Is there a tradition of fiddle-playing in Native American culture (or, among the northwest costal tribes, specifically)?
I would say there is a tradition of self-expression in all of Native American culture. There is honor in self-expression. I believe most Americans have come to learn that it is a selfish or frivolous act to express themselves. Generosity-of-being was considered frivolous and absurd. Through it all–the boarding schools, the kids being snatched up by the states and placed in non-native homes or, even mental institutions–elders have held onto their identity. Many have become successful lawyers, doctors, nurses, school teachers, professors, but that is just what they do. Who they are is in the quality of that self-expression. I am just a violinist. That does not mean that I need to give up my identity. That does not mean that I need to sit in an orchestra and assume the tempo of a conductor. I can slow down. I can play for reasons other than to impress someone. I am not dumbing down when I play something simple with feeling. I am holding up the concept of simply living through my music.
