow boots at the time. So, we wrapped our feet in what we could find: any old cloths, ripped old shirts, and even shreds of old blankets.

I lived in a separate home near my Grandparents at the age of 6 years old. I wasn't allowed to visit with many people. I was up early before the sun rise to make breakfast for the family, my Grandfather and I. So, living in the boarding school was a vacation for me. I have spent my year alone growing up as a child. Didn't make many friends in school.  I was considered too REZY! ( to the white folk and urban Indians, that's, dirty, wild, smelly, and just plain ol NASTY!!!) 

So, in the boarding school, it was a bit safe for me. What was funny, is other Native kids wanted what the Public Schools offered. A lot of these Native kids, tried so hard to be more White when they were. "NATIVE PRIDE" I see this written everywhere!! 

Well, I have been NATIVE PRIDE since no one wanted to sit or stand by me in class or even walk with me, or, to pick up free cloths that the Government hands out to us poor NATIVE kids. Boarding Schools,. well, they showed me, NATIVE PRIDE. That I can still fight my way out into the WORLD, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE, for ALL PEOPLE!

 

JL: When did you beginning playing the guitar and making music?

 SW: I pick up the harmonica in a drunken spell, out on the streets of Niagara Falls, New York years after I had let Ft. Wingate Boarding School. I had lot my Education, ended up out on the streets of New York State. I was living life one day at a time, working here and there. Every chance I got, I boozed it up. I left nothing in my past and found nothing interesting in my future. Days and Nights, even years pasted before I took out the Harmonica and stated playing it. One day I stumbled into this bar,.. and up on stage was the guy, playing the living daylights out of this Harmonica. Drunker than the bottle itself, I found a way to play it! 

 Now, at the age of I don't remember, because I was so wasted.  I bought this guitar, played it for a several months. Then, I fell in love with this women, sold the guitar bought her a Bible, no more music. I must have been 23 years old at the time. through out the years I play on other peoples flat top boxes.

 

JL: So what happened, you bought another guitar. is that how you started up again?

SW: I didn't buy another guitar until many years after. I spent what money I had  from odd jobs to build a life. I could be living very well by now on the money I worked for as a roofer. Yes,.. I was a Roofer. The next guitar was given to me while I attempting fate at another college educational mission. My father out of nowhere gave me a guitar for personal relaxation time between college study time. He mentioned not being around all those years. I think maybe he tried to make up for lost time as a father. I don't know where this story of mine will end (my life). I never knew this man my father,.. But, at my last cowering moments in life,... He saves me with an old guitar. This man, my Father, I will love for the rest my days. Now, seven  guitars later,... many broken strings,...I hold dear to my heart like a picture hung on the wall, that old guitar! I been playing ever since.

JL:  You have an amazing voice.  Did you always have this voice or did it take work to devolved this?

 

SW: People say that I sing from the soul.  I'm not sure maybe this is true. I have never sang a single song in my entire life up until now. During school when we were asked to join the choir,  I never opened a single note out of this here mouth. I tease a lot of folk and tell people that my singing comes from yelling at the sheep. And, my swing gee-tar slamming arm was developed by ripping the sage brush out of the ground tossing it after the sheep to keep them from breaking the herd. I can't tell you where my voice comes from. I was told by a Holy man once that my particular soul was a messenger, and that my message will come clear in due time. So, my spirit must stay strong in order for my SOUL (voice) to complete it's transformation. He says, "for a child who never spoke much and spent most of his days alone to be herd by all five finger people must have a special soul,.. one that can be herd by all."  I don't know, I don't even know how I sing the way I do John.   

JL: Can you please tell me about your song writing, your creative process etc. How you write songs and come up with
beautiful melodies?

 

SW: I tell people that they write my songs. That they are my inspiration for writing the music. I have to live these experiences in my life to write or sing about anything. It will mean nothing for the song if I sang about something I hadn't experienced myself, it would be pointless. For instance, I do not sing cover songs (songs that were written and sung by other artists).  When other artists sing there songs, they feel them emotionally so much that, we like them. So when others artists try duplicate that same song in there own style; it doesn't fit. As for me, it would be like, I was singing a lie with no emotional ties what so ever. When I write and sing,... I try to grab all walks of life,...a teenager in his or her new world of relationships, the middle age women or man, who has been or is going through difficulty,...the old folk that I bring back in  time.

There are times when I open my eyes and look off stage. I could see what once was in the eyes of an old man or women. I can see that, obstacle they climbed when there life changed. I know they remember long lost love, friends, family... I  bring them back,..lol.. as for the children,..lol. I think the just love my voice and the way I look on stage,...but, they always stay for the whole show.    

JL: Were you recently nominated for some music award?

CS: Yes, in Deland, Florida. I was nominated in fourteen categories, I walked way with Folk song of the Year 2006,.. the song was "Shelter". It was cool,... I was the only distinguished Native American that attended the Singer songwriters Showcase of American Original Music.  Boy, they gave me a run for the money. Them folk were mostly out of Nashville and all points from the heart of Rockabilly and Blues country...lol !!!  What I liked the most was that they loved what I had to offer,... they said my sound was unexpected,... It must have been my vocals and the story of the songs, it gets them every time!!!   

JL: It sounds like you had some pretty tough experiences after leaving home?

SW: . Leaving home,...Humm....I left home on a bet. My my friends had plans, leaving for college, the Army, etc. I didn't have any plans or a place to go. I didn't want to herd sheep for the rest of my life that's for sure or end up a drunk like some of the folk back home. But, I did any way, just somewhere else and not to mention, I came home that way. 

One day I'm in School, next thing you know I'm spending time in jail. No, family, no friends, just you, alone locked up with strange people at the age of 19 years. You couldn't call home because you had to much pride. To make matters worse my Grandmother didn't speak word of English. We didn't have Elec., phones, or running water at that. I couldn't go home. When I was released from jail. I spent another 5 years on probation. I couldn't leave back home until the five years was completed.

 Meanwhile, when I went back to school I wasn't allowed re-enter the Nursing Program because of my criminal history. Dreams and living a decent life went all down hill from this point on. 

Though the next several years, I lived my life on the edge on skid row, remember what my Grandmother told me. Everything she said, all the stories she told me about the outside world came to reality. I spent my years living in my own head trying to go back home. but, I was so ashamed to even look in the direction my reservation was located. There was not even a star in sight, but the reflection of the streetlight across the sky. There were times when the snow could only be seen falling a short distant from your face but never any left to see on the city streets before it hits the ground. I slept in the corners of the building to keep warm during those winter nights picturing how easy it would be to knock on my Grandmothers door to find warmth. It was during these hard times I could here her voice, saying just a little longer. I could have die, frozen out on these streets many times. Now has to live this way. And this is what I stress to the children every chance I get

JL: What are some of the most important learning's you gained from this?

 SW: Too much PRIDE can work against you. Life must be a humble journey. Most important is, don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help if you don't know or don't understand a situation in life. Remember all your teachings. Learn everything about yourself through your elders. This way you will not have to spend endless time searching for yourself or where your spirits belongs. 

JL: Do you still practice your traditional spirituality?

SW . What,.where and who touches the SOUL,...My Spirituality found its own guidance. The years have taught me too except and respect practices of all spiritual aspects life. As a Child I was only a work horse confined to an old traditional way of  living, hardly the way of a Priest, Monk, or Holy Medicine Man. Often My Grandparents have practice the Navajo Traditions and Christian Religion. It must have been hard for my Grandparents to choose which salvation was best for there Souls.

All our lives people struggle finding salvation; when its the human spirit that needs to heal the world, making it a better place for our children, and among our brothers and sisters alike. I have found spiritual guidance in my music,. It doesn't wash me in the lights of Creator or God. But, it finds it's way into the hearts of men, women, and children. I sing what people are afraid to talk about or afraid to confided in another. I let them know that they are not alone, I take them back in time, give them something to also cry and smile about,...I let them know that their alive. Its a new version of and old tradition of spiritual practice,.. I teach through the songs.   

JL: Was the holy man who told you this a Navajo medicine man and did he tell you anything else you found interesting?

SW: Yes, he was a Navajo medicine man from a place called Little Water, New Mexico. I never read to far into "Medicine men". I grew up not asking questions about them or talking about them much. My Grandmother said it was bad luck to speak of them with out purpose. They were no different then "Skinwalkers",if you have heard of the Skinwalker, they would be the bad Medicine practices of the Navajo traditions.

I use Medicine man as a advisor, more or less. I generally visit a Medicine man, asking for guidance or blessing more than anything. This particular Medicine man brought my childhood past and my future in to perspective. He never says too much. But, he mentions that my spirit as strayed and put my body through a life of trial and error for reason. I just laugh out, and said, why me. Why did he ( The Creator) send my life through a journey as a child into my adulthood leaving standing helpless at the end of a rope ready to take my own life, it doesn't make sense. He said that my Soul needed to travel deeper within its self to surface its true form to reach out. The Medicine man said to me, people may never meet their destiny because there spirits are broken so easily,...therefore their souls never get a chance to speak out until the body releases it (Death). 

 He smiled at me and said, Fans,...huh,...maybe its just your soul reaching out to the world, and in the "Creators view" that's just a few.  Ponder it for awhile right?!!! Don't ask, just listen.  That's what I say!!!

JL: Do you mean "yee naaldlooshii" Walks on all fours. These medicine men with super natural abilities to turn into wolves, etc

SW: Yepers, they be the ones to fear unless your protected. My family lived among them. But, that's just depending on how much you believe in tradition. Some people believe they exist others don't. As for me, well,... all I can only say, is that they have been talked about for  many years beyond my life time and still feared today. Its easy for Urban Natives to hide behind the city street lights, along side the neon flickering sidewalks. They laugh a joke, up until they find themselves walking home in the middle of nowhere on the reservation late at night .LOL

JL: Do you still live on the rez?

sw: YES, I still live on the Navajo Reservation, the area is called Carson or Hurfano. It is located 30 odd mile from Hurfano. But, you still have to drive another 20 miles in the that part of the Reservation to find me. Its funny I actually had people come out and find me just to purchase a CD or get a signed picture. It's kinda scary in a cool way. A lot of folk always ask me if I live out on the Rez. I travel a lot promoting,... but there's nothing like watching the sun set on my Government Issued  Wildlife Private Property,...lol,... 
 

JL: How has living on the rez in-between promoting and touring impacted your song writing and what other musicians do you like to listen to?

SW: It gets tough sometimes, trying to juggle my career. But, I always have something to write, this for me works out for the better. There has been sometime where I actually have to check into a motel and stay for a week or so just to finish writing a song. I don't really listen to other musicians,.. but I respect them enough that they will respect my music in the same manner only because I do not want outside influences. If I do happen to listen to music, on the Bus, Train ride, I don't like to fly but, if I were on a Plane. I would listen to Golden Oldies, Spanish Style music, even them old 30's and 20's Swing'in jams.

 

JL: Have you found that people are also interested in your culture as well as your music?

SW: When I go to an all White folk or Black folk venue, people wonder at first,.. Because, of the way I look. If I am not on stage yet, they well approach me and ask what tribe I'm from,.. or simply " are you Indian?".  But, as soon as I am done performing, they forget all about me being Native American.  Which is cool, ..especially, when you are trying to keep the focus on the music. Its like,... " Hurry, get up on stage,  start singing before you end up teaching Native American Culture 101".,..lol!